The Android Bubble will Apple pop it?

wondercoolguy

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Dec 30, 2009
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Well all know that Android is best in the world but superiority doesn't translate against a fad. I will use Android as long as its around but I am not so high and mighty to think that if tomorrow Iphone shows up on all four networks that the Sheep of anything that is a fad would dump their android devices in a heart beat for the iphone. Because Jobs yesterday made the statements that he did; was he hinting of on a full carrier release? IF so what damage would this do to Android.
 
A year ago I think Android would have been in trouble if the iPhone was out on every carrier. However I think it's matured too much now and has too much traction to go away.

The iPhone is available in other countries outside of the US on multiple carriers and Android is still growing in those regions.
 
I'm more worried that Google is too loose with Android. I've had a couple of discussions with people about Android and from a marketing perspective (my field) Google is hurting Android more than helping.

i understand the open concept and allowing partners to have free reign over the OS, but there are distinctions to be made.

Android is going to mean nothing unless Google protects the brand a little. Not Apple or Microsoft style, but a little distinction. We don't want Android to become Symbian. Too saturated on too many handsets with wildly different specs and abilities.

We can all agree that there is a big difference between a Flipout and a G2. But to a consumer they are both Android devices. If a customer buys a Flipout or a Charm, do they no paint all Android devices with the same brush? Of course they do, at least a little bit. Now you have to market your high end phone just a little bit more to try to sway them into trying a G2.

My suggestion would be to have different brands for devices using the Android OS.

- with Google devices - These are Android devices (see below) that use custom skins and UI's.

- Android devices - high end products that meet a minimum spec sheet. These specs would be reviewed over time as the platform develops. These products would only have Vanilla Android. This is important so that a consumer can have a similar experience on varying devices.

- Google experience devices - mid to low end devices that act as a gateway into the Android universe. These devices would have to have certain hardware, but that spec would be much more inclusive.

All of these devices would have Google Apps access, but the brand would be different. This is how Google can protect the OS down the road and deal with the perceived fragmentation problems as well. Updates would presumably roll out faster to Android devices. Manufacturers would also have incentive to make Vanilla devices to use that Android brand.
 
I have to agree devices like the flipout backflip etc don't help Android at all i understand making low end devices but those are bad low end devices. And when people on att use that then look at the iphone it hurts the brand. With the Google phone page you can already see Google is stepping in and saying hey these are the Android devices that use Google services. I would like them to do more but they won't or refuse to. I'm still trying to figure out why motorola is releasing these crap gimmick phones, when you have htc putting out the aria as a low end device. I believe more oems should follow what htc did in releasing a solid good looking low end device not the backflip
 
I like to play with my device and Apple requires too much work for that. In addition, the launcher screens are too busy for me.
 
I simply don't like their setup without an application drawer widgets etc I have to open an app to get information that I can get at a glance with my droid
 
I don't think it will do much damage at all. There are many loyal android users. And there is a huge selection of android devices. And new ones pop up all the time. Unlike the apple which only has one up to date phone at a time.
 
I think the bigger impact will be to ATT than Droid users overall.
As said...Android is way past the part of getting traction...they've hit the ground and they are off running.

I think you'll see more ATT Defectors then anything else. Ask any iPhone user, biggest complaint? ATT Coverage.

If this was a year to year and a half ago, yes...Android would feel the pinch.
But they've gained too much and make very nice handsets and have a large following now!
 
Well, before i think it's just AT&T service, but im starting to think that the iphone have their own share of signal problems itself, in addition to the network. But just to say....could anyone imagine when the iphone is released on all 4 carriers and almost everyone u see walking down the street have an iphone....that to me is pretty scary.
 
If Iphone goes to all cell providers that should really help Android fans. Compitition will keep motorola and HTC pumping out fantastic phones. Like someone else put Apple does a yearly update while we see multiple high end phones from other manufactures usually poping up every few months.
 
If VZW gets an iPhone it'll definitely have an impact. The iPhone is still the "cool" device and there's so many people (especially females) with Blackberry's that are just waiting to make the jump. The problem with Android devices is that they're all similar but different. Different interfaces. Different ways contacts are managed.

The iPhone is simple and most cell phone users are simple people as well.
 
In my view ( half-joking) :

the cookie cutter iphone is for people who can't handle, or aren't smart enough to be able to work with the freedom of a good Android device.
 
The idea of an iphone being released to all the major carriers kinda scares me honestly, i know Android is growing faster then any other smartphone out there right now but a major release like that could be pretty bad. i feel like google does indeed need to step in and have a little bit of a say of what kind of phones the manufacturers put out, i mean the little green guy is googles after all. companies that keep putting out half assed phones are really hurting the appeal of android for some. my friend got the moto devour and its awful, so many problems. so much so that he may not stay with android.
 
I suspect that iPhone will have a surge when (if) it is released on Verizon early next year or whenever. There are a lot of people who want an iPhone, but refuse to go to AT&T, and many of them will switch. I even know one myself!

And that's okay, Android isn't for everyone, and there is no way that the iPhone will dominate the smart phone market, which would be bad. Android has gotten too large and has spread to too many carriers and has too large an installed base, and even the new Windows Mobile may make a modest splash (I doubt it will make a big one).

If these things do come to pass, I think the news over the next six months or so won't be as rosy for Android fans as the last six months have been (I myself just jumped ship from Palm Pre last June, so I'm part of the recent wave of adopters).
 
My guess is Steve Jobs head will pop before the Android bubble will. Simply put Apple has a lot to be worried about. Android continues to grow in terms of user adoption, number of devices to choose from (remember choice is GOOD) and manufacturers who offer Android.
 
it was because of a behind the scenes lawsuit or the threat of a lawsuit. Apple and ATT signed a 5 year contract for cxclusive rights to the iPhone. But ATT only had their customers sign a 2 year contract. This meant that after 2 years, instead of the customer doing whatever they wanted with their phone, they were stuck with a usesless phone unless they stuck with ATT. So that meant the customer actually signed a 5 year contract and not a 2 year contract. Which voided their current contract because the contract did not inform the customer of any of those details. And it goes on and on...

It's a strategic move by apple to not lose an enormous amount of money... They screwed their apple customers... bottom line
 

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