Last fall when we launched the OPEN Forum iPhone App, I shared some thoughts on how to determine if mobile marketing is right for your business. Given the growth of the always-connected lifestyle, it’s a question you probably ask yourself often. Then, when Android surpassed the iPhone last year, the question became: if developing, which platform should you choose?

As we’ve recently launched the OPEN Forum App for Android™, I can offer some additional thoughts on that topic. First, there’s the question of whether you need to choose or develop apps for both. We chose the iPhone app first because (at the time) we saw the largest percentage of our visitors coming to OPEN Forum via mobile devices using iPhones. Of course, with the rapid growth of the Android market, we’ve seen a rise in the number of visits from Android users. We had always planned to develop for both, but prioritized development according to our visitors. By focusing on one first, we were able to test and learn.

While Android has surpassed iPhone, that doesn’t mean that it’s what more of your customers use.  According to the Feb. 2011 Top Mobile Internet Trends report by Mary Meeker and Matt Murphy, iPhone app downloads still outpace Android, 17 million to 11 million.

Other things to consider include:

• Limitations of a proprietary operating system. Compared to the iPhone’s OS, the Android offers greater flexibility—including allowing users to integrate sharing capabilities—without the developers having to build them into the apps themselves (although that is changing, per the recent Apple announcement).

• Control over design. You get less with iPhone, but then again, they’re known for great design.

• Time to market. Some people may complain that the review process for Apple is more time-intensive than it should be, but as an iPhone user myself, I can appreciate the quality of the app marketplace. You know what you’re getting has been vetted.

• Marketability. The iTunes App Store makes it fairly easy to find apps (but I welcome arguments from Android users).

The last point I’d make is that with any technology you should consider where you think things are going in the future. Building and maintaining a platform is resource intensive, so betting on the future success of your platform is important. While I don’t think too many people would bet against Apple, I wouldn’t bet against Android either. I was out at the Google developer conference last month and it was truly amazing. It was a sold out event with over five thousand developers in attendance to hear what Google is releasing in Android and other products. I was in awe of the new developments, but even more so with the energy and enthusiasm of the developer community. I have no doubt Android is only getting started.

What’s your take? Apple, Android...or maybe we should be talking about Microsoft, Blackberry or others? Add your thoughts below or send me an e-mail at scott@openforum.com. And, if you’re an Android user, check out the OPEN Forum App for Android™, and let me know what you think.