Man google is really awesome. I love google and I love apple, can't get enough of both companies. Still think iOS/iTunes is better, but Android is growing on me.
Solipsism, 18 months ago some posters here said "Android smartphones will never overtake iPhone sales". A few months later it did. But some posters here said that didn't really matter anyway. "Android will never have as many apps to choose from". Looks like that will happen sometime this year too. But now that doesn't really matter either. It's more about quality than quantity.
So then late last year it became "Android will never sell as well as the combined total of all iOS devices each month". Five months later it looks like they actually may be outselling all iOS devices combined.
Meh. Android developers already know they can't make money with Android apps, so they are slow to commit or leaving for iOS. Hardware manufacturers will simply devolve to lowest cost competitors, as Android phones are now a commodity business, just like PCs.
Yeah, and the laughable thing is, Google is making no money on this (even indirectly, at least not so far).
You've got wonder about these race-to-the-bottom handset makers. How can they be so dependent on someone else for their OS, and essentially hand their future over to a company that makes no money on this? What exactly do they compete on, against each other? Features? Buttons? Colors? Size? What if Google decides to yank or detour or slow down Android, because they've got other things to do?
The Android tablets will overtake Apple is unproven, to say the least. Unlike the iPhone Apple came into that Market aggressively. Very few manufacturers can compete with their buying power.
On phones they are still selling one high end model and last years high end model. This report is showing that a 2 yr old iPhone model can beat the best of Androids competition. When Apple are on all carriers and have lower priced models, which they will, they will regain Market share from Android.
That's the only way if reading this report.
While Apple will move into new areas but so will Android. We'll see likely see them as tomorow's "feature phone" except with access to Android Market for certain apps. There is HW coming to market this year that could put Android 2.3 onto a phone that can be sold, contract free, for under $100. That market is exceedingly large from a unit sales standpoint, but not likely not a money maker for vendors or devs.
Solipsism, 18 months ago some posters here said "Android smartphones will never overtake iPhone sales". A few months later it did. But some posters here said that didn't really matter anyway. "Android will never have as many apps to choose from". Looks like that will happen sometime this year too. But now that doesn't really matter either. It's more about quality than quantity.
So then late last year it became "Android will never sell as well as the combined total of all iOS devices each month". Five months later it looks like they actually may be outselling all iOS devices combined.
Yeah, and the laughable thing is, Google is making no money on this (even indirectly, at least not so far).
You've got wonder about these race-to-the-bottom handset makers. How can they be so dependent on someone else for their OS, and essentially hand their future over to a company that makes no money on this? What exactly do they compete on, against each other? Features? Buttons? Colors? Size? What if Google decides to yank or detour or slow down Android, because they've got other things to do?
Meanwhile, Apple is still trying to figure out how to do notifications on iOS.
I know there is debate over which notification system is better. Truth be told, I've used both, and while Apple's version can be annoying, that's sort of the point behind a notification... to let you know something is happening. I found that I totally miss notifications on Android since it requires action on my behalf.
What exactly do they compete on, against each other? Features? Buttons? Colors? Size?
Hardware specs. Who can cram the most superfluously powerful smartphone components into an iPhone-esque design? The one exception is battery size/life.
Solipsism, 18 months ago some posters here said "Android smartphones will never overtake iPhone sales". A few months later it did. But some posters here said that didn't really matter anyway. "Android will never have as many apps to choose from". Looks like that will happen sometime this year too. But now that doesn't really matter either. It's more about quality than quantity.
So then late last year it became "Android will never sell as well as the combined total of all iOS devices each month". Five months later it looks like they actually may be outselling all iOS devices combined.
Did you read your own link?! Here, let me quote from the engadget.com blurb:
"Of course, it doesn't make all that money from Android directly, but Schmidt says that Android-based phones are already generating enough advertising revenue to cover the cost of development. What's more, while he doesn't provide any current specific numbers, Schmidt did say that he expects there to someday be one billion Android phones in the world, and that if each one generated just $10 per user per year it would be a $10 billion business....."
Cover the 'cost of development'? Plus some fairy tale hopes (if we can sell a billion, and if we can get get $10 per user per year) that pass for a forecast? 'Nuff said.
(Come back and post some numbers if/when Google actually provides you with some audited segment data that actually says 'we are making some money that is more than chump change'. Until then, it's cheap talk.)
Is this busy work, or are you trying to say it's not been said?
If the latter, I'll play along. If the former, I really do have other things a bit more important than playing a game.
I think one person said that Android will not catch up to iOS... and that person was a numbskull. When you've got 15 companies producing 5 phones each you're bound to end up with more phones than one company producing one phone.
Hardware specs. Who can cram the most superfluously powerful smartphone components into an iPhone-esque design? The one exception is battery size/life.
Yeah, that strategy worked out well for PC makers..... (which was sort of the point in the original I was agreeing with).
I think one person said that Android will not catch up to iOS... and that person was a numbskull. When you've got 15 companies producing 5 phones each you're bound to end up with more phones than one company producing one phone.
As mentioned... who gives a shit.
What's your point?
Exactly that!!
Why does anyone give a shit about figures and percentages comparing Android and Apple.
...because, as we all know, apple hasn't been revolutionary (or innovative) in quite some time...
Sure they are, when it comes to creating a market. But their competitors blatantly rip them off and use Apple's ideas as a springboard to leapfrog ahead of Apple and innovate further while Apple slowly crawls forward with their ideas. Cut and paste, multi-tasking, notifications...Apple needs to stay ahead of the curve with these types of things or they're going to be left behind.
Google says their next big update will feature a new user interface, so I'm guessing they plan to do away with the "App tiles" look they copied from Apple. This will be the first time they've gone in their own direction in this area with Android phones. If it turns out like the last time they went in their own direction with Android (the abortion that is Gingerbread), they're probably going to piss a lot of people off because it's just too different and too difficult for casual users to get into. This would give Apple a perfect chance to swoop in with a new, improved, innovative, and most of all user-friendly iOS 5 to woo the public again.
Then Google can just copy the new look of iOS and we start back from the beginning...
@ jkichline: I love Apple too, but part of really loving something is knowing when and accepting that they make mistakes. Notifications in iOS is a mistake. I'm sorry, but an icon on the top of the screen and a little chime playing works much better, IMO, than a large chunky block interrupting me by blocking the entire screen.
Apple seems to agree since rumor has it they are working hard to "fix" the notifications system in iOS.
Did you read your own link?! Here, let me quote from the engadget.com blurb:
"Of course, it doesn't make all that money from Android directly, but Schmidt says that Android-based phones are already generating enough advertising revenue to cover the cost of development. What's more, while he doesn't provide any current specific numbers, Schmidt did say that he expects there to someday be one billion Android phones in the world, and that if each one generated just $10 per user per year it would be a $10 billion business....."
Cover the 'cost of development'? Plus some fairy tale hopes (if we can sell a billion, and if we can get get $10 per user per year) that pass for a forecast? 'Nuff said.
(Come back and post some numbers if/when Google actually provides you with some audited segment data that actually says 'we are making some money that is more than chump change'. Until then, it's cheap talk.)
I agree with you that Android itself doesn't generate much money for Google, but the point of it is to further drive Google's main revenue stream (Ads). I don't think they'll ever show a clear segmented number for Android alone. It's pretty much the same for all of Google's services, everything is about driving Ad revenue.
The worst case situation for the handset manufacturers is for some group to take over development of Android or switch to yet another OS. What about all of their investment into Android then? I'm sure they're used to spending money on products that don't sell (Xoom) so whatever they'll have to do to stay in the game in the future will just be regular business. We'll see how much these handset makers really invest into Android by how well they would really keep up with updates.
The announcements are feel underwhelming to me, save one: a new ?state of the art interface?.
What really got me is the fact that Google has never demonstrated UI which is close to what I perceive as ?state of the Art?. I mean c?mon, even supposedly lagging Microsoft has one - Metro, while tech trendmaker Google is still stuck with ?simplicity? which in reality produces evenly spaced flat rectangles in barely enough quantities to map all the available system functions to them.
Maybe they will find a good designer at last. And hopefully Apple is busy preparing UI update as the answer.
Comments
Solipsism, 18 months ago some posters here said "Android smartphones will never overtake iPhone sales". A few months later it did. But some posters here said that didn't really matter anyway. "Android will never have as many apps to choose from". Looks like that will happen sometime this year too. But now that doesn't really matter either. It's more about quality than quantity.
So then late last year it became "Android will never sell as well as the combined total of all iOS devices each month". Five months later it looks like they actually may be outselling all iOS devices combined.
Who are these posters? Name names and post posts.
Meh. Android developers already know they can't make money with Android apps, so they are slow to commit or leaving for iOS. Hardware manufacturers will simply devolve to lowest cost competitors, as Android phones are now a commodity business, just like PCs.
Yeah, and the laughable thing is, Google is making no money on this (even indirectly, at least not so far).
You've got wonder about these race-to-the-bottom handset makers. How can they be so dependent on someone else for their OS, and essentially hand their future over to a company that makes no money on this? What exactly do they compete on, against each other? Features? Buttons? Colors? Size? What if Google decides to yank or detour or slow down Android, because they've got other things to do?
The Android tablets will overtake Apple is unproven, to say the least. Unlike the iPhone Apple came into that Market aggressively. Very few manufacturers can compete with their buying power.
On phones they are still selling one high end model and last years high end model. This report is showing that a 2 yr old iPhone model can beat the best of Androids competition. When Apple are on all carriers and have lower priced models, which they will, they will regain Market share from Android.
That's the only way if reading this report.
While Apple will move into new areas but so will Android. We'll see likely see them as tomorow's "feature phone" except with access to Android Market for certain apps. There is HW coming to market this year that could put Android 2.3 onto a phone that can be sold, contract free, for under $100. That market is exceedingly large from a unit sales standpoint, but not likely not a money maker for vendors or devs.
Solipsism, 18 months ago some posters here said "Android smartphones will never overtake iPhone sales". A few months later it did. But some posters here said that didn't really matter anyway. "Android will never have as many apps to choose from". Looks like that will happen sometime this year too. But now that doesn't really matter either. It's more about quality than quantity.
So then late last year it became "Android will never sell as well as the combined total of all iOS devices each month". Five months later it looks like they actually may be outselling all iOS devices combined.
Who are these posters? Name names and post posts.
Gatorguy forgot to mention my post:
"Who gives a shit."
Yeah, and the laughable thing is, Google is making no money on this (even indirectly, at least not so far).
You've got wonder about these race-to-the-bottom handset makers. How can they be so dependent on someone else for their OS, and essentially hand their future over to a company that makes no money on this? What exactly do they compete on, against each other? Features? Buttons? Colors? Size? What if Google decides to yank or detour or slow down Android, because they've got other things to do?
Google does make money off Android: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/g...ould-eventual/
I just hope all of this lights a fire under Apple and that iOS 5 will be revolutionary!
...because, as we all know, apple hasn't been revolutionary (or innovative) in quite some time...
Who are these posters? Name names and post posts.
Right. . .
Never seen here huh?
Is this busy work, or are you trying to say it's not been said?
If the latter, I'll play along. If the former, I really do have other things a bit more important than playing a game.
Meanwhile, Apple is still trying to figure out how to do notifications on iOS.
I know there is debate over which notification system is better. Truth be told, I've used both, and while Apple's version can be annoying, that's sort of the point behind a notification... to let you know something is happening. I found that I totally miss notifications on Android since it requires action on my behalf.
What exactly do they compete on, against each other? Features? Buttons? Colors? Size?
Hardware specs. Who can cram the most superfluously powerful smartphone components into an iPhone-esque design? The one exception is battery size/life.
Originally Posted by Gatorguy
Solipsism, 18 months ago some posters here said "Android smartphones will never overtake iPhone sales". A few months later it did. But some posters here said that didn't really matter anyway. "Android will never have as many apps to choose from". Looks like that will happen sometime this year too. But now that doesn't really matter either. It's more about quality than quantity.
So then late last year it became "Android will never sell as well as the combined total of all iOS devices each month". Five months later it looks like they actually may be outselling all iOS devices combined.
Gatorguy forgot to mention my post:
"Who gives a shit."
As it should be!
Google does make money off Android: http://www.engadget.com/2010/10/05/g...ould-eventual/
"Of course, it doesn't make all that money from Android directly, but Schmidt says that Android-based phones are already generating enough advertising revenue to cover the cost of development. What's more, while he doesn't provide any current specific numbers, Schmidt did say that he expects there to someday be one billion Android phones in the world, and that if each one generated just $10 per user per year it would be a $10 billion business....."
Cover the 'cost of development'? Plus some fairy tale hopes (if we can sell a billion, and if we can get get $10 per user per year) that pass for a forecast? 'Nuff said.
(Come back and post some numbers if/when Google actually provides you with some audited segment data that actually says 'we are making some money that is more than chump change'. Until then, it's cheap talk.)
Right. . .
Never seen here huh?
Is this busy work, or are you trying to say it's not been said?
If the latter, I'll play along. If the former, I really do have other things a bit more important than playing a game.
I think one person said that Android will not catch up to iOS... and that person was a numbskull. When you've got 15 companies producing 5 phones each you're bound to end up with more phones than one company producing one phone.
As mentioned... who gives a shit.
What's your point?
Hardware specs. Who can cram the most superfluously powerful smartphone components into an iPhone-esque design? The one exception is battery size/life.
Yeah, that strategy worked out well for PC makers..... (which was sort of the point in the original I was agreeing with).
I think one person said that Android will not catch up to iOS... and that person was a numbskull. When you've got 15 companies producing 5 phones each you're bound to end up with more phones than one company producing one phone.
As mentioned... who gives a shit.
What's your point?
Exactly that!!
Why does anyone give a shit about figures and percentages comparing Android and Apple.
You're the first one to get it. Congrats!
As Steve Jobs would say, "we didn't get into the search business..."
...because, as we all know, apple hasn't been revolutionary (or innovative) in quite some time...
Sure they are, when it comes to creating a market. But their competitors blatantly rip them off and use Apple's ideas as a springboard to leapfrog ahead of Apple and innovate further while Apple slowly crawls forward with their ideas. Cut and paste, multi-tasking, notifications...Apple needs to stay ahead of the curve with these types of things or they're going to be left behind.
Google says their next big update will feature a new user interface, so I'm guessing they plan to do away with the "App tiles" look they copied from Apple. This will be the first time they've gone in their own direction in this area with Android phones. If it turns out like the last time they went in their own direction with Android (the abortion that is Gingerbread), they're probably going to piss a lot of people off because it's just too different and too difficult for casual users to get into. This would give Apple a perfect chance to swoop in with a new, improved, innovative, and most of all user-friendly iOS 5 to woo the public again.
Then Google can just copy the new look of iOS and we start back from the beginning...
Apple seems to agree since rumor has it they are working hard to "fix" the notifications system in iOS.
"Of course, it doesn't make all that money from Android directly, but Schmidt says that Android-based phones are already generating enough advertising revenue to cover the cost of development. What's more, while he doesn't provide any current specific numbers, Schmidt did say that he expects there to someday be one billion Android phones in the world, and that if each one generated just $10 per user per year it would be a $10 billion business....."
Cover the 'cost of development'? Plus some fairy tale hopes (if we can sell a billion, and if we can get get $10 per user per year) that pass for a forecast? 'Nuff said.
(Come back and post some numbers if/when Google actually provides you with some audited segment data that actually says 'we are making some money that is more than chump change'. Until then, it's cheap talk.)
I agree with you that Android itself doesn't generate much money for Google, but the point of it is to further drive Google's main revenue stream (Ads). I don't think they'll ever show a clear segmented number for Android alone. It's pretty much the same for all of Google's services, everything is about driving Ad revenue.
The worst case situation for the handset manufacturers is for some group to take over development of Android or switch to yet another OS. What about all of their investment into Android then? I'm sure they're used to spending money on products that don't sell (Xoom) so whatever they'll have to do to stay in the game in the future will just be regular business. We'll see how much these handset makers really invest into Android by how well they would really keep up with updates.
What really got me is the fact that Google has never demonstrated UI which is close to what I perceive as ?state of the Art?. I mean c?mon, even supposedly lagging Microsoft has one - Metro, while tech trendmaker Google is still stuck with ?simplicity? which in reality produces evenly spaced flat rectangles in barely enough quantities to map all the available system functions to them.
Maybe they will find a good designer at last. And hopefully Apple is busy preparing UI update as the answer.