Yeah, I've always assumed Marvin for Windows/Android would need to be wholly new apps, "inspired" by the original Marvin for iOS and striving to emulate all of its features, but perhaps written in different programming languages better suited for those other platforms. (We're talking in terms of pipe-dreams now.)
I think such things have been done with other apps before, and I don't mean corporate ones. My financial app is PocketMoney on iOS, whose (young!) developer tragically died of cancer a few years ago. His cousin nevertheless successfully created a PocketMoney version for Android. When you use the app on Android, you can just
feel it's not really the same app, but it's still nearly identical to the iOS version (though not quite as polished), so it's pretty fine overall. I'm not sure if the two apps were written in different programming languages.
As to iCloud for syncing purposes, I'd really welcome if Dropbox were an optional alternative. iCloud keeps bugging me about my space running out. I pay a euro a month for the 50 GB option, whereas I pay €99 per year for Dropbox where I have a terabyte at my disposal, so I'd like to use as much Dropbox as possible.
$600 per year and platform doesn't actually sound quite that intimidating. Marvin's user base might perhaps cover it with relative ease?
I know, that's the cheapest option, probably not the best quality.
PS: I'm not currently fluent in Spanish, but I see you mention the Day One journaling app in your article. I'm fine with their subscription model at €26 per year. I'd subscribe to Marvin, too, for a similar price, if Marvin at least offered highlights and annotations syncing. Day One is likewise planning to expand to Android, very soon now, perhaps in September or October. I wonder what programming language they are using to create the Android app? (Oh, and I intend to start learning Spanish soon, using the Duolingo and/or Babbel app, so I can talk to my 6-year-old half-Cuban niece in her half-native tongue one day.)
