Motorola Nexus

return_0

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The Nexus line and the Nexus-experience line should be what Google treats as the "stock" Android experience.

I want Motorola to build on top of that- just like Samsung, just like HTC, just like LG. Android was made for customization.

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Some manufacturer needs to step up and make an Android overlay that looks as good as stock but has all the features of the other overlays.
 

Rule9

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The Nexus line and the Nexus-experience line should be what Google treats as the "stock" Android experience.

I want Motorola to build on top of that- just like Samsung, just like HTC, just like LG. Android was made for customization.
As long as that customization doesn't create performance issues or bugs.
 

Ry

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Or delay in being able to keep up with Android updates

Even more irrelevant as Google updates Android without updating Android.

See Google I/O 2013.

My DROID Bionic is on 4.1. My Nexus 7 is on 4.2. Does it really matter? Nope.

My DROID Bionic is technically outdated. Does it mean it no longer works? Nope.

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Rule9

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Even more irrelevant as Google updates Android without updating Android.

See Google I/O 2013.

My DROID Bionic is on 4.1. My Nexus 7 is on 4.2. Does it really matter? Nope.

My DROID Bionic is technically outdated. Does it mean it no longer works? Nope.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Android Central Forums

As much as I'm all for that I/O announcement we still don't know exactly how well it will pan out yet. If they release a 5.0 version say, 6 months from now that contains some real groundbreaking stuff that isn't able to just be updated via Google services apps, then being stuck on a carrier (delayed) updates phone won't be as attractive.
 

JoeProcopio

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Motorola is trying to make a comeback... I doubt the first phone the choose to release as their comeback device would be a nexus device that sells for way less than a subsidized carrier phone... Also, in order to make that come back they have to release a device that has their name all over it and says "this is Motorola, and this is where we are heading" not a device that has Google's name all over it.

This response makes the most sense to me...I love my Droid RAZR MAXX, and the new RAZRs rock, but even though they are Moto phones, they are on VZW only...and are DROID phones....Moto needs a multi carrier phone that is their own branding and KILLER SPECS to get their name back out there...

I have owned 3 Moto smartphones, OG Droid, Droid Pro, and Droid RAZR see the relationship....time for a non Droid phone to challenge Sammy and Apple...the build quality of these 3 phones is awesome, strong radios, and of course battery on the Maxx...the time is right to attack....then NEXUS 5 or 6...but September looks to be about the right time for these phones...so we still have a couple months until we get some concrete news
 

Woosh

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Except people don't like to think that the N4 is subsidized and that phones are only supposed to cost as much as an N4.

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Idk if it's subsidized, you don't know that its subsidized rly. Until Google comes out and says what they pay vs what they sell it for then its just speculation. I can see the profits from Apple and Samsung though and tell you that a phone doesn't need to sell for $600+. Moto CEO 50% markup comment means $400 is either profitable or break even. Which would actually vary depending on how many is sold.
 

osubeavs728

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Idk if it's subsidized, you don't know that its subsidized rly. Until Google comes out and says what they pay vs what they sell it for then its just speculation. I can see the profits from Apple and Samsung though and tell you that a phone doesn't need to sell for $600+. Moto CEO 50% markup comment means $400 is either profitable or break even. Which would actually vary depending on how many is sold.

Very true, Google probably just sells their phones at cost. Maybe cost plus like 5%, but either way, they're not making much money on the phones themselves.
 

Ry

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Idk if it's subsidized, you don't know that its subsidized rly. Until Google comes out and says what they pay vs what they sell it for then its just speculation. I can see the profits from Apple and Samsung though and tell you that a phone doesn't need to sell for $600+. Moto CEO 50% markup comment means $400 is either profitable or break even. Which would actually vary depending on how many is sold.

There's more to a phone than the cost of the parts.

Of course I'm speculating when I say that Google is subsidizing the cost of the Nexus 4 but let me break down the evidence.

Samsung, LG, Apple, HTC, and Sony all sell similar smartphones for around $500 to $700 full-retail.

The cost of the parts of a modern smartphone range from $200 to $300. That does not include assembly, packaging, hardware and software engineering, marketing, facilities, etc.

The cost of the Nexus 4 outside of the Play Store is around $430 (see T-Mobile full retail price). I believe it's higher in other countries.

Google appears to be eating some sort of cost.
 

Ry

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As much as I'm all for that I/O announcement we still don't know exactly how well it will pan out yet. If they release a 5.0 version say, 6 months from now that contains some real groundbreaking stuff that isn't able to just be updated via Google services apps, then being stuck on a carrier (delayed) updates phone won't be as attractive.

IMO, a lot of the "groundbreaking" stuff will happen around Google Now. Neither of my devices got an update within the last month yet Google Now has even more functionality.

And how much of that "groundbreaking" stuff will just be replaced by what Samsung is doing with TouchWiz or what HTC is doing with Sense?
 

Rule9

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IMO, a lot of the "groundbreaking" stuff will happen around Google Now. Neither of my devices got an update within the last month yet Google Now has even more functionality.

And how much of that "groundbreaking" stuff will just be replaced by what Samsung is doing with TouchWiz or what HTC is doing with Sense?

It depends on your level of patience. All I can tell you is from my personal experience when Google Now had been out for months and I was drooling for a chance to get my hands on it but had to wait until the end of March to get a new phone because my old one which went on sale in March 2011, and saw updates from carriers instead of Google - wasn't being updated that far, ever. I vowed never to put myself into that situation again.
I hear what you're saying - that Google is moving towards a new update method by pulling the API's for all of its services out of the OS and into Google Play Services, which will allow people on older versions of Android to get improvements to the Android experience via app updates rather than OS updates. And I agree, it's a fantastic move... with limitations.

I can't help but see this new approach as nothing more than a pause/play move by Google to allow the OEM's a chance to catch their breath, and also to mitigate the criticisms of "fragmentation" often leveled against Android by others. Certain more heavy-duty innovations can't simply be pushed as app updates and will have to be placed on a major OS update. Even Google themselves have publicly stated that this new method is not to be taken as an indication that they don't intend to continue updating the OS itself with major innovations. My earlier statement is meant to say that I do not want to be placed in the same situation I was before. When the next "Google Now" type of major feature to the core OS comes out, I'm going to want it immediately, not 4-6 months later.

Only time will tell us whether Samsung, HTC, Moto, Sony, LG and others will improve the timeliness of their OS version updates as they get a little older. We're not going to be able to know that until this year's flagships are about 1 year old. Right now they're showing us their good behavior faces because the devices are brand new, but given that the OEM's are in the business of making money by selling you new products every year, not by putting big efforts into maintaining the last year's models, I can't see them changing their stripes.
 

Woosh

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There's more to a phone than the cost of the parts.

Of course I'm speculating when I say that Google is subsidizing the cost of the Nexus 4 but let me break down the evidence.

Samsung, LG, Apple, HTC, and Sony all sell similar smartphones for around $500 to $700 full-retail.

The cost of the parts of a modern smartphone range from $200 to $300. That does not include assembly, packaging, hardware and software engineering, marketing, facilities, etc.

The cost of the Nexus 4 outside of the Play Store is around $430 (see T-Mobile full retail price). I believe it's higher in other countries.

Google appears to be eating some sort of cost.

I understand there is more that goes into it but those costs are recouped over time. We just have no idea what Google is paying for these, iirc the breakdown was about $200 or so in parts but thats to the general public....these companies are without a doubt getting a big discount for the amount that they order and in some cases(like Samsung)make most of the phone themselves.

I tend to believe the Moto CEO when he said the 50% markup. I think these companies could be profitable selling at $400-$500. But who knows, there is no reason for them to change while sales are sky high right now and competition is fairly low. If there was a universal radio in place that could deal with all the technology it might help progress a bit. But I don't see that happening, esp since these phone companies want to keep changing and offering more for a higher price.
 

Ry

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I understand there is more that goes into it but those costs are recouped over time. We just have no idea what Google is paying for these, iirc the breakdown was about $200 or so in parts but thats to the general public....these companies are without a doubt getting a big discount for the amount that they order and in some cases(like Samsung)make most of the phone themselves.

I tend to believe the Moto CEO when he said the 50% markup. I think these companies could be profitable selling at $400-$500. But who knows, there is no reason for them to change while sales are sky high right now and competition is fairly low. If there was a universal radio in place that could deal with all the technology it might help progress a bit. But I don't see that happening, esp since these phone companies want to keep changing and offering more for a higher price.

And Google sells the Nexus 4 at $300-$350, below the $400-$500 remarks by Motorola (Woodside).

I see a subsidy.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums
 

Ry

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It depends on your level of patience. All I can tell you is from my personal experience when Google Now had been out for months and I was drooling for a chance to get my hands on it but had to wait until the end of March to get a new phone because my old one which went on sale in March 2011, and saw updates from carriers instead of Google - wasn't being updated that far, ever. I vowed never to put myself into that situation again.
I hear what you're saying - that Google is moving towards a new update method by pulling the API's for all of its services out of the OS and into Google Play Services, which will allow people on older versions of Android to get improvements to the Android experience via app updates rather than OS updates. And I agree, it's a fantastic move... with limitations.

I can't help but see this new approach as nothing more than a pause/play move by Google to allow the OEM's a chance to catch their breath, and also to mitigate the criticisms of "fragmentation" often leveled against Android by others. Certain more heavy-duty innovations can't simply be pushed as app updates and will have to be placed on a major OS update. Even Google themselves have publicly stated that this new method is not to be taken as an indication that they don't intend to continue updating the OS itself with major innovations. My earlier statement is meant to say that I do not want to be placed in the same situation I was before. When the next "Google Now" type of major feature to the core OS comes out, I'm going to want it immediately, not 4-6 months later.

Only time will tell us whether Samsung, HTC, Moto, Sony, LG and others will improve the timeliness of their OS version updates as they get a little older. We're not going to be able to know that until this year's flagships are about 1 year old. Right now they're showing us their good behavior faces because the devices are brand new, but given that the OEM's are in the business of making money by selling you new products every year, not by putting big efforts into maintaining the last year's models, I can't see them changing their stripes.

As long as Google isn't the ones pushjng updates to all phones, there will always be fragmentation. IMO, the "community" has been making too big a deal of it.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums
 

Aquila

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As long as Google isn't the ones pushjng updates to all phones, there will always be fragmentation. IMO, the "community" has been making too big a deal of it.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

With the news at I/O and many of the app design changes and rendering improvements since ICS, fragmentation in the way of which version of Android you're on is already mitigated and we seem to be moving to a state of where it's a non-issue. The real fragmentation in my mind is just the gap between app developers who are quick to adopt/implement new design guidelines (such as how to handle menus) and those who are not, and consumers getting less than ideal side effects of this, such as the black bar on the HTC One.
 

Woosh

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And Google sells the Nexus 4 at $300-$350, below the $400-$500 remarks by Motorola (Woodside).

I see a subsidy.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums

I'll agree to disagree. Maybe Google fronted the RnD costs with LG and maybe they are only making pennies or a couple dollars a sale but I just don't see them selling the phone for less than they are actually paying LG for them.

All I know is that its clear that $600+ isn't a requirement for these phones and idt every phone should be down in the $300 mark like the awesome Nexus is, but it doesn't change my thoughts on these insane phone prices. Esp considering how nice tablets are for a rly cheap price and they are basically running the same equipment.

I believe they are this price because they can get away with it and simply because of the fact that there isn't just one radio that they can tack in somewhere and pop the phone up on Walmart shelves to get to the masses. Unfortunately the carriers are to blame for these pricing as well and I don't see that changing anytime soon.
 

Aquila

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I'll agree to disagree. Maybe Google fronted the RnD costs with LG and maybe they are only making pennies or a couple dollars a sale but I just don't see them selling the phone for less than they are actually paying LG for them.

All I know is that its clear that $600+ isn't a requirement for these phones and idt every phone should be down in the $300 mark like the awesome Nexus is, but it doesn't change my thoughts on these insane phone prices. Esp considering how nice tablets are for a rly cheap price and they are basically running the same equipment.

I believe they are this price because they can get away with it and simply because of the fact that there isn't just one radio that they can tack in somewhere and pop the phone up on Walmart shelves to get to the masses. Unfortunately the carriers are to blame for these pricing as well and I don't see that changing anytime soon.

It's possible that, since most of the design/parts of the Nexus 4 are already in the LG Optimus G, that LG was able to treat the R&D mostly as a sunk cost on the other project, thereby bypassing or minimizing the expense on the N4 and still maintaining a positive margin on the N4.
 

Rule9

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As long as Google isn't the ones pushjng updates to all phones, there will always be fragmentation. IMO, the "community" has been making too big a deal of it.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Android Central Forums
That's true. We're enthusiasts so we're up to date on what's new in the smartphone world where the general public aren't very concerned about it if at all. You can see that pretty easily in all the threads that pop up along the lines of "when is [insert version here] coming to [insert phone brand + carrier here]?" whenever a new OS update arrives. Meanwhile Joe Smith your coworker who follows football not gadgets looks at you funny when you ask him what version of Android is on his Note II and asks you what you mean by an "update" lol.

Whether or not it's making too big a deal of it really depends on how much you as an individual want to be kept abreast of the latest "thing". For some it's quite important and we wish all Android phones could receive immediate updates. For others, their attitude on the issue is more laid back. To each their own I guess. At least each of us has the choice of smartphone to get what's important to us - OEM+carrier branded vs Nexus type androids. Neither of us is wrong though.

My financial solution to this was to get on the Google subsidized Nexus bandwagon this year, and then use my carrier subsidy to pick up a second OEM branded android when one comes along that I like, and keep alternating between the two each year. My upgrade cycle as it stands right now will probably be Nexus 4 - Moto X - Nexus 5 - 2014 OEM phone. That way all bases are covered. I'm crossing my fingers that the Moto X will hit the shelves in July/Aug and that I'll like it! If not, then my Plan B is to hope that the rumor about HTC's slight reworking of how their buttons operate on The One turns out to be true. Who knows, maybe Apple will astound me with iOS7 and blow our minds with all kinds of coolness besides just superficial icon appearance changes we already know about and I'll rock two OS's. Not holding my breath though. I thought BB was going to rock our socks off with BB10 but we saw how that turned out...
 

Pollster

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As long as Google isn't the ones pushjng updates to all phones, there will always be fragmentation. IMO, the "community" has been making too big a deal of it.

You hang out in Nexus forums. Nexus devices are reference devices for developers to test on. How many devices do you want to have to test development against? If you have external vendors, how many versions of Android API do you want to pay for testing on? Personally, I favor fewer points of failure, but I don't control which devices stakeholders come to my web applications on.

The simple choice of hanging out in Nexus forums is a decision to listen to conversations where fragmentation actually does have an impact.
 

Rule9

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You hang out in Nexus forums. Nexus devices are reference devices for developers to test on.
I'm very curious to know where this started. Is it an official statement or is it something some guy said once upon a time in a forum somewhere and caught on in an arrow to the knee like fashion?
 

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