Opinion

Apple is 3 years late to Android’s party, but does it matter?

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Screen Shot 2014-09-09 at 4.25.46 PM
iPhone 6 vs. Galaxy S5 | iPhone 6 Plus vs Galaxy Note 4Apple Watch vs. Moto 360

Since the iPhone’s inception, Apple brass – once led by the brilliant Steve Jobs – has vehemently argued that Android is nothing more than an iPhone knockoff. Recently, however, it’s become apparent that Apple is now the one playing catch up, launching new features they once adamantly opposed– the same features Android had wholeheartedly embraced years ago.

This trend continues with Apple’s most recent announcement: the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

Does bigger always mean better?

Sporting a gorgeous 5.5-inch screen, the iPhone 6+ rivals the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge. It’s the first iPhone (along with the iPhone 6) with a display over 4-inches. By comparison, the original Galaxy Note launched in 2011 with a 5.3-inch screen and introduced a 4-inch screen with their flagship product: the Samsung Galaxy S, way back in March of 2010.

It’s almost embarrassing to think that until last year, the largest iPhone you could buy had a 3.5-inch screen. Android bested that way back when Verizon’s robotic “Droiiiid” slogan first began dominating TV channels in 2009: the 3.7-inch screen on the original Motorola Droid.

Now (finally), in two consecutive years, Apple announces 3 devices with bigger screens. Just like last year, Apple started their iPhone event by bragging about new features — ones Android users have been enjoying forever — including split screen display view, the same one Samsung made available years ago.

iphone-6-plus-vs-galaxy-note-split-screen

The iPhone gets split screen e-mail 3 years later. Groundbreaking.

It doesn’t start and stop with screen size, either:

apple-pay-vs-google-wallet

apple-watch-vs-android-wear

Maybe Conan O’brien said it best when first discussing the iPhone 6 rumors.

Conan Obrien iPhone Galaxy joke

For Apple, timing is everything

Technology has become more powerful, components have become smaller, the industry has evolved and consumer needs and desires have shifted with those changes. A recent report from Adobe shows use of 4-inch and smaller mobile devices dropping in the double digits while larger device use continues to skyrocket. Our own 2011 poll of over 5,000 readers anticipated this long ago.

Apple is adapting. That much is clear. But isn’t that a funny word for Apple- adapting? Apple’s role as the trailblazing mobile innovator seems to have slowed considerably.

Apple’s primary role in forging new opportunities for MP3 players, smartphones, and tablets is undeniable. However, let’s not forget that Apple wasn’t first in any of these areas. Rather than rush to market for the sake of being first, Apple spotted opportunities, worked to perfect them, and launched only when they felt the consumer was ready to spend money on devices that truly wowed. Regardless of who is first, Apple simply needs to continue wowing.

It’s worked, and no matter how big of an Android fanboy you are it’s hard to deny these facts:

  • The iPhone gained mass popularity before Android phones
  • The iPad gained mass popularity before Android tablets

But he who laughs last, laughs best and today, Android market share dominates all competition.

While “winning the war” would be nice, it’s not necessary for Apple to have the highest market share or launch products before the competition in order to be a successful company. The company is still raking in massive amounts of money for every iOS device they sell. The stock is up 25% this year alone, not to mention 300% in the past 5 years and almost 4,000% percent over the last decade.

Apple is still largely known as the premiere industry innovator: when they announce something brand spanking new, people pay attention. And then people buy it. And then the door is opened for competitors to become profitable making similar products, thanks to the Apple brand’s ability to demand attention for new product categories.

In a post Steve Jobs world, what product category will be next?  In 2001, we saw the first iPod. In 2007, the first iPhone. In 2010, the first iPad. For years now, people have been wondering — what will be the next big thing?

Apple Watch vs Android Wear

Today, the oft rumored iWatch has finally become official, announced instead as Apple Watch. Our own research shows that the Moto 360 is largely considered the most attractive smartwatch to date. If there is any indication that Apple has indeed lost it’s innovative edge it’s probably not best illustrated by the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus screen size increases. Apple is going to make an absolute fortune on those improvements and the devices themselves look impressive. What’s more telling, in my opinion, is that Android Wear’s current stable of devices mostly look superior to the Apple Watch and highlight Android’s true edge: hardware options.

android-wear-vs-apple-watch

From a software perspective, Android Wear’s design language seems much more impressive. Its ability to accommodate circular watch faces and its wide variety of manufacturers provide the greatest combination of choices, price points, looks, and feels. Because, well. It’s Android. There’s also two very different wearable philosophies coming into play. Google believes a wearable should be quick, simple, and nearly hands-free, while Apple… well, they’re taking more the kitchen sink approach by shrinking down a smartphone, adding a physical scroll wheel, and slapping it on the wrist.

Of course, I’m speaking from a slightly biased viewpoint, but I wouldn’t consider myself an Apple hater — they make some of the best electronics in the world and the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are now among them. But seeing the Apple Watch announcement, I can’t help but feel some of that Apple magic has faded away.

Check out the Apple Watch promo video and the Android Wear promo video and let us know which one you think looks more impressive:

And as an added bonus, here are our first impressions of the Moto 360:

Getting Beat to the punch by Android

Apple is still one of the world’s most iconic companies, but recently, they’ve had some swings and misses. Take for example the iPhone 5C which attempted to reach a younger and more price conscientious consumer with a colorful array of affordable iPhones. It flopped and Apple didn’t feel the need to bring it back this year.

Meanwhile, Motorola’s Moto Maker — first announced a year earlier — blows all other manufacturer’s customization features out of the water. And it’s only getting better. Soon, Motorola will be adding natural wood and genuine leather finishes for the Moto X, giving them a premium and personal feel unmatched by other brands. The more affordable Moto G, which competes directly with the iPhone 5C, recently became the companies best selling smartphone of all-time.

The point I’m trying to make? Motorola led. Apple followed. Then failed and gave up. Doesn’t sound very Apple-like.

With these recent failures, maybe Apple is finally accepting that some of their gusto is gone. Lending credence to that sentiment is the company’s recent purchase of Beats by Dre for $3 Billion bucks.

From a business perspective the move makes sense: Beats markets itself as a premium brand with a high price tag, huge margins, and “cool factor.” Detractors would say they’re overpriced piles of audio dung, but for the purpose of this discussion, that point is moot. Apple had a huge pile of cash begging to be spent, but purchasing an existing brand of this nature seems out of character for a company that’s traditionally thrived on organic creativity and style.

The financial analysts might paint a much different picture, explaining that instead of taking a margin on the sale of Beats products in Apple Stores, they could own the company and take all the profits for themselves. Simple math could justify the purchase. That’s true, but the symbolic story told — if you can’t create it, buy it — seems nestled in that context.

Can Apple still win the war with Android?

So here we are with larger iPhones (nothing new to Android), Apple NFC payments (ancient Android feature), and Apple smartwatches (that are convoluted and much more expensive than Android Wear devices). Color me unimpressed.

Apple has gone from leading the pack to drafting off Android’s dust. Apple’s new iPhones will sell like hotcakes, though, crushing holiday sales figures in ways the iPhone hasn’t done in years — you best believe that. The Apple Watch won’t trail far behind, once it sees the light of day next year. Apple has created a loyal following of people who love their products, their software, their services, and their culture. Today’s announcements will do nothing but fuel excitement in consumers that Apple events have lacked for a couple years, plenty powerful to keep Apple chugging right alongside Android as top horses in tech.

Here is the most important thing about the Apple vs. Android war: both companies can win. In fact, both companies are winning. Android seems to have the current edge on innovative hardware, but there is plenty of room for both companies to succeed and if you consider yourself a true tech enthusiast, you should be rooting for both.

I hope Apple sees it this way, too. Rather than only chase Android, perhaps they should revisit Steve Jobs’ take on the Apple vs Google war before Android became prominent.

“We never saw ourselves in a platform war with Microsoft and maybe that’s why we ‘lost’ [laughs], but uh, we always saw ourselves as trying to build the best computers we know how to build for people. That’s what we were always trying to do.”

And so the saga continues. From what I’ve seen the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus look great. Apple Watch looks pretty good and will inevitably sell like hotcakes (because Apple). I think the mobile payments through Apple Watch are the most compelling new feature of the device and together with Apple Pay — although they were far from first to market — have the opportunity to finally make mobile payments the defacto standard.

Is Apple simply following in Android’s footsteps? It appears that way on the surface, but just ask Nokia and Blackberry how quickly the mobile landscape can change. Apple might not be the trailblazer they were 5 years ago, but they’re within striking distance in a marathon and will be taking home the gold or silver medal for years to come. It’s hard to ask for much more.

Rob Jackson
I'm an Android and Tech lover, but first and foremost I consider myself a creative thinker and entrepreneurial spirit with a passion for ideas of all sizes. I'm a sports lover who cheers for the Orange (College), Ravens (NFL), (Orioles), and Yankees (long story). I live in Baltimore and wear it on my sleeve, with an Under Armour logo. I also love traveling... where do you want to go?

Apple Watch vs Moto 360 & Android Wear: the smart watch wars are just beginning to heat up

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111 Comments

  1. Apple falls behind 2 years ago. They fail.

  2. Pity Moto Maker is going away. :(

    1. Uh. What? They’re adding more and more options to it all the time. Its not going anywhere.

      1. Because Lenovo is planning on shutting down the plant that does the custom builds, Moto Maker isn’t going to be available for the 2014 Moto X.

        1. Nope. 2014 Moto X has way more options than the 2013 Moto X had. It’s customized in China, flown to the US and delivered less than a week. Very impressive acutally.

          1. Oh wow! That’s awesome!

          2. Awesome indeed.

        2. Where are you getting this? Any references to back this up. They already showed what the Moto X will have available in Moto Maker….Troll much?

          1. Trolling? no. Woefully out of date on my news, yes. :)

  3. I don’t know how you can say that the iPhone 6+ “Looks great” when really the only thing it has going for it is raw processing power. The screen is substandard compared to the competitors, the camera is yet to be determined (but probably just as good as the Note 4’s) and really, the fact that they have a device whose footprint is BIGGER than the note but with a substantially smaller screen just screams failure to me.

    Toss in only wireless A/C and no Stylus option…. its a flop to anyone who doesn’t have Apple blinders on.

  4. Good article. I was thinking the same things as I viewed the presentation. Nothing new. Bigger phones but with less pixels than most top line Android phones–NFC payment…no “Oooh, Ahhh” moments. The watch is kind of clunky and definitely looks alpha–I’m sure they will take more cues from the Moto and G watch R and come out next year with something nice–they are great designers after all…but this round? Yawn…

  5. The new phones don’t impress me. Aside from the fact that they’re still playing catch up, the physical designs are terrible. Those huge bezels and space-wasting round button were fine on a 3.5″ phone, but they just don’t work on phones this big. Especially the 6 Plus. I honestly believe Jobs would have recognized it was time to rework the design, but the current team just keeps copying the past.

    Apple’s UI wasn’t really new or creative when the first iPhone was introduced; Palm did basically the same thing years before. But other than playing with graphics and colors, it Apple hasn’t advanced it at all. It’s still “my way or the highway,” with little or no flexibility to customize it to fit the way I work.

    Apple will sell a ton of these phones to the iFaithful. But I doubt they will entice many people who switched to Android to go back.

    The watch, though, may be different. I’m not sold on the thumbwheel as a UI. It looks like a pain for anyone with normal man-sized fingers to use. But the problem I have with Android Wear smart watches is that they just don’t do enough, for most people, to justify their price and the hassle of keeping them charged. For the few who find themselves in situations where it’s a problem to pull your phone out of your pocket, they offer some benefit, but I think most people will find having a large screen and a keyboard worth the “hassle” of pulling out their phone.

    Apple’s watch, though, seems to offer more functionality. Not enough to justify the price, IMHO, but at least it does things. And Apple’s name and market clout provides one undeniable advantage: 3rd party partners. Google can only dream and pray for the kind of support from companies outside the tech world that Apple announced today.

    Ditto with NFC and Apple payments. Android’s wallet has made little progress with retailers in the years it’s been around. Apple will sign up more major retailers by the end of the year than Google has in total.

    1. ⬆⬆⬆⬆⬆⬆⬆

      Ain’t nobody got time for that….too damn much to read.

      1. I got time for some bronchitus…
        …nope.

        1. O.o

      2. Sorry to tax your limited attention span. Maybe someone will do the comic book treatment for you.

  6. I just gave the city life, it ain’t about who did it first. It’s about who did it right, nigg@s looking like “Preach” – Drake, Wu-Tang Forever.

    I do feel like Apple is late to the party on many points..But we do have to admit that when they come out..they do it right..

    Still… With that said….#AndroidFTW

    1. Uh, what? What they did is not right. At all. Almost everything about it looks terrible. Interface, design, price. I was really hoping Apple would blow everyone out of the water so that Android OEMs could make an even better 2nd generation. Yet after this, if I were an Android Wear OEM, I would not change a thing.

      1. I will not talk about the watch stuff as I don’t know much about either the wearables out now…but as far as phones..

        Facetime works damn near flawless.

        iMessage is one of the top messaging platforms.

        Apple Pay made so that no private information is ever shared.

        iPhone cameras are considered one of the best on mobile.

        iTunes is the #1 media store in the world.

        iPhones OS has transitions with no drop in frame rate .

        Just saying…give them some, minimal credit. Lol

        1. Facetime and iMessage (and anything in Apples cloud) suffers outages all the time. Just search the internet. Complaints all over the place of failed connections, disappearing messages.
          Current NFC solutions are already private with no information shared.
          iPhone camera loses comparisons on a regular basis. Don’t get me wrong, it a great camera – but it’s not the best. OIS will help but I guess we’ll see.
          iTunes is pretty much the reason I switched from my iPhone, Mac and iPod. It’s bloated, slow and just overall terrible. I think it’s the worst piece of software Apple currently has.
          iPhone OS has transitions with no drop rate. As does Windows Phone. And Android. And Blackberry even.

          But ya, sorry. I was specifically referring the the watch. Thought you were too. My bad. iPhones don’t even register to me anymore. Had high hopes for the the iWatch.

          1. My wife on her iPhone sent me 2 texts during the event, I got them over 2 hours after the iEvent ended. But she got all of mine from my Android. Might be a coincidence, might not. but iMessage is far from rock solid.

          2. Spot on. My GF had iCloud completely fail on her. No imessage or facetime at all for weeks (still doesn’t work). Went to the Apple store. Their advice was “see if a factory reset fixes it” She did. And lost everything on her phone. And it still didn’t work. She’s going to be getting a new Moto X out of anger and frustration. I’m now upset that Apple failed her because I’m going to be jealous of her phone :/ Also she thinks the iWatch is “ugly as sin” and likes my Moto 360. Win!

          3. Well my experience comes from a family of 7 were only three of us have Galaxy s and the other 4 iphones.. I never experienced any of the above issues( or at least don’t recall)

            Also..I dont do much research on iproducts as I don’t care for them..the most I do is watch the keynotes…

            Also.. As much as we (android community) prefer to not use iOS and Macs…we can’t help but to realize that they are making money on mediocre hardware…so you see…technically speaking..they are doing it right…

            It is what it is..One device accounts for their market share compared to all the Androids together….

            I’m not promoting iPhone..just saying..they are doing it right. Whether it is high profit margins… Or marketing…

          4. The amount of ellipses in your comment
            is too damn high

  7. There’s a lot to take in.

    I think the biggest issue is that instead of letting their competitors play, Apple wanted to play hardball. They started playing with the lawsuits, and so Android makers started playing on the offensive. The Android Wear was spearheaded by many iWatch rumors and the fact that they had legal pressure on them.

    Not to mention Apple is changing a lot right now because we are now seeing Tim Cook and Johnny Ive’s Apple instead of the Steve Jobs one. Steve was relentless with perfection, even more so then actual money that a device can bring.

    Yet, Apple does have more consistenncy in overall quality and support. The Galaxy Note 3 probably won’t be updated much if at all next year. But I’m pretty sure the 5 will.

    In my opinion, Apple sacrificed the war for the battle. Really, the patent battle was virtually useless because Apple was STILL selling phones. By forcing other’s hands, they start reacting proactively.

    1. Fanboy much?

      The Galaxy S3 still gets updates more than 2 years later. There’s no valid reason to believe the Note 3 won’t be updated next year.

      So quit posting lies and conjecture.

    2. Note 3 will get Android L. Samsung would not leave it on Kitkat the whole time.

  8. “samsung’s gear has been around since XYZ” might want to put a date in there

    1. Thanks, not sure how that slipped through!

  9. WIth Apple adopting NFC at least there will be more functions with NFC in the close future! I’m excited for that. But apart from that, their offerings were pitiful. Nothing amazing has came out of Apple since the release of the iPhone 4, and that is honestly a shame.

    1. I think I said this a couple years ago if Apple ever did get NFC – I expect NFC to remain only for payments. Apple made way too much fun of NFC sharing on Android to ever implement it themselves. Their ego is just too big.
      I wholeheartedly agree about the iPhone 4 and Apple since then. It was ahead of it’s time. Too bad they didn’t keep pace.

      1. Good. People are going to have NFC and I’m going to show how I already had it and sharing. Heh heh… I’m well prepared for the masses.

        1. Lots of stores, buses,gas stations already use NFC. So no apple is not creating new NFC for stores. close-mined people(apple loyalist) are now opening their eyes to their existence.

  10. Yay for Apple

      1. (0_o)

  11. Apple are a bunch of hypocritical iCopycats.

    1. Android and it’s phone manufacturers have had their share of copying.

      1. Yes, but they don’t market old features that have been available for years as the best thing since the beginning of the universe and then convince ignorant/gullible people that it’s new because it’s the iPhone.

        1. Market old features? You mean like ApplePay? Sure it uses NFC, which has been around, but Android manufacturers haven’t marketed it well and Google Wallet and Softcard haven’t made much ground in the market. How about 6 plus. Sure large phones have been around for while, but was Apple going to not disclose the size because Android did it first? If Google and Android manufacturers worked on their own marketing of features, new or old, maybe more people would use Android.

  12. It’s all about presentation with Apple. I’m not impressed with their hardware at all.

  13. Doesn’t matter to iPhone users. If i6 has WiFi calling band12a block support and webos multitasking I’m sold

    1. WiFi calling only on T-Mobile.

      1. I’m on tmobile

  14. Apple needed to do this because the first thing people noticed was that android phones were not just a little bigger but so much bigger than iPhone. First impressions matter and well, Apple finally took care of that problem.

  15. I’ll give them this: The iPhone 6 looks slightly more appealing than the 4 and 5. But, that’s about it.

    Unimpressed overall. I am 100% Android all the way but I was kinda hoping Apple would do something innovative so that Android would advance even faster… but meh. Just a big load of meh.

    And my Facebook feed is filled with people overjoyed with this iPhone 6 announcement. Sickening.

    1. they are overjoyed because they really really wanted that larger screen after all. Despite what Steve Jobs said

      1. they wanted that large screen for a looong time. Their screen envy was major but they were not allow to show their envy because apple haven’t given them permission to like it until now.

        1. They wanted that large screen ever since they saw Galaxy S and Notes. Companies give what customers want in order to keep them. But it’s not enough, I am switching to Note 4 and can’t wait.

  16. Who knew that apple was a lemon!

  17. Coming out with something first has absolutely no meaning unless you capitalize on it. Android did that with large screens for sure, but NFC is a different story. Watches are a wash at this point. Apple makes more on accessories and licensing than android ever will, because Android has almost no revenue in these areas.

  18. It’s no longer about Apple vs Android, but Apple vs Samsung, LG, HTC etc..

  19. I thought this was an Android website.I won’t deny the iphone was more popular because it had no competition. Technically I don’t think you can be more popular than something that didn’t exist.Android didn’t come out until 15 months later.

  20. I can’t help but chuckle about the Apple Pay announcement days after all those celebritys have their nudey pictures ripped off from iCloud or what ever it was……

  21. This is a repeat of the iPod moment. I think Apple is going to win because design matters. Samsung has been a terrible steward for Android and the platform is going to lose the holidays because of it.

    1. Agree.
      I know a few people who have switched from being long time iPhone users to Samsung without even knowing why other than that galaxy phones are popular. There are much better options for android phones out there but the marketing isn’t big enough.

      1. Add me to the list. Been a long time iPhone user started with 3G and upgraded every 2 years. I hate having to stick to one PC to transfer music and having to use a software (iTunes) to do it. With Android, it is just plug and drag music files over using Windows Explorer and can do it any PC. Also, Apple is really slow with technology. They copy Android features, copy Samsung’s screen size, and it’s too late for iWatch. Let’s not forget the overpriced products.

      2. Marketing is certainly something they’re great at. They’ve convinced millions of people to perpetually support them. It’s basically a major religion with Steve Jobs as the creator figure and the iPhone/iPad are the holy books.

    2. WTF do you mean? Samsung has been the only maker who has been willing to try new form factors (like the Note Edge), and only one to offer consumers replaceable battery, microSD card slot, and other non-Apple features that the other Android OEMs seem to take away. Samsung has been the savior of Android in my eyes, I stick with Android because Samsung’s products are not an iCopy of the iPhone. If not for Samsung I’d be using iPhones exclusively, no reason to use inferior Android phones without features or choice.

      1. Samsung is certainly a great frontrunner for Android for various reasons. It’s basically the only company with the monetary assets to compete on Apple’s level. That being said they could nail the iPhone to the wall if they weren’t so weird with marketing videos, made videos a bit more serious and marketed the Galaxy Alpha better. After all, the Galaxy Alpha is essentially everything an iPhone and Android user could want.

  22. This will be the lowest selling iPhone in history, it’s too big. Alot of people bought iPhones because they were small premium phones, now they have no choice.

    1. The 5S will still be available for 99 bucks

      1. Well that will make things more interesting. I can’t see anyone wanting a phone that big, with only a 4.7 inch screen. This is a big change for Apple. Will be interesting for sure.

        1. The 4.7″ iPhone is actually appropriately sized. It is 4 mm shorter than the GS5, 5 mm more narrow, and 1.2 mm thinner. When you allow for the screen size difference of .4″, it is a nice size.

          1. 3″ was a “nice size” in 2008, when Steve Jobs said the 4.5″ Android phones looked like skateboards.
            Let’s not mince words. Apple is just playing catch-up. All of sudden these Apple users who’ve been shaking their fist at Android phones for their “gigantic” size are acting like a 4.7″ the most obvious, sensible thing in the world. I don’t think so.

      2. No. You mean $99 down. That’s a deposit that comes with a 2 year payment plan to pay it off in monthly installments on credit. It’s part of your monthly bill. I get phones for “$0” from T-Mo, does that mean they’re free? No. It means I end up paying more every month than if I’d paid them $200 up front. No matter what, you’re going to pay whatever is the full cost of that phone.

  23. I love my Nexus, but since Apple is doing all the heavy lifting of making NFC more useful, it’s appreciated.

    1. If there is one thing Apple does right, it’s marketing. I love Touch to Pay on my G3, and now that apple will be pushing to make NFC payments a thing, even us Android users get to benefit!

      1. Sick of Apple. Tired of seeing their Macs and phones in movies. Why not Asus, Acer, HP, Sony, Toshiba, Gateway…etc. Guess it’s considered the “cool” factor having Apple products for many. I will spend my money right with the Note 4.

    2. Same here. I can finally use NFC payments at more places other than just Mcdonalds. 7 Eleven had it before, but mysteriously removed their nfc pay machines.

    3. So Apple is making NFC more useful… after Android paved the way. They must be exhausted from all that heavy lifting of their fingers as they wag them at Android phones with NFC for the past three years. What heavy lifting they’ve done sitting on the sidelines with their eyes closed; let’s give them a big round of applause.

  24. Apple failed long ago when they failed to realize people want to be individuals. Most didn’t want just one device to choose with extremely limited customization. Also, the more tech savvy side of consumers wanted an open system. Apple is about as closed as people’s doors to Jehovah Witnesses.

    1. Sadly people still want that. Mostly basic girls who wear love pink and ugg boots and fanboys

  25. Oh Apple. iPhone was a enlarged version of iPod, iPad was a enlarged version of iPhone. Now you just decided to place re-sizing game again and made Apple Watch. What a joke… You “invented” was iPod, but the court proved it you stole if from Creative. The only thing you invented and that keeps all this iCrap together is iTunes.

  26. Apple can only keep updating what Steve Jobs made for so long, they are going downhill and fading fast.

    1. wall st guru Jim Cramer did an interview with apple shortly after steve job’s death. He was bound by non disclosure to not discuss most of the details for at least 12 months after steve passed. His book from 2013 discusses the detail. It talks about how steve did not leave behind any major concrete road map. Thats why apple tv and iwatch feel so much like apple stumbling along. Its because they don’t know what to do with these products. Cramer had a very detailed break down on why he realized late last year that apple will never be like apple during the Jobs era because the company now has no real plans other than incremental revenue plans.

  27. I’m glad they got nfc payments. Now I think merchants will finally get it rolling since now almost every device will be compatible between Google wallet, ISIS, and Apple pay.

  28. I’ve used Google Wallet for a long time. Now there’s NFC, google can build google wallet on iphone. Cross platform. Wake up business! I really don’t like proprietary crap and Apple is the last company to trust with rolling out non proprietary services. It just doesn’t happen often.

    1. Not sure about Google Wallet, but that atrocious Soft Card (ISIS) is going to the iPhone next year.

  29. Interesting that with all the hype about Android in this article the conclusion that it likely took Apple to embrace mobile payment market is what is going to bring everybody on board is what tilts the playing field. If Android was so far ahead and had such a commanding lead (LOL) then why did it take so long for the mobile payments option to ‘sink in’? Shouldn’t that already be a done deal given the aforementioned ‘market domination”? I’ve no idea if the watches (Apples or anybody else’s) will catch on like hotcakes, but there’s no doubt that it won’t be the fault of Apple if they don’t since the iWatch has more functionality and looks to have more App Support for it than the whole crop of competitors out there already! And then there’s the issue of Apple not being ‘first’. It’s good to see the author cede the point that just being first has very little long term impact on who is going to get it ‘right’ in the final analysis. As usual, that appears to be Apple. Of course the people that can’t afford or don’t want to buy Apple will have a myriad (too many…) of Android options to choose from. I expect Android to continue to be the smartphone of choice in Alabama, Mississippi and every other third world country in the world. Enjoy.

  30. I’ll give you an example at how it doesn’t matter how far ahead android is (and usually many years so).

    I have a friend who is a uber ifanBoy. For the last several weeks up until last week he went on and on about how ugly square watches are and android is a fail for putting out a watch. Because to him a smart watch is pointless and is a solution trying to find a problem. He said this on FB for weeks and weeks. He has plenty of disposable income, in his 50s and for the most part is a logical and smart man. Today he is posting how great the iwatch is and how incredibly gorgeous it is and he can wait to buy at least a couple. Nevermind that he is completely contradicting himself and when pointed out he shrugs. He also added that he can’t wait to see how samsung will photocopy iphone 6 and 6+ to which many responded ummm Galaxy S5 and Note 4. He didn’t care. I wish I can say he is the only one but I have about half a dozen friends equally intelligent in life and all making over $100k with the same attitute. Only one of my friends in this category (who is a web designer) have said he did not like the looks of the iwatch.

    This is why it doesn’t matter. Logic does not apply in this case and you mind as well just let them think they invented everything first. Its almost like if they said iwatch is gorgeous enough it will be true.

    1. Maybe your friend just wants to belong to a cult. Seems like he found himself a home now :) A lot of middle aged people do with Apple products. For them, they just don’t understand tech until Apple makes it. They’re so emotionally caught up with the products that they don’t see anything else.

  31. Android might be ahead but the industry doesn’t move unless apple builds the feature in. Just watch. Phone/wearable payments will actually take off now.

    1. just as Facetime conversations “took off”? :)

      1. facetime is stupidly popular among iphone users

        1. for real? could be a big thing in the us then prob

    2. I actually hope this is the case. I have wanted to use Google Wallet for quite some time now. But the places in which I can actually use wallet, are few and far between. Some retailers are very slow when it comes to adopting new technology. Hopefully this will help them make that leap. Apple is hardly a trend setter anymore but they certainly do have the power to make people notice change. The more people with NFC smartphone payments, the better in this particular instance.

      1. I just think it sucks it takes Apple to allow this movement

        1. I think within a few years this won’t be the case. The global market is quickly rising and will soon be significantly enough that the industry will respond to it without the lead of U. S. market which is the only market that Apple still has a significant share. Between Samsung and the other rising Chinese brands apple won’t be the catalyst in the future.

    3. Yep, everything they roll out turns to gold. Had NFC in many of my last androids, never used it once. Apple’s roll out of mobile payments will catch on mark my words. Not only because of the ppl using iphones but the businesses are more likely to put money down on a system geared towards apple than android, if it catches on, as usual, then they will make it compatible for android. Like every damn accessorie or stereo in the world.

  32. Apple fans be like: We were fashionably late

  33. I often go to partys late (usually because i’m never on time) but because there are always fidgety bits with releases and getting out to the public. This is the perfect time for Apple to announce their new watch as most normal (non-tech savvy people) have heard of it, but just shrugged it off, now with Apple (with iOS for older mums and dads who can’t use touch screens properly) it will be a big hit. The only good that will come out of it for us android folk is that manufactures will just build bigger and better like whats been happening for years!

  34. Also – isn’t the NFC payment thing going to be easy to scam people!

    someone just walks past with one of these devices by a shop and loses a few £££ without them knowing.

    1. If they copied Android’s implementation (which it appears they have) then no. The SE means its siloed from the rest of the phone. NFC is incredibly short range (mine only registers within about 2 inches and, in the case of the two phones I have had with it, the NFC chip is only active when the phones screen is on.

      On top of that I have to “unlock” Google Wallet. Meaning I have to set a timeout where it can make payments without authentication. So I need to plan to spend money ahead of time, its not just running while I am on the subway.

      1. aye I know it’s super short, but i heard of a story that some guy had a device which scanned peoples wallets. Imagine at 8am on the morning on the way to to work, everybodys all compact etc. Didn’t relise you had to turn it on though, makes much more sense!

        1. I dont know how effective such a device would be given the range of at least the NFC on my devices. Its directional and only good for about 2 inches. So if you were able to put the device right up against my thigh then it would be possible.

          But honestly its a CC anyway. You’re more likely to get me with a skimmer. But CCs are zero liability so Id just dispute the charge and be done with it. Beyond getting that they are kind of stuck because, like Apple, the actual information isnt stored in NFC and isnt available to applications, so even putting something on my phone wouldn’t work.

          its one of the “excuses” Verizon gave for blocking Google Wallet (when all they really wanted is to give ISIS a fighting chance). They claimed that not having access to that “secure element” would threaten their network performance.

        2. I’ve seen that demo on dateline or some show like that. It was essentially credit cards and some apps but not nfc. Apps like starbucks is atrocious. For over a year they kept your credentials on the phone in clear text.

  35. ALSO – annoys me how all iPhone users are now going to get the Phablet because they can use apps landscape….

  36. doesn’t matter no

  37. Apple used to quite literally put parts in their devices from the future. Their supply chain was structured in a way that components too expensive to be mass produced were actually being mass produced and over time licensed out to OEMs to recoup that cost, effectively being the leader and keeping everyone else playing catch up. They don’t do that anymore which is why we aren’t seeing that “one killer feature” anymore. Steve Jobs understood the importance of supplying demand, but he also understood it was even more important to create demand for your supply. This was what made him brilliant. Sadly, with devices being designed to last a year or two, demand is artificially (almost forcefully) created but unfortunately is enough to keep the profits high. There is no pressure to wow the world anymore. That applies to everyone. Not only Apple.

  38. Apple devices will sell like crazy; that’s beyond dispute. The question, however, is just who will be buying? If Apple only sells to the faithful, and doesn’t pull a significant number of people away from Android, they’ll further devolve into the niche market they have with Macs–a dedicated following, but a small market share. One of the important factors will be price: who but the faithful will spend $500 on an iPhone when they can get a similarly functional Moto G for $149?

    As for NFC mobile payments, people expect that where Apple goes others will follow, but the actual market doesn’t support that. Apple has a much smaller market share than Android, and the number of people who upgrade will be a fraction of that. Even then, it’s all dependent upon which businesses accept which forms of payment. There’s already beef fights between Google Wallet and Softcard (ISIS). Mastercard has its own app. Apple will only fragment that more.

    1. Exactly. Let apple sell all kinds of istuff to its faithful because the apple user base will never significantly grow any further. We should just ignore them. Pretty much the high road that Google takes which is why google is on driverless cars and satellites and apple is competing with Note 2s.

  39. “if you consider yourself a true tech enthusiast, you should be rooting for both.”

    NEVER!

  40. So soon you forget that Samsung wasn’t the first. Samsung ripped off sony when sony Open sourced the firmware for the MKI Smart watch!

  41. yep, I dumped iOS and the iPhone in 2011 and haven’t looked back. My GS4 is the best phone I’ve had

  42. What matters is getting it right !! Plus being part of android smartphone world, live with load of crapware, no upgrade to current or future updates. tons of malware that steals your personal info, etc….life is too short to worry all these. IOS is a way to go.

    1. Nice iSheep, trolling post. You just love Apple telling what you can or can’t do in every bit of your life.

    2. You are aware that Nexus and Google play edition devices get timely updates, those devices don’t have bloatware. And its OEMS that won’t update devices quickly to force you to buy a new device.

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