PCWorld wrote a nice article defining “Why Android Will Win the Mobile Platform War.”
“When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.” quote by John M. Richardson, Jr.
The same rings true in the cell industry. Android’s definitely in the “ones that make it happen” category. I’ll let you place the others where you wish.
1. Flexibility – An open platform based around Linux, another open platform, leaves the future wide open for development. Users have more freedom to do what they wish with their OS and device. Manufacturers also gain the freedom to create the specialized customizations and UI’s they want for their consumers, which helps create signature devices that are still user customizable.
2. Strength in Numbers – With the competitors there is only ONE device. With Android becoming so popular so quickly, the manufacturers are building more devices. With LG scheduled to put out 20 Android phones by the end of the year, there is no shortage of choices available.
3. DIY tools – With App Inventor launching and now sending out acceptance e-mails, Google has helped put the power in the users’ hands. I have no doubt it will create some junk apps. I have even made a few pointless apps myself. What it will do, though, is allow the average consumer a glimpse into how apps are built and inspire new developers to start creating.
4. Focus on Users – Android is more dedicated to the success of the platform and support than its main competitor. With the “Antennagate” debacle, it took Apple a long time to even acknowledge there was an issue. Android will have its hiccups every now and again. Between the carriers, Google and the community issues are resolved rather quickly. You never feel alone in a problem or that no one cares about you.
5. The Google Factor – If you weren’t aware, there are other Linux based mobile operating systems available such as Intel’s Meego and Samsung’s Bada. But with backing and support from a giant like Google, Android is moving forward incredibly fast.
It’s a pretty good list of reasons, I think.
I could sit here all day long and argue why Android is the best, but most of you already know that. The numbers don’t lie so instead of opinions and feelings, let’s see how the data plays out. Market researcher ABI predicts Linux-based devices will make up 33% of the market by 2015. Google gained 4 points between February and May, while Apple lost 1. NPD found that RIM maintained the lead with 36 percent market share for the quarter, with Android coming in at 28 percent, and iPhone OS in third at 21 percent. This was reported back in May. With 100,000 Android devices shipping daily, we are giving Apple something to start worrying about. Things keep looking up for Android. Look out Steve, with jailbreaking legal, things could change very swiftly.
Long live the revolution!
Source: PCWorld, Talkandroid and Engadget
About the Author
Don’t call me an Apple fanboy because I own a Nexus, but I just want to inject a reality check here.
1) those NPD figures are misleading, people tend to ignore the fact they were only for Q1 sales of this year. The fact that Android, with all these devices,on all these carriers, only sold 7% more than Apple is not a good sign at all. At that point, people knew the iPhone4 was just around the corner and were waiting. No doubt few 3GSs were sold at that point, and those figures probably included ipad’s and iPods, few iPhones. Fact is, Apple still has around 3 times the market share globally overall. I love Android but it has a LONG way to go.
2) Point 4 above is hard to swallow. In all our excitement and drooling let’s not forget what Google is and how they make money. Google is a search company heart and soul. They make money selling search and advertising to us. Android is something they purchased in 2005 I believe because they’ve got more money they know what to do with and view it as another platform they can advertise to you on. That’s what they really care about. They make chump change selling android apps since 70% are free anyway, it’s all about keeping you online and advertising to you. Google is not a product driven company and the way they handled the Nexus One proves that.
Oh, and i feel pretty alone with the fact that HTC fixed the broken multitouch right after the Nexus One came out on subsequent phones. I emailed both HTC and Google several times about the multitouch issue on the N1 and they never responded, just swept the N1 under the rug. No press conference or fix for me.
3) the strength in numbers point is also a problem and ignores the fragmentation issue. Sure, Google is trying to get everyone up to 2.2 even thought you can go out and buy a new Android phone today with 1.6 on it and will likely never be able to upgrade. With so many devices, so many various UIs and custom tweaks, it’s going to be very challenging to make sure apps stay compatible on every phone in the market. This might be why we STILL don’t see any big time commercially developed apps (such as 3D games) in the market. Why should some company invest millions in a platform in which perhaps only half of the phones will be able to play their game? But again, Google doesn’t care about this because their goal is not quality but quantity because they make money on advertising, not selling products.
I’m pointing out these complaints because I want Android to succeed not because it sells the most phones (plenty given away for free), but because it offers the best experience. I’m worried that it’s just going to be quantity rather than quality. Or worse, that Google, the scatter brain company that they are, will just lose interest and move onto something else and leave Android in the hands of OEMs.
Don’t call me an Apple fanboy because I own a Nexus, but I just want to inject a reality check here.
1) those NPD figures are misleading, people tend to ignore the fact they were only for Q1 sales of this year. The fact that Android, with all these devices,on all these carriers, only sold 7% more than Apple is not a good sign at all. At that point, people knew the iPhone4 was just around the corner and were waiting. No doubt few 3GSs were sold at that point, and those figures probably included ipad’s and iPods, few iPhones. Fact is, Apple still has around 3 times the market share globally overall. I love Android but it has a LONG way to go.
2) Point 4 above is hard to swallow. In all our excitement and drooling let’s not forget what Google is and how they make money. Google is a search company heart and soul. They make money selling search and advertising to us. Android is something they purchased in 2005 I believe because they’ve got more money they know what to do with and view it as another platform they can advertise to you on. That’s what they really care about. They make chump change selling android apps since 70% are free anyway, it’s all about keeping you online and advertising to you. Google is not a product driven company and the way they handled the Nexus One proves that.
Oh, and i feel pretty alone with the fact that HTC fixed the broken multitouch right after the Nexus One came out on subsequent phones. I emailed both HTC and Google several times about the multitouch issue on the N1 and they never responded, just swept the N1 under the rug. No press conference or fix for me.
3) the strength in numbers point is also a problem and ignores the fragmentation issue. Sure, Google is trying to get everyone up to 2.2 even thought you can go out and buy a new Android phone today with 1.6 on it and will likely never be able to upgrade. With so many devices, so many various UIs and custom tweaks, it’s going to be very challenging to make sure apps stay compatible on every phone in the market. This might be why we STILL don’t see any big time commercially developed apps (such as 3D games) in the market. Why should some company invest millions in a platform in which perhaps only half of the phones will be able to play their game? But again, Google doesn’t care about this because their goal is not quality but quantity because they make money on advertising, not selling products.
I’m pointing out these complaints because I want Android to succeed not because it sells the most phones (plenty given away for free), but because it offers the best experience. I’m worried that it’s just going to be quantity rather than quality. Or worse, that Google, the scatter brain company that they are, will just lose interest and move onto something else and leave Android in the hands of OEMs.
Don’t call me an Apple fanboy because I own a Nexus, but I just want to inject a reality check here.
1) those NPD figures are misleading, people tend to ignore the fact they were only for Q1 sales of this year. The fact that Android, with all these devices,on all these carriers, only sold 7% more than Apple is not a good sign at all. At that point, people knew the iPhone4 was just around the corner and were waiting. No doubt few 3GSs were sold at that point, and those figures probably included ipad’s and iPods, few iPhones. Fact is, Apple still has around 3 times the market share globally overall. I love Android but it has a LONG way to go.
2) Point 4 above is hard to swallow. In all our excitement and drooling let’s not forget what Google is and how they make money. Google is a search company heart and soul. They make money selling search and advertising to us. Android is something they purchased in 2005 I believe because they’ve got more money they know what to do with and view it as another platform they can advertise to you on. That’s what they really care about. They make chump change selling android apps since 70% are free anyway, it’s all about keeping you online and advertising to you. Google is not a product driven company and the way they handled the Nexus One proves that.
Oh, and i feel pretty alone with the fact that HTC fixed the broken multitouch right after the Nexus One came out on subsequent phones. I emailed both HTC and Google several times about the multitouch issue on the N1 and they never responded, just swept the N1 under the rug. No press conference or fix for me.
3) the strength in numbers point is also a problem and ignores the fragmentation issue. Sure, Google is trying to get everyone up to 2.2 even thought you can go out and buy a new Android phone today with 1.6 on it and will likely never be able to upgrade. With so many devices, so many various UIs and custom tweaks, it’s going to be very challenging to make sure apps stay compatible on every phone in the market. This might be why we STILL don’t see any big time commercially developed apps (such as 3D games) in the market. Why should some company invest millions in a platform in which perhaps only half of the phones will be able to play their game? But again, Google doesn’t care about this because their goal is not quality but quantity because they make money on advertising, not selling products.
I’m pointing out these complaints because I want Android to succeed not because it sells the most phones (plenty given away for free), but because it offers the best experience. I’m worried that it’s just going to be quantity rather than quality. Or worse, that Google, the scatter brain company that they are, will just lose interest and move onto something else and leave Android in the hands of OEMs.
I read this article and thought “Wow. That’s a lot of grammar errors for pros like PC World.” So I went to their website and read the original. No errors there… and the article was significantly different. Good job adding you “spin.”
I read this article and thought “Wow. That’s a lot of grammar errors for pros like PC World.” So I went to their website and read the original. No errors there… and the article was significantly different. Good job adding you “spin.”
I read this article and thought “Wow. That’s a lot of grammar errors for pros like PC World.” So I went to their website and read the original. No errors there… and the article was significantly different. Good job adding you “spin.”
Crap… in that case I’ve been duped. I need to go read the original article myself then. My points still stand.
Crap… in that case I’ve been duped. I need to go read the original article myself then. My points still stand.
Crap… in that case I’ve been duped. I need to go read the original article myself then. My points still stand.
People do tend to prefer environments where they can do what they please from among the range of choices on offer. Android provides that environment to more people. For example, the 150 million phone users on CDMA networks in the US (alone) do not have an iPhone they can buy even if they wanted one. Apple has written them off. Android has filled that void rather nicely. There are other such examples, but the main point is the social element. People will recommend what the know and like. It’s worked for Apple and it is working for Android, too.
People do tend to prefer environments where they can do what they please from among the range of choices on offer. Android provides that environment to more people. For example, the 150 million phone users on CDMA networks in the US (alone) do not have an iPhone they can buy even if they wanted one. Apple has written them off. Android has filled that void rather nicely. There are other such examples, but the main point is the social element. People will recommend what the know and like. It’s worked for Apple and it is working for Android, too.
People do tend to prefer environments where they can do what they please from among the range of choices on offer. Android provides that environment to more people. For example, the 150 million phone users on CDMA networks in the US (alone) do not have an iPhone they can buy even if they wanted one. Apple has written them off. Android has filled that void rather nicely. There are other such examples, but the main point is the social element. People will recommend what the know and like. It’s worked for Apple and it is working for Android, too.
“With 100,000 Android devices shipping daily, we are giving Apple something to start worrying about.” Who is “we” exactly?
“With 100,000 Android devices shipping daily, we are giving Apple something to start worrying about.” Who is “we” exactly?
“With 100,000 Android devices shipping daily, we are giving Apple something to start worrying about.” Who is “we” exactly?
Apple will go down the same road that MS is facing now with its WP7. It is a no win situation for the iPhone against Android. Its simple a better Mobile OS came along a people are flocking to it.
Apple will go down the same road that MS is facing now with its WP7. It is a no win situation for the iPhone against Android. Its simple a better Mobile OS came along a people are flocking to it.
Apple will go down the same road that MS is facing now with its WP7. It is a no win situation for the iPhone against Android. Its simple a better Mobile OS came along a people are flocking to it.
I think there are some serious problems with android which Google does noting about,, the top one is app market model ,, I feel like waking in a jungle because of the security risks of some apps .. Apple checks and approves every app in their store.
+ Apple have few handsets to look after so the chances are fewer to be lift behind stuck with a stone age OS
I have htc magic os 1.6 ,, my next phone sure wont be android.
I think there are some serious problems with android which Google does noting about,, the top one is app market model ,, I feel like waking in a jungle because of the security risks of some apps .. Apple checks and approves every app in their store.
+ Apple have few handsets to look after so the chances are fewer to be lift behind stuck with a stone age OS
I have htc magic os 1.6 ,, my next phone sure wont be android.
@blabeen
do you need the government to hold your hand and tell you which mcdonald’s food are fatty too?
i mean for *&#) sake. do you really need someone to check and approve everything in your life for you? If not, then why Apple?
@blabeen
do you need the government to hold your hand and tell you which mcdonald’s food are fatty too?
i mean for *&#) sake. do you really need someone to check and approve everything in your life for you? If not, then why Apple?
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