They are talking about the Droid hardware not the Verizon or ATT network. Most users could care less about simultaneous voice and data, its just become a pathetic talking point for ATT users. Verizons network blows away ATT.
As a guy who travels a lot for work and does a lot of communicating on the go, being able to talk on the phone and exchange email, directions, contact information, and look up any thing I need or want is a major selling point. I'm very rarely in a spot that doesn't have WIFI or 3G coverage, so having 3G coverage in every po-dunk city is irrelevant to me.
I commend Google, Verizon and Motorola for a decent (not great) smart phone. However, given that the iPhone has been out over three years, I would expect a much more polished and well-rounded device. All they had to do is copy everything the iPhone was successful at and add a few features AT&T/Apple don't provide, and they still didn't hit a homerun!
People love the iPhone for the ease of experience for all of their media....music, movies, social networking, OS, UI, etc....Apple has always done well with merging all of these things in one device (or computer) and making your average-joe to do things a tech geek would only be able to pull off on another device.
Don't get me wrong, AT&T could definitely do better with their 3G coverage, but with LTE being rolled out next year, why would they invest too much in old technology. Personally, I'm more focused on the fact AT&T is already in the process of establishing a great 4G network. 3G is sooo 2007! HA!
We can also look at sales. Take the best Android-based release and compare to the worse iPhone OS release, the iPhone still wins hands down. If it?s just silly hype then the Pre easily beats the Droid.
It?s funny that it seems that even the Apple haters on this forum?s best argument is that you can?t include the iPhone in such stats because it?s too good compared to the competition.
lets see, the droid is estimated to have sold somewhere from 700-800k units in just November alone, at this rate it would best the original iPhone 2G during the 4th quarter which sold 1,119k units.
How hands down is that?
Also the Pre has unfortunately been nothing much more than hype and not being able to do much else.
Time ranks a frickin' fan above the 3GS? Pulleeze.
Just because the Druid offers the best challenge yet to the iPhone doesn't mean it really "cuts the mustard". Practically speaking, the Druid "cuts the cheese." This has all the appearance of an attempt by Time to bait Apple, Motorola, AT&T and Verizon into an ever bigger advertising fest.
lets see, the droid is estimated to have sold somewhere from 700-800k units in just November alone, at this rate it would best the original iPhone 2G during the 4th quarter which sold 1,119k units.
The question is whether Droid can maintain momentum long-term.
lets see, the droid is estimated to have sold somewhere from 700-800k units in just November alone, at this rate it would best the original iPhone 2G during the 4th quarter which sold 1,119k units.
The original iPhone sales suffered from a number of factors, including tremendous trepidation over Apple being a newcomer to the cellular market, its [superior] touch screen and lack of physical keyboard, lack of 3G, and lack of subsidization [high price]. The Druid has none of these factors weighing against it--it fails on its own accord.
So Time calls Droid the "Gadget of the Year." Note that no one picks Time as "Magazine of the Year." They can call the Toyota Tundra the "Truck of the Year" but that doesn't mean it won't rust apart.
Who buys a phone based on what Time says? Time is the People Magazine for those who think they already know everything, and seek confirmation of their "intelligence."
lets see, the droid is estimated to have sold somewhere from 700-800k units in just November alone, at this rate it would best the original iPhone 2G during the 4th quarter which sold 1,119k units.
And you ignoring the smartphone bubble that was created by the iPhone entering the market. A category regulated to hardcore business users on one end and lonely geeks on the other end. Now we have an entire market in the US for consumer focused smartphones. Even while being trumped in sales other vendors of smartphones have seen an increase in interest since the iPhone’s inaugural debut. Then we have mobile OSes and HW vendors that have changed up their entire business model to compete with the iPhone’s newly created consumer market. It would be a complete failure if it didn’t outsell the original iPhone in the first quarter when you look at what has changed in that past 30 months.
The original iPhone sales suffered from a number of factors, including tremendous trepidation over Apple being a newcomer to the cellular market, its [superior] touch screen and lack of physical keyboard, lack of 3G, and lack of subsidization [high price]. The Druid has none of these factors weighing against it--it fails on its own accord.
Wat? The initial launch of the 2G iphone suffered from the exorbitant high prices (it was like 499) They dropped the prices really fast after that they shaved off 200 bucks back in Sept 07.
Everything you listed other than lack of 3G and price had anything to do with my argument of the Droid vs iPhone in Q4 sales.
Your argument fails on its own accord.
Quadra that is the question if Droid can keep up the pace, im assuming they hit 2 mil and then it drops off around January/February when the new iPhone is announced and more Android phones like the the 1ghz HTC Passion come to Verizon as well as the Palm Pre and a beefed up Blackberry Tour.
The biggest thing I'd like Apple to take from a hardware stance is an improved screen. With all these OLED screen coming out at higher resolutions, the iPhone's starting to look grainy.
I'm confident we'll see OLED on Apple if/when OLED's performance/availability improve. Jobs' aesthetics will demand it.
Who cares what Time says, they are utterly useless pos of a magazine which is going down in flames. They probably were paid off by Motorola and Verizon like all these other so called Top tens and the consumer reports which was also paid off by Verizon, these studies and top lists have nothing to do with anything anymore except money. What a bunch of BS!! Cannot wait for the day Time Magazine folds which should be soon!!!!
The iPhone is hands above the droid, can the droid do pinch and pull zoom, oh wait no. Can the droid take better photos than the iPhone, oh wait not even that. Can the droid break because of moving parts, oh yes. The droid is 2 years behind the iphone and is a hunk of metal crap that feels horrible in your hands. Whatever Time and other people say all I have to say is 100,000 droids sold on the first weekend and 1 million iPhone 3gs sold in one weekend, I guess consumers have spoken and what they say is the iPhone is the number one gadget for 2009 no matter what some stupid paid off magazine says!!!
The iPhone sold just as many droids did in the first weekend in the US in South Korea, what does that say?
I have no comment about what you think of Time.
But as for your comparisons of the Droid... Actually, yes it can do pinch/pull-zoom. Just not in the native apps. It has been shown that the various third-party apps (photo editors/viewers, browsers, etc) are able to do pinch/pull-zoom. The GSM version of the Droid, the Milestone, can do pinch/pull-zoom natively.
From the pictures I've seen of the two side-by-side, I'd have to say the 3GS is just barely better. But they're both just cell phone cameras. No way it's going to replace my stand-alone any time soon.
I agree on the mechanical breaking part. As bad as people say the keyboard is, it's not that horrbile (my opinion). But I have to give Motorola credit for being able to create a slider that's only a hair thicker than the iPhone. Just imagine how thin it would have been without the keyboard...
As for your numbers, it's actually closer to 250,000 Droids sold. And the 1 million mark is 3GS sales in 8 countries combined, so yes, it'll should be higher. Why wasn't the Droid sold in more countries at its initial launch? No idea. But I'm sure that if the Milestone (GSM) and Droid (CDMA) both sold at the same time, there would be much more than 250,000 sales. I'd be interested in seeing exactly how many sales the 3GS had for AT&T alone, as a better comparison.
It shows that South Korea likes the iPhone and the US loves the Droid?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quadra 610
The question is whether Droid can maintain momentum long-term.
With the way Android is gaining in popularity in the industry, I'm willing to bet cash that the Droid line will have no problems keepings the momentum.
And you ignoring the smartphone bubble that was created by the iPhone entering the market. A category regulated to hardcore business users on one end and lonely geeks on the other end. Now we have an entire market in the US for consumer focused smartphones. Even while being trumped in sales other vendors of smartphones have seen an increase in interest since the iPhone?s inaugural debut.
I really just cant win an argument with you can I?
The smartphone was already trending towards consumers BEFORE the iPhone drop. Most analysts had this figured out already a year before the iphone dropped with RIM and Nokia dropping more consumer orientated devices in 07. The iPhone didnt change the dynamics of the smartphone market when it was already headed that way.
I really just cant win an argument with you can I?
The smartphone was already trending towards consumers BEFORE the iPhone drop. Most analysts had this figured out already a year before the iphone dropped with RIM and Nokia dropping more consumer orientated devices in 07. The iPhone didnt change the dynamics of the smartphone market when it was already headed that way.
Though it definitely did help accelerate the shift.
Wat? The initial launch of the 2G iphone suffered from the exorbitant high prices (it was like 499) They dropped the prices really fast after that they shaved off 200 bucks back in Sept 07.
The 4GB iPhone was $499, the 8GB model was $599. Their prices were reduced $200 roughly 6 weeks after launch. None of these prices are thought to have been subsidized by the carrier (AT&T), unlike the iPhone 3G, 3GS and the Druid.
The price was dropped when demand was seen to be far greater than expected--because for instance the iPhone worked far better than anyone would have expected from a first-timer like Apple--and when production could be ramped up.
Many think that the iPhone has reached it's limit in terms of innovation. Are you kidding me? Do you not live in the same universe I do? That is crazy talk!!
We are talking about one of the most innovative companies to have ever existed. Jobs and the crew I'm sure have something brewing in the deep, dark recesses of the Apple factory. I have no doubt that we will see some significant upgrades in the near future. Faster? yes, thinner? maybe, better camera? of course, larger screen? probably, upgrade to OSX both in features and look? you can bet on it. Apple isn't going to sit back and rest on their laurels. We should all know this by now...
Apple's least concern is what Time thinks of their iPhone.
Though it definitely did help accelerate the shift.
Yes both the iPhone and Blackberry were becoming household names in 07, they helped accelerate the shift towards consumers buying smartphones. Its the reason quarter after quarter RIM and Apple keep closing in on Nokia and gaining even more marketshare
The 3GS was official way early this year (whenever Apple has their yearly announcement for stuff) compared to the Droid which was kinda murky until October/November (also known as the Sholes too) so comparatively the 3GS had a bigger head start for getting more stories thus hits on Google.
I really think if people took a step back and were objective they would easily find things they like and dislike about the phone if they used one. IF its enough to sway you to switch is only determined by you and your preferences ultimately. By far the best Android phone out thus far without a doubt.
You said "for 2009", so it is only natural to count all of it, but for fun I did a search including only results from the last week:
3gs - 50,800,000 hits
droid - 18,200,000 hits
Those numbers seem bigger than my last attempt, despite having a narrower field. Maybe I had missed a set of zeros or selected Canada only. Oh well.
I do agree that people should be objective about these things, but Apple Apple fanboys are not the only ones guilty of not being objective. The fact that you consider the 3gs to be merely a faster 3g makes me wonder.
I haven't had a chance to handle the Droid, but it does look like the best android phone thus far. I'm still happy with my 3gs.
Comments
They are talking about the Droid hardware not the Verizon or ATT network. Most users could care less about simultaneous voice and data, its just become a pathetic talking point for ATT users. Verizons network blows away ATT.
As a guy who travels a lot for work and does a lot of communicating on the go, being able to talk on the phone and exchange email, directions, contact information, and look up any thing I need or want is a major selling point. I'm very rarely in a spot that doesn't have WIFI or 3G coverage, so having 3G coverage in every po-dunk city is irrelevant to me.
I commend Google, Verizon and Motorola for a decent (not great) smart phone. However, given that the iPhone has been out over three years, I would expect a much more polished and well-rounded device. All they had to do is copy everything the iPhone was successful at and add a few features AT&T/Apple don't provide, and they still didn't hit a homerun!
People love the iPhone for the ease of experience for all of their media....music, movies, social networking, OS, UI, etc....Apple has always done well with merging all of these things in one device (or computer) and making your average-joe to do things a tech geek would only be able to pull off on another device.
Don't get me wrong, AT&T could definitely do better with their 3G coverage, but with LTE being rolled out next year, why would they invest too much in old technology. Personally, I'm more focused on the fact AT&T is already in the process of establishing a great 4G network. 3G is sooo 2007! HA!
We can also look at sales. Take the best Android-based release and compare to the worse iPhone OS release, the iPhone still wins hands down. If it?s just silly hype then the Pre easily beats the Droid.
It?s funny that it seems that even the Apple haters on this forum?s best argument is that you can?t include the iPhone in such stats because it?s too good compared to the competition.
lets see, the droid is estimated to have sold somewhere from 700-800k units in just November alone, at this rate it would best the original iPhone 2G during the 4th quarter which sold 1,119k units.
How hands down is that?
Also the Pre has unfortunately been nothing much more than hype and not being able to do much else.
Just because the Druid offers the best challenge yet to the iPhone doesn't mean it really "cuts the mustard". Practically speaking, the Druid "cuts the cheese." This has all the appearance of an attempt by Time to bait Apple, Motorola, AT&T and Verizon into an ever bigger advertising fest.
lets see, the droid is estimated to have sold somewhere from 700-800k units in just November alone, at this rate it would best the original iPhone 2G during the 4th quarter which sold 1,119k units.
The question is whether Droid can maintain momentum long-term.
lets see, the droid is estimated to have sold somewhere from 700-800k units in just November alone, at this rate it would best the original iPhone 2G during the 4th quarter which sold 1,119k units.
The original iPhone sales suffered from a number of factors, including tremendous trepidation over Apple being a newcomer to the cellular market, its [superior] touch screen and lack of physical keyboard, lack of 3G, and lack of subsidization [high price]. The Druid has none of these factors weighing against it--it fails on its own accord.
And I very much doubt you only had two dropped calls in that time period.
Maybe he's so used to being hung up on, the dropped calls didn't register.
Who buys a phone based on what Time says? Time is the People Magazine for those who think they already know everything, and seek confirmation of their "intelligence."
lets see, the droid is estimated to have sold somewhere from 700-800k units in just November alone, at this rate it would best the original iPhone 2G during the 4th quarter which sold 1,119k units.
And you ignoring the smartphone bubble that was created by the iPhone entering the market. A category regulated to hardcore business users on one end and lonely geeks on the other end. Now we have an entire market in the US for consumer focused smartphones. Even while being trumped in sales other vendors of smartphones have seen an increase in interest since the iPhone’s inaugural debut. Then we have mobile OSes and HW vendors that have changed up their entire business model to compete with the iPhone’s newly created consumer market. It would be a complete failure if it didn’t outsell the original iPhone in the first quarter when you look at what has changed in that past 30 months.
The original iPhone sales suffered from a number of factors, including tremendous trepidation over Apple being a newcomer to the cellular market, its [superior] touch screen and lack of physical keyboard, lack of 3G, and lack of subsidization [high price]. The Druid has none of these factors weighing against it--it fails on its own accord.
Wat? The initial launch of the 2G iphone suffered from the exorbitant high prices (it was like 499) They dropped the prices really fast after that they shaved off 200 bucks back in Sept 07.
Everything you listed other than lack of 3G and price had anything to do with my argument of the Droid vs iPhone in Q4 sales.
Your argument fails on its own accord.
Quadra that is the question if Droid can keep up the pace, im assuming they hit 2 mil and then it drops off around January/February when the new iPhone is announced and more Android phones like the the 1ghz HTC Passion come to Verizon as well as the Palm Pre and a beefed up Blackberry Tour.
The biggest thing I'd like Apple to take from a hardware stance is an improved screen. With all these OLED screen coming out at higher resolutions, the iPhone's starting to look grainy.
I'm confident we'll see OLED on Apple if/when OLED's performance/availability improve. Jobs' aesthetics will demand it.
Who cares what Time says, they are utterly useless pos of a magazine which is going down in flames. They probably were paid off by Motorola and Verizon like all these other so called Top tens and the consumer reports which was also paid off by Verizon, these studies and top lists have nothing to do with anything anymore except money. What a bunch of BS!! Cannot wait for the day Time Magazine folds which should be soon!!!!
The iPhone is hands above the droid, can the droid do pinch and pull zoom, oh wait no. Can the droid take better photos than the iPhone, oh wait not even that. Can the droid break because of moving parts, oh yes. The droid is 2 years behind the iphone and is a hunk of metal crap that feels horrible in your hands. Whatever Time and other people say all I have to say is 100,000 droids sold on the first weekend and 1 million iPhone 3gs sold in one weekend, I guess consumers have spoken and what they say is the iPhone is the number one gadget for 2009 no matter what some stupid paid off magazine says!!!
The iPhone sold just as many droids did in the first weekend in the US in South Korea, what does that say?
I have no comment about what you think of Time.
But as for your comparisons of the Droid... Actually, yes it can do pinch/pull-zoom. Just not in the native apps. It has been shown that the various third-party apps (photo editors/viewers, browsers, etc) are able to do pinch/pull-zoom. The GSM version of the Droid, the Milestone, can do pinch/pull-zoom natively.
From the pictures I've seen of the two side-by-side, I'd have to say the 3GS is just barely better. But they're both just cell phone cameras. No way it's going to replace my stand-alone any time soon.
I agree on the mechanical breaking part. As bad as people say the keyboard is, it's not that horrbile (my opinion). But I have to give Motorola credit for being able to create a slider that's only a hair thicker than the iPhone. Just imagine how thin it would have been without the keyboard...
As for your numbers, it's actually closer to 250,000 Droids sold. And the 1 million mark is 3GS sales in 8 countries combined, so yes, it'll should be higher. Why wasn't the Droid sold in more countries at its initial launch? No idea. But I'm sure that if the Milestone (GSM) and Droid (CDMA) both sold at the same time, there would be much more than 250,000 sales. I'd be interested in seeing exactly how many sales the 3GS had for AT&T alone, as a better comparison.
It shows that South Korea likes the iPhone and the US loves the Droid?
The question is whether Droid can maintain momentum long-term.
With the way Android is gaining in popularity in the industry, I'm willing to bet cash that the Droid line will have no problems keepings the momentum.
And you ignoring the smartphone bubble that was created by the iPhone entering the market. A category regulated to hardcore business users on one end and lonely geeks on the other end. Now we have an entire market in the US for consumer focused smartphones. Even while being trumped in sales other vendors of smartphones have seen an increase in interest since the iPhone?s inaugural debut.
I really just cant win an argument with you can I?
The smartphone was already trending towards consumers BEFORE the iPhone drop. Most analysts had this figured out already a year before the iphone dropped with RIM and Nokia dropping more consumer orientated devices in 07. The iPhone didnt change the dynamics of the smartphone market when it was already headed that way.
I really just cant win an argument with you can I?
The smartphone was already trending towards consumers BEFORE the iPhone drop. Most analysts had this figured out already a year before the iphone dropped with RIM and Nokia dropping more consumer orientated devices in 07. The iPhone didnt change the dynamics of the smartphone market when it was already headed that way.
Though it definitely did help accelerate the shift.
Wat? The initial launch of the 2G iphone suffered from the exorbitant high prices (it was like 499) They dropped the prices really fast after that they shaved off 200 bucks back in Sept 07.
The 4GB iPhone was $499, the 8GB model was $599. Their prices were reduced $200 roughly 6 weeks after launch. None of these prices are thought to have been subsidized by the carrier (AT&T), unlike the iPhone 3G, 3GS and the Druid.
The price was dropped when demand was seen to be far greater than expected--because for instance the iPhone worked far better than anyone would have expected from a first-timer like Apple--and when production could be ramped up.
We are talking about one of the most innovative companies to have ever existed. Jobs and the crew I'm sure have something brewing in the deep, dark recesses of the Apple factory. I have no doubt that we will see some significant upgrades in the near future. Faster? yes, thinner? maybe, better camera? of course, larger screen? probably, upgrade to OSX both in features and look? you can bet on it. Apple isn't going to sit back and rest on their laurels. We should all know this by now...
Apple's least concern is what Time thinks of their iPhone.
Why wasn't the Droid sold in more countries at its initial launch? No idea.
How about the fact that the Druid isn't a "world" phone. It uses CDMA, which is widely available only in the U.S. and Japan.
How about the fact that the Druid isn't a "world" phone. It uses CDMA, which is widely available only in the U.S. and Japan.
Which is why I brought up the Milestone, the GSM counterpart. Though I also would like to know why it wasn't GSM/CMDA phone too...
Though it definitely did help accelerate the shift.
Yes both the iPhone and Blackberry were becoming household names in 07, they helped accelerate the shift towards consumers buying smartphones. Its the reason quarter after quarter RIM and Apple keep closing in on Nokia and gaining even more marketshare
The 3GS was official way early this year (whenever Apple has their yearly announcement for stuff) compared to the Droid which was kinda murky until October/November (also known as the Sholes too) so comparatively the 3GS had a bigger head start for getting more stories thus hits on Google.
I really think if people took a step back and were objective they would easily find things they like and dislike about the phone if they used one. IF its enough to sway you to switch is only determined by you and your preferences ultimately. By far the best Android phone out thus far without a doubt.
You said "for 2009", so it is only natural to count all of it, but for fun I did a search including only results from the last week:
3gs - 50,800,000 hits
droid - 18,200,000 hits
Those numbers seem bigger than my last attempt, despite having a narrower field. Maybe I had missed a set of zeros or selected Canada only. Oh well.
I do agree that people should be objective about these things, but Apple Apple fanboys are not the only ones guilty of not being objective. The fact that you consider the 3gs to be merely a faster 3g makes me wonder.
I haven't had a chance to handle the Droid, but it does look like the best android phone thus far. I'm still happy with my 3gs.