The tech media & its unhealthy anti-Android obsession

[spawndoodling]

Stumbled across this article via LinkedIn today: Samsung's Shotgun Phone Strategy is Unsustainable and Bad for Buyers | Digital Trends

Another absolutely insane article about Samsung's apparently 'unstable' marketing strategy, purely speculative and offering no justification against Samsung's strategy other than citing Apple's product strategy. Because Apple only chooses to release one or two phones a year, we're suddenly supposed to believe that anything that goes against their strategy won't work forever (although Apple has only been in the mobile devices market for 6-7 years).

I'm growing increasingly tired of what I think is a very unhealthy anti-Android obsession that has persisted in tech media, even as Android is leaps and bounds ahead of anything else in the global market; even as manufacturers like Samsung and HTC are producing some of the best devices in the market; even as the Android and Nexus teams work on amazing software & hardware; even as Android sales and adoption have hit amazing highs.

Yet all I hear about are negative comments against Android/Android manufacturers using Apple talking points - fragmentation; the purchasing power of customers; etc. etc. Why aren't we hearing more about how expensive Apple's products are although they often cost the same or less than even Samsung and HTC's flagship offerings? Why aren't we hearing more about how even Apple's cheaper iPhone is not affordable for the masses? About how Apple doesn't care about accessibility or variety or customizability in the market? Apple has managed to frame the media conversation all the way.

I know this has probably been brought up before - just something worth talking about every now and again as I find less and less general tech websites to visit because of inherent biases against Androids.

 

[skibnik]

The article was not written as an anti Android rant it was critical of Samsung and its sales strategy it made some really good points summed up at the end of the article:

Samsung has been in the mobile game for years, but it’s new to wearing a market leader crown. Leading is a lot different than playing the underdog. Samsung outsells Apple by a good margin now, but Apple is still viewed as the market leader. We applaud Samsung’s enthusiasm and many of its phones are amazing, but after scraping its way to the top of the mountain and taking over mobile by brute force (and some funny commercials), it has yet to show us that it has the restraint, vision, and foresight it takes to lead. Releasing a new phone every other week is confusing for consumers, who end up having to choose one piece of innovation, but can never get a full plate. If it wants to retain and build its brand into the world’s best, Samsung should focus on bigger ideas and put customers first.

 

[Chanlion]

I think Android and WP has it the best when it comes to overall positive media. Stock analysts were destroying Apple during the 5s launch, this is obviously AC but look at the comments for the iPhone launch, they're really uncalled for and don't really relate to the actual launch. BlackBerry has it worse.
Even on the internet now, everyone's making fun of Apple being iSheep and stuff. From my experience, whenever there's Apple news= iSheep, BB10= RIP RIM. I think the negative comments are coming from people defending their platforms started by "fandroids." (Small group) Honest opinion, talking about different phones now is almost as bad as debating religion and politics.

The Android fragmentation is a valid argument though.

 

[abazigal]

A quick google turns up just as many, if not more analysts singing Apple's death knells for all sorts of reasons. Android is hardly alone when it comes to criticism.

Don't let it get to you. Some are purely opinion pieces, others are pure drivel without one iota of evidence to back up their claims.

I view it more as a loss for journalism, that this sort of quality can apparently make it past editorial.

 

[Alik Malix]

Hey, Apple Fan here, iSheep (if you will), to be honest, it feels like Apple and it's iPhone with iOS is literally the pinata of the media, they go straight to the complaint section of Apple forums and pick out the most weirdest things that a couple of people complain: honestly, how many people do you know who use iOS7 actually feel motion sickness?... how many are getting their phone hacked due to an ability to reproduce a fingerprint from (it requires a perfect fingerprint off your screen - look at your phone, do you see a clean fingerprint on your screen)?.... I've asked on other forums if anyone with iOS7 who's using iWork apps experienced a BSOD, or even any problems - none. I completely understand that all above are possible in a few numbers, but take into account Apple just sold about 12,000,000 new iPhone 5S and 5C, and updated 200,000,000 (that's the first weekend number, much more today) to a new iOS - with these numbers Apple is the only one that will have all sort of weirdo's.

Also I see a lot of articles that boast how Apple should do this Android feature, or this Windows feature, or this piece of hardware, etc. And you just want to scream from the top of your lungs: GET A DAMN ANDROID if you want Android Features!!!... You'll also see all "real" iDevice users disagreeing with all the "needed" Android features - that should tell you something. We buy Apple, because we ALREADY like what Apple is doing. We understand its vision, and will wait for Apple to implement something and implement it the "Apple" way.

So yeah, from this side of the fence - I feel your concern. I stopped searching for Android News, or Apple News, and go straight to the Manufacturer website, then come back here and see what real people are saying, eliminate that buffer called "Media" -- it's simply click-bait. I have made quite a few shots at Android for the sake of a dialog, but I dont believe everything "analysts" are reporting. As an Apple Fan, 90% of articles stated clear doom and gloom for Apple - then it sells 9,000,000 the first weekend, and two weeks later I'm still trying to catch a fresh shipment to upgrade (Best Buy, AT&T, etc) to get my 5S... Yeh doom and gloom, on the iMore site - we just laugh...

Enjoy your phone and OS, man, Media is pooping this crap all over the spectrum.