By 
Eric Schmidt, ever making the rounds as a keynote speaker at tech conferences far and wide, was recently addressing a crowd at Le Web in Paris. He recalled the story of an smartphone user who once questioned why Android users often had to wait months for apps that were already available for the iPhone and iPad. Schmidt told the individual, “my prediction is that six months from now you’ll say the opposite.” He pointed towards the operating system’s position as an open platform and Google’s many hardware partners, his argument being that market volume alone will have developers looking to Android as their primary target.
Schmidt has a point. As Android becomes a larger player in the global smartphone market, the wait for apps once exclusive to iOS users has decreased greatly. Most older applications have caught up between the two platforms, and new services tend to launch simultaneously across Android and iOS devices. If not, the wait is much shorter.
Schmidt believes that 2012 will be the year of Android. Many said the same entering 2011. The fact is Android has in many ways surpassed Apple’s OS as a smartphone platform, but has yet to get over the hump of public perception. The iPhone remains the gold standard and thanks to some clever advertising the device is synonymous with apps. With the launch of arguably the most appealing version of Android yet, Ice Cream Sandwich, and an emphasis on eliminating OS fragmentation among devices, next year is looking like as good a time as any for Android to stake its claim.
[via Engadget]
Well then they better get that GPU hardware acceleration thing figured out so even the low end phones are buttery smooth too.
Not gonna happen….wheres the 1st gen iPhone, 2nd gen iPhone, heck wheres the 3gs lacking a front facing camer?. U get wht u pay 4.
I knew Apple was in trouble- when I bought a media player from them- the iPod Touch 4g (with no 4g)… it couldnt be off in your pocket- and not drain battery dead after a full overnight charge- with little or no use daily by lunch. Useless device- they swapped i out twice at the apple store- then took almost 2 months to refund my money- i bought an Evo 4g from HTC and guess what the 4g was meaningful- it really had 4g- and wasnt a marketting gimmick- that was in 2010! and Iphone still doesnt have 4g.
the iPod Touch was just the beginning of iOS battery trouble. Apple engineers need remedial training at Android facilities to learn innovation and problemsolving techniques- because they are woefully behind the competition and falling further and further behind daily. Whats the iphone 5 best feature gonna be next year if it comes out? It draws smiley faces with beards?
I mean come on- Siri? Get some 4g and features people can use. for the win.
I’m just curious as to what you think about the security issues with android devices. that’s what worries me about android: bugs, viruses, security breaches, etc. (an honest answer is appreciated.)
unfortunately, the current android phones with 4G have an even worse battery life than non-4G phones on the market, and most countries in the world still doesnt have 4G. Just moment ago, it was reported that Verizon had some issue with the 4G network and is pushing the release of galaxy nexus back as a result.
Iphone will have 4G once the technology matures, but we should probably let android owners be the guinea pigs here at the moment.
when the 3GS came out, no other phone had forward facing cameras either… nor were there any video calling apps out to support it. the tech world needed to catch up a bit
Look at the video out today of ICS on the Archos tablet – smooth as butter on a terrible processor. 2012 might be the year that low end phones and tablets can run Android smoothly. You might not be able to have 15 web pages open or run 1080p video but so what. If low end processors in $200 tablets can run ICS smoothly we will finally see an explosion of Android on tablets. Then when low end processors go through another upgrade cycle it will be even better. 2012 should be fantastic.
Archos g9 series are cheap. But they aren’t single cores- they run dual core processors. My single core Evo 4g rocks Icre Cream Sandwich (running Alpha builds of it from 2 different developers. -pretty stable. They are working the bugs out day by day.)
200 bucks for dual core tablets. And iPads for $750 with no additional capabilities- and some deficits no flash???… But I agree with your premise. 2012 its only getting better- the Android explosions gonna turn supernova.
Yet he still uses an iPhone lol. Once we get android devices all on the same build, domaniance will begin to occur. ICS FTW!
All Android devices will never be on the same build. Fragmentation will always be a problem. You can keep pegging your hopes on it changing with the next version of their OS, but then I would call you a BIG FUCKING SHEEP.
I could care less about fragmentation… if I want a pure google experience I know where to get one, if I want HTC sense I know where to get that too. Windows pc market is fragmented and yet it still dominates globally
Fragmentation may always exist, but it isn’t always a “problem”.
Android certainly changed the apps-on-phones business to be vastly less fragmented than before there was Android. Before Android you had to target various flavors of J2ME, WebOS, Blackberry, BREW, iPhone, etc. In a couple years, just Android, and maybe, maybe iOS.
Making a single app work on several recent versions of Android is simple by comparison.
My Samsung Moment has surpassed my coworkers iPhone 4.
How? I have the samsung moment and it barely runs itself anymore being one of the first android devices on sprint. My battery lasts all of 3-4 hours and 80% of the desirable apps on the market wont work. I hate to say it but the iphone 4 is better than the moment. ( Mainly because its over 2 years old and samsung’s first crack at android )
root delete all the bloatware instal custom rom and voila- let the jet fly. Or keep the bloatware- and keep complaining.
I was only playing, lol… The Samsung Moment is one of the worst Android devices created.
It’s hard to point fingers on who’s to blame for the fragmentation, IMO it’s the handset manuf & carriers, but it’s the reason Jane Smith has a different android experience than John Brown. Apple, for a number of reasons ensures Jane Smith & John Brown have the same user experience which is how products & app’s pick up momentum. Conversely, HTC creates 40-50 handsets a year, all with a different user experience, add on carrier “uniqueness” to each of those and we’ve multiplied the fragmentation. I am an N1 user, soon to be a Gnex user and we’re still going through the same issues we were in 2009.
“emphasis on eliminating OS fragmentation among devices”
I don’t see how that is going to happen. You won’t get HTC to stop Senseing, or Samsung to stop making TouchWiz.
Even if you could, there’s still a huge base of pre-ICS-phones out there with different flavors of Froyo and Gingerbread. So fragmentation isn’t going away.
iOS is fragmented hence Apple stopped making & selling first gen iPhones…heck the 3gs doesn’t even have a front facing camera so apps like Facetime can not be used. Look before you leap. You get what you paid for and the iPhone 3g could’t even handle multitasking. Apple want support Siri on the iPhone 4 or 3gs even though it’s running iOS 5. Checkmate.
Checkmate? That’s the poorest argument I have ever read on this site, and considering the number of DIPSHITS that post here, that doesn’t bode well for you.
Agreed. I’m the biggest dipsh*t there is and I wouldn’t even have posted that.
iOS isnt relevant to me. I am ready for windows to die. And Android to take its rightful place on all hardware across the Uni- verse!!!!!!!
Are you sure you’d call that fragmentation? Apples sequence of OS’s was more of an evolution adapting to technology. Sense and Touchwiz is a layer over the top of Android. I believe what Aaron was saying is that Apples latest launches will have one OS across the board while Androids adapters will perpetually be trying to make vanilla Android “better” or at least unique to themselves. This alone delays updates (if they happen at all). Googles only angle is to make Android OS so appealing no manufacturer would bother to put their spin on it.
Manufacturers will never stop putting their customizations on Android devices. If everybody were running stock Android, there would be nothing except hardware to distinguish themselves. And knowing the general public, anyone not tech-inclined will go with the cheapest device since the interface is all the same. I know on my first Android device I went with the Eris over the OG Droid because the interface was nicer (had I known then what I know now…)
Android dominance:
DONE.
What is there to accelerate in ios anyway? It’s just static screens with a bunch of icons. Apple doesn’t give their admittedly capable gpus anything to do.
Those icons are quality apps (obviously you are unfamiliar with the concept). And those apps are more smooth than what’s on Android.
Yay quallity icons for the win…
I wish my galaxy nexus had less customization options and just had icons everywhere! In addition, I wish all android phones looked the same so that I wouldn’t have to make the difficult choices like whether or not I want a bigger screen or a hardware keyboard.
I also don’t want integration with all the possible social apps… I just need twitter! As long as I can upload my pics to twitter directly from my gallery I’ll be a happy camper.
Google, please take away my freedom. FLOOD MY SCREEN WITH ICONS!!!
Fragmentation is some stupid made up boogeyman.
I got froyo Android 2.2 on my first android device in 2010.
By Xmas 2010 6-7 months before an official version came out- I had gingerbread running on my htc Evo 4g. Fragmentation is meaningless nonsense- spouted by apple fiends.
If you pay half attn- you can have the latest versions running 6 months before official versions the Android development community for each android device is insanely pervasive. it is a point of pride to have the latest versions available for each device community soon as humanly possible.
I have Ice Cream Sandwich running on an Evo and Galaxy S II …
Fragmentation is pure baloney.
You can have whatever version you want running on your Android device. Stop telling ridiculous lies.
“Google Admits Android Fragmentation Problem, 2 Years Late”
http://obamapacman.com/2011/05/google-admits-android-fragmentation-problem-2-years-late/
Another fandroid with his head up his ass….and you have the nerve to call iPhone users “sheep”
Baaaaaaaaaa……
My Compaq Windows 98 PC won’t run Starcraft 2. Fragmentation!
My 2004 Mazda 6 car doesn’t support Bluetooth. Fragmentation!
My 1968 home’s thermostat is not digital. Fragmentation!
My backyard chicken eggs have 40% less cholesterol than store eggs. Fragmentation!
Hell, you live quite a fragmented life! LOL
Lots of 2010-2011 devices are finally getting Gingerbread (a year late). Some are still on Froyo, some are still on Eclair. That’s fragmentation.
Your Windows98 PC is over 10 years old and it’s a Compaq, it’s a piece of junk. Your 2004 car can be upgraded to support bluetooth – maybe not fully integrated, but you can get a stereo that will work with it. Your 1968 Home was built in 1968 – change out your thermostat already ffs. Your chickens….they’ve been upgraded to be better than commercial chickens, consider yourself lucky.
My point is you’re (mostly) comparing fairly old stuff, by tech evolution standards, to new stuff. The smallest difference between your examples and 2011 is 7 years (not counting the chickens)
Fragmentation is when 60 Android devices come out over a 1.5 year period and they are all running different versions of Android with different UI’s, some are being supported (a little) by manufacturers, and most you’re expected to buy a new phone when you’re fed up with outdated software on your current one.
Come on buddy. My examples were a joke. Nothing more. Lighten up =P
And Android 4.0 out now- One droid to rule them all, One Droid to find them,
One Droid to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
In the Land of iPhone where the Shadows lie
Fragmentation is amade up myth. My original 2010 HTC Evo 4g runs every version of Android flawlessly. That aint fragmentation- thats magic.
I recommend you search for the word “sarcasm” on your Android phone using Google Search. An app I’m pretty sure hasn’t suffered due to fragmentation.
This post brought to you thanks to fragmentation.
You weren’t serious in this response…were you?
well if you want to look at it that way, you had to “modify” the car to get it to support bluetooth (root your phone, install newer version)
isn’t the point of android to be able to have 60 different phones with different versions and UI’s?
i’m only half serious, just observing. Here’s where I get serious.
Honestly, I don’t understand how anything is “fragmented” in the mobile tech world. Sure, the older stuff CAN run newer versions, but how well? And for how long? 3 years ago our phones had 600mhz processors, now we’re at 1.5 ghz dual core. It took longer than 3 years for computers to evolve that much. So you really can’t compare mobile tech to anything, because it evolves ridiculously quickly. When new phones come out, they’re usually bug-riddled as it is. If they tried to keep EVERY phone current, they would miss quite a lot more bugs, and we’d all be using phones that are completely shit. Oh well, at least it’s the newest version, right?
For that matter, I don’t understand how Ice Cream Sandwich is supposed to take care of fragmentation. Is every phone getting updated to ICS? No. Will there be more software updates after ICS? I’ll bet my ass there will be. Are new phones still coming out that aren’t running Ice Cream Sandwich, even though ICS is technically “out”? Yep. Fragmentation is here to stay, and it’s going to take a hell of a lot more than Ice Cream Sandwich to get rid of it.
I don’t see how it’s a problem at all. A lot of different versions of Android can handle all the same stuff. Is it that big of a deal? The way I see it, older versions of Android are nostalgic, and maybe even a bit sentimental. FRAGMENTATION? PFFFT, LET IT STAY!
the keyword to reduce fragmentation is hardware abstraction. I think major problem is if the NDK gets missused by developers for things that could have been done with the SDK, which leads to apps not running on every handset… you can compare this with java or .net, these frameworks make it possible to develop for multiple platforms, cause they abstract the hardware and the OS from the developer, but both support the use of “native” functions which leads to hardware/software dependancies. you will always have fragmentation, think of some apps that worked fine in Windows XP but didn’t work in Vista/7 or vise versa… its simply impossible to get rid of some sort of fragmentation, but its in every developers to minimize it. I think the ICS SDK version will bring a lot more functionality, which was implemented by developers using the NDK before…
/edit: think of fragmentation as often used excuse of lazy developers
Maybe its an excuse, maybe not. But the reason is more real for start-up companies, especially when most android users ain’t paying customers.
You are also forgetting the hardware testing, where the the devs have to acquire or own the numerous android handsets to test the apps because each and everyone handsets have different fundamental architectures despite having the same OS, just to make sure they works fine with no severe lag, bug, or even run in the first place. Explain how a startup company consisting of less than 10 people can afford that kind of budget and time to do so. I dont even want to go into how they will need to partner up with some advertisement companies just so they can earn the money from developing the apps since most android owners wouldn’t pay for apps.
Whereas if you develop for the idevices, as long as it runs fine on 3GS, its pretty safe to assume the apps will run fine on the ipad models, iphone 4/4s and the ipod touch. Of cause you can take one step further and optimize the apps for use on the ipad or use the retina display on ip4/4s, but that’s pretty optional.
There are a couple of other elements discouraging the devs from prioritizing working on android over the idevices. I’ll leave it until next time.
I don’t think HTC, Samsung, Motorola, or Sony got the message about Fragmentation coming to an end, and neither did the carriers. Until you get them on board, we’re going to keep getting Android phones with retarded skins that do nothing but bog down the phone.
Well this is the consequence of Android being cough cough,”free”. Ultimately you have google to blame.
Don’t have to blame google for anything… the android experience is still better than any other smartphone out there right now. Android offers what others do not… choice.
No one complains about the fragmentation in windows pcs… PCs from different manufacturers are updated at different times based on the manufacturers.
Oh by the way, I don’t know if you noticed, but this site is called phandroid.com not trollspace.com ;)
In Kens world he has a tiny penis when it comes to accepting differing opinions so cries like a little bitch and calls people a troll. How original
In The_ATL_Guy’s world he has a massive penis with 15 inches wide and 120 inches long which can be used only as a tripod and nothing else!!! Sad sad world!!!
too bad it doesnt have a removable battery cover or micro sd card- or 4g.
All he has is broken excuses and industry apologies to mutter.
You should see the size of my balls.
Thanks for your support and being a fan!
you are a troll.
everyone here knows.
Whaaaaat?
Are you on top or bottom when you and Ken teabag?
PCs being updated by manufacturers? Did hell freeze over? I don’t think I’ve ever seen a PC manufacturer ship someone a free copy of the newest version of Windows (except those bundle deals in the months surrounding a new version being launched) Sometimes they update drivers, but generally no, you’re left out in the cold once you buy it. Nothing new there, that’s been the way was since PCs were first called PCs.
And yes, you can blame Google. If Google went the Apple route and Android wasn’t open-source and they were making their own Google-branded phones through one manufacturer, there would be no fragmentation.
No you can not blame google. You have to blame the manufactures and the service providers. If everyone bought a nexus there would be no fragmentation. In fact, your phone will automatically be updated without buying a new phone.
The driver to fragmentation is due to the different types of phone and the the service providers. For example ICS source code is out. Google will update the Nexus S. Google is done… Now we have HTC, Motorala etc… that have to fit the source code to their liking, then TMo or AT&T want their controls and bloatware on it… and it is 6 months later already.
Unless Google makes a single universal source code for every type of phone and the manufacturers and service providers stick with stock Android, bang no more fragmentation for the average user.
Noir is right, fragmentation is not an issue if you root your phone.
Fragmentation? Is some Apple flavored coolaide….
If you want the latest up to date Android- change your rom. Most Android users root- rooting turns your whole “fragmentation” argument into meaningless nonsense.
I have met 4 humans with android who hadnt rooted their devices. Of the 4 -3 were iPhone former users- unused to device freedom. The other one was a Fox News viewer….some people cant be expected to “get it”…
Fragmentation is meaningless to rooted Android users. Rooted Android users switch roms and OS versions at will- or run simultaneous multiple versions on their devices.
Personally I run a stock Android Gingerbread rom for work usage..
A customized rom with wifi tethering unlocked for home usage (downloading oodles of goodies),, and yet another customized version for walking around with… with all the Android “bling” blazing brightly- live wallpapers custom boot animations etc..(I have a super oversized “4g” animation for when I’m around iPhone weirdos- to remind them iPhone technology is at least 2 years behind the droids).
the OS mottos:
Android- to each his own…
iPhone- do what we say…or we’ll sue!
I’m into freedom.
These are the droids you are looking for. 4G ftw.
If most Android users rooted their phones, they would all have root out of the box. The general Android user population doesn’t care about rooting. They care about having flash and playing Angry Birds or some other new game. Which many can’t do (including my wife) because some apps require different versions of Android (flash needs 2.2+) and because of fragmentation users are left out in the cold.
And no, not all Android phones have 4G, either.
sorry the 25 dollar android phones dont have 4g…
Oh come on. MetroPCS and Cricket have 100 dollar and cheaper phones with 4g!
Everyone knows the non techy people should choose the iSheep nation… all u do is push the app button.
We know some people arent techy- but if you are and have a whit of sense- u can root- drag and drop software onto ur phones micro sd card- which apples dont have. and double click the icon- voila its rooted. one click roots been around for over a year- even someone with your wifes IQ can drag and drop and hit da button. Lets keep it real.
do you remember the Nokia 5150? you could change the face plate, put in a light up battery, a blinking antenna… all kinds of bling!! I’ll bet you (Noire Lion) and a lot of android users were rocking that phone with all the bells and whistles ‘blazing brightly’. android definitely doesn’t disappoint when it comes to this. its the choppy UI, glitches, crashes, poor battery, and security issues that prevents me from jumping on board.
and another thing: I thought the whole purpose of google’s “open source platform” was so you wouldn’t have to root your phone. hmm.
“Until you get them on board, we’re going to keep getting Android phones with retarded skins that do nothing but bog down the phone.”
That’s not fragmentation.
No need to get OEM’s on board. The market will take care of it. Fragmentation, to a point, is a good thing.
If an OEM makes a crap phone, then it won’t sell.
If an OEM comes up with something great, then the entire ecosystem might evolve in that direction. Without the freedom to experiment along different lines than The One True Way of Apple, then innovation wouldn’t happen as quickly.
LOL yet another topic having nothing to do with Apple breaking down into cries of how apple sucks.
Android fanboys live in complete denial about how much Android needs to improve.
Microsoft is quickly unifying across all devices and platforms and could overtake google.
maybe google should scale back offering so many products and services.
Are you an idiot? Haven’t that been EXACTLY what they have been doing lately, closing down different project to focus on making the remaining better.
microsoft?
quickly becoming irrelevant. I want android on my desktops all of them. Windows has cost too much since windows 95. I’m over it. Googles best move is to slap Android onto x86 and 64 bit desktops.
Or equip the x86 versions out there (Already have the netbook version running at home on a netbook)…- x86 versions with drivers to support desktop hardware.
Microsoft is not necessary to me. Give me Android Market on my desktop and support for all apps… and they can go die in a corner as far as I’m concerned. Irrelevant.
” The iPhone remains the gold standard and thanks to some clever advertising the device is synonymous with apps.”
What a naive thing to say!!
LOL do you truly believe that”clever advertising”makes IOS apps generally spreading faster, more fluid, and consistent versus Android apps
Stop drinking your google kool aide.
It’s honestly hard to take Phandroid seriously when you publish garbage like that
Could you please enlighten me, why you spend so much time on phandroid if you hate android, and the phandroid community so much. It doesn’t really make sense, and from the way you talk about apple products it doesn’t sound like you own any, so what exactly are you doing?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to defend the phandroid community, I consider most of them funny for their stupidity, and devotion to google. So I’m mostly here for the news even thought writer rarely managed to stay objective.
Sad that i can like it only once!!!
LOL do you truly believe that iOS apps actually are spreading faster, are more fluid and consistent versus Android apps?
Ok, I’ll give you the “consistent” part. When you have exactly one device — the one true way — then there is no diversity and therefore no inconsistency excepting the possible inconsistencies between iPhone and iPad versions of the same app.
Stop drinking your Apple kool aid.
It’s easy to take Phandroid seriously. In the last two years, it has chronicled the rise of Android. It was obvious to some of us, more than two years ago, that Android would rise to dominance. Simply because of the decisions Google made to be open and work with everyone else instead of a closed walled garden open to only some players under burdensome conditions.
Stay tuned. You’ll yet see Android come to dominate over iOS. What you write here won’t change that outcome. So go ahead.
iPhones are so tiny , there are just so cute .
I need something larger that I can see .
Thanks Android .
Some OS need to concentrate on producing- common industry staples like 4g and actual multitasking- instead of creating bald faced lies about actual smartphone OS. Lets keep it real- some OS just can’t keep up. I remember Jobs calling 4.3 inch screens- the hummer of the phone world-…now they are industry standards..soon to be iEmulated. Apple used to be the company of innovation and awesome- till they had to “keep it up”. Running a single app at a time and one or two radios made battery life sweet for Apple- easy to laugh at battery life on real phones. now they have to run similarly- the laughter has kinda dried up, huh? Too bad they are having battery trouble- and they have NO 4G! imagine the problems when they have 4G LTE running and the ability to swap batteries is still not available! OMG the laughter…
I pity Apple. the iPhone crowd has been getting restless- making excuses for the company…expecting another revolution in hardware tech… instead they are getting disgruntled as their vaunted hardware gets left in the dust.. must suck being more than 2 years behind the Android hardware… (But why ask- you know the iPhone fanatics- like being at a technological disadvantage- it lets them get “creative” making up excuses …lol).
Anyone see the samsung commercial where the iPhone idiots are in line waiting for iphone 4s which is pathetically behind any Android phone from 2 years ago? “Why don’t u guys just buy 4g phones?” the iPhone junkies never have an answer beyond surliness and excuses. Good luck with that.
If hardware manufactures would quit skinning Android then there would be a boom of less “fragmentation”. Look at all the new HTC and Motorola phones. ICS source is out yet you will still see that it takes half a year to get it on phones that were just release or awaiting release. I plan on getting the Galaxy Nexus on Verizon which will lock me into a 2 year agreement. The guess of what phones will look like this time in 2013 is any yet unknown. When I got the OG Droid it was a leap forward for smartphones. Now they have HD screens and dual core processors with 1GB of RAM. Will 2013 hold crazy powerful quad core with 2GB of RAM phones? Who knows? The smartphone market is booming right now. By my next upgrade smartphones may well be pushing laptops out of market. Let’s not even think about what tablets will do as well.
I dont think by your next upgrade smartphones moving lappies out- thats already been consistently happening.. who needs a laptop to travel with anymore? Its a dinosaur. 4.3 inch and up screen- provides excellent view of video and all teh other capabilities are there. I can view and create Word documents, read any PDF, ebook epub format on earth, listen to any music format on earth- and its all in my pocket. Play quality games, movies in any format music vids- i mean.. who humps a lappy anymore? I used to be inseparable from one of the families lappies- now- who cares. Phone in pocket with blazing fast internet anywhere I want- its ridiculously awesome.
laptops are dead and they just dont know it.. and the tablets are everywhere. Kindle fire anyone? NOOK 2 COLOR FTW? 4.3INCH SCREEN AND UP-
When I can use Rhino3D Cad3D. Microsoft office ppt CS photoshop iLlustrator efficiently and play games like Skyrim. Assassins Creed. PRO EVO on a tablet then Ill be sold. Tablets are for casual users.
half a year? to get Ice cream sandwich?
Listen. I have Ice Cream sandwich Alphas running on 3 different phones.
News flash- Android Icecream Sandwich is on no RELEASED phones in USA.
But rooted users are already playing around with Alpha or beta builds and some- for Samsung Nexus and Galaxy S II phones have completely working Ice Cream Sandwich ports blazing like the sun for weeks. Whatare you talking about? Pay attention!
iPhone is the gold standard because:
A) There are 3 iPhone models that run iOS5. Much easier to code for working on 3 devices running the same OS than on 60 devices all running different versions of Android.
B) Like it or not, iPhone was out in the wild before Android and had LOTS of early adopters. To this day, you might as well say iPhone instead of smartphone with a majority of the public.
C) The majority of the public is not tech-inclined, so they go the simple route with the iPhone
D) Because of carrier pricing shenanigans, it’s generally cheaper to buy a 4S than the latest Android phone if (like most people in the US) you’re going the subsidized route (I’m looking at you, Verizon)
E) Apple is trendy. And trendy is trendy.
Nobody but a tool wants an IOS battery draining (unreplaceable battery device?) with no 4g… Thats why they pay for droids. Droids have more features – customizability is what they are born for. And iPhones still cost more. Top of the line Droids Evo 3d, Razor,Galaxy S II, Galaxy nexus- all cost 300 or less- or go to Amazon.com and get all except the New Nexus for a PENNY. What the hell are you talking about?
F. WTF cares.
You’re right that people don’t generally care about tech. But that is the very reason Android will win.
Just look at the cars on the road. They come in every size, shape, color and feature set imaginable. I’ve seen cars that I thought were gawd awful ugly. But I’ll be the person who bought that car would disagree. Cars also come from a variety of manufacturers.
Now imagine a single car company that makes a single model car with no options. We’ll call them “Orange”.
The Orange fanboys can complain about fragmentation of the other cars, but the public doesn’t seem to care.
The Orange fanboys can talk about early adopters, but the public doesn’t care.
The Orange fanboys can talk about the public being not tech-inclined, but that doesn’t seem to actually work in Orange’s favor given the actual sales numbers.
The Orange fanboys can talk about pricing shenanigans, but talk doesn’t change the outcome of Orange not dominating the market.
The Orange fanboys can talk about Orange being trendy, but that doesn’t change anything.
The plain fact is that Apple cannot expect to compete against everyone else combined. One would think they would have learned this with the Mac vs Multitude of PC OEMs. But nope. They think they can out build and out innovate the combined efforts of everyone else put together. That’s sort of like thinking you can out-engineer open source (everyone else put together), but that’s another discussion.
It’s fine to be an Apple fanboy. Or an Android fanboy. Together we can watch as Android comes to completely dominate the market in the next couple years.
I believe this is not the correct analogy to be used. “fragmentation” is more of a justification rather than a complain.
A more appropriate analogy will be all of the quality car accessories makers focus on making parts for the Orange cars (which is the most selling car models). The non-Orange cars owners who owns cars with wheels of various sizes, complains about them not making accessories for them, while the accessories makers justify that it is not making sense financially. They will have to invest lots of money (which they couldn’t afford) to research and customize wheels of other sizes to cater to them.
Want them to stop talking about fragmentation? Sure, before that you’ll have to stop complaining about the lack of quality apps on the android market.
Making mistakes? Apple is the one if not the most valuable company in the world currently. You can keep throwing the market share there, but its Apple who’s raking 1/2 of the profit in the smartphone industry. Showing off the market share is a hollow victory at the moment (not sayings its not important) since Android OS is practically if not free, not to mention pretty meaningless especially when Microsoft is really the one who’s profiting off it.
Who cares? Do you like Android? Does it do what YOU want it to do? Then there you go, it’s the correct handset for you. If you don’t like it then you get a different handset/OS.
Arguing about which is the superior experience is based solely on the end user. I greatly dislike ios due to the restrictions and as a personal boycott of Apple products (another story for another time).
WP7 is a great design, but again, not what I am looking for.
BB just doesn’t do what I need it to do.
Android fills all my needs and does what I want it to do.
Is there room to improve? Of course! Every single product out there always has room to improve, so all the arguments and s**t talking is completely pointless.
Use your heads.
Apple fanboi’s, Android fanboys, when do we grow up and learn that actions speak louder than words? If the IOS is so much greater, then why is Android dominating the marketshare (source: Gardner)? Its because of market saturation, as there is a Droid for every budget and every need. For an iPhone, its a one-size-fits-all phone and it does a very good job at that, but it doesn’t fit everyone’s needs. Recently, the 4S was released with less-than-ideal specs and underwhelming improvements to the system and apps. This is the same thing that happened with Microsoft and every PC manufacturer nearly 10 years ago. Apple is doomed to repeat the same mistake because they sustain themselves on “innovation” versus “inundation” and refuse to put an iProduct in every household.
“Fragmentation”: A nice coined term made by some marketing firm for a fruity company to describe the diversity of a colorful competitor’s mobile platform.
He’s right, only way the Android OS can go is up. But volume is the key? No. When things are mainstream, they sell more. They need to get better public perception, as you said. People still call all Android devices “Droids” because Verizon has some crazy commercial campaign for their line of devices. And those seem to be the most mainstream devices as well, I have yet to see anyone that I know that’s on Verizon that doesn’t have a “Droid” device (including myself and my Droid Bionic, but I would have bought outside the line if I had found something that caught my eye on Verizon). And Verizon is the biggest carrier and the biggest Android carrier. They’re doing a great job. And Samsung’s commercials are working as well, most people I know have seen a Galaxy S II commercial (which are also great devices). I say more advertising, and being as effective or more effective than Apple (which is what Samsung is doing, and Verizon is freaking people out with their freaky Droid commercials and trying to make phones all epic. Phones are not epic, they’re phones. And they’re fun, but epic is not the way to go). That’s the key, public perception, making Android mainstream. I’ve been telling everyone, buy a Galaxy S II or Galaxy Nexus if you’re on anything but Verizon, or get a Galaxy Nexus, Droid Bionic, or Droid Razr if you’re on Verizon. And I show them features of everything, and they say oh that’s cool or something to that nature…and making fun of Apple works too, just like Samsung did in their “Next Big Thing” commercial (why is Samsung doing all the damn work?)
Android will win by replacing Blackberry’s marketshare.
I was a long time fan of iPhones, they seemed excellent at the time and until this summer I was never familiar with Android. And then I owned one.
iOS is OK, it’s stable and easy but when you move over to Android it’s like an entire new universe. Android is deserving of the hype it’s earned because it has made it possible for each user to have a phone suited to their tastes, which to me greatly impacts how much I truly enjoy my phone. I think iOS is too simple for its own good. My friends who still prefer Apple all mainly seem to dislike it because they find it complicated. To me it’s fun to research how to do things with Android and it just makes it enjoyable to really get involved with my device. My previous early smartphones like Helio and some ugly AT&T LG that I forget the name of were nothing.
Also, I have been able to cheaply make my phone into my most important possession and get tons of entertainment. With a handful of exceptions Android has virtually any app I want and I can stream TV, movies, download torrents, countless eBooks, download music, connect to devices that give me whats not already on my phone. Even a jailbroken iPhone is far too limited.
Also, Apple is arrogant and I now believe they will always be behind the curve. And people will continue to move to Android, and some will ditch the bot for an Apple. Again, it’s a decent device but it’s ludicrous that Apple hasn’t made a 4G capable phone yet charges a small fortune to own such an unimaginative phone that also restricts what you can do. And despite what a lot of people say about 4G not being worth it, you obviously don’t live in a 4G area. Because it is so worth it. My 4G internet which is Sprint BTW is faster than my Comcast speeds.
The only argument I agree with on iPhone’s side is that it is stable and runs with fewer snags. And if you don’t get excited about technology and prefer the simpler iOS, fine. But still, Android’s cons are not that bad, and it will get better. And I will gladly take occasional glitches because Android fulfills my needs and I will support them as long as they don’t get hardcore like Apple.
Oh, and by reading what my phone can do rooted, the iPhone looks like a joke.