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Will BibleWorks Run on a Mobile Platform, Such as a Smart Phone or Tablet?
Author: KB Admin Reference Number: AA-02702 Views: 33096 Created: 2012-08-05 19:00 Last Updated: 2016-09-01 12:15 75 Rating/ 1 Voters

Periodically customers enthusiastic about BibleWorks suggest that the company implement BibleWorks on a mobile device, such as a smart phone (Android, Blackberry, iPhone, etc.) or tablet (iPad, etc.).  Here are a number of points relating to this suggestion:

1.  Windows Tablets Available. Those who need BibleWorks on a tablet should consider obtaining one of the many available tablets, such as the Surface 3 line (or even substantially less expensive products from other vendors), that run full Windows.  Apple customers might consider awaiting the Mac OS X tablet many feel is imminent: a Mac OS X tablet would also run BibleWorks.  Not only will these tablets run BibleWorks, but they offer easy portability of other desktop applications.

2.  iOS/Android Shortcomings.  A port of BibleWorks to iOS or Android would necessarily be limited to a subset of BibleWorks function.  We believe this limitation would continually prove a source of frustration to those familiar with full BibleWorks.

There are workable, although only marginally satisfactory, ways to use full BibleWorks indirectly on iOS and Android devices.  See the FAQ cited below on this subject.

3.  Cost of Port.  iOS and Android are not Windows or Mac OS X subsets but completely different operating systems.  BibleWorks has costed a BibleWorks port (and a subset port at that) to iOS and Android: the development and maintenance costs would raise the cost of BibleWorks by US$100 per copy.  To increase the BibleWorks price by that amount would be completely incompatible with our commitment to our customers to deliver the best Bible software at the minimum possible, and an affordable, price.

4.  Value of Port.  Most BibleWorks customers asking for a port to iOS or Android say their mobile needs are limited to reading and searching Bible texts.  To have this function, they would expect to pay typical iOS/Android app license fees of less than US$10.  But there are already numerous free or nearly-free iOS/Android apps on the market that provide at least the reading/searching function, and in several languages.  Why would BibleWorks customers pay even US$10, let alone the US$100 that BibleWorks prices would increase, to obtain mobile app functions they can now obtain for free?

5.  Competition.  It is true that other Bible software companies provide iOS and Android apps.  BibleWorks customers should consider, in light of the above cost analysis, how much they'd be paying in hidden fees to these companies to obtain these apps.

Last update: RG/September 1, 2016