Techiebytes

Editor’s note: This post is in response to The Android that’s crushing your iPhone.

I sit comfortably reading my iPad educating myself about the newest Android-based slate devices, then it happens: I hear geek laughter from the corner. I see you with your taped glasses, pocket protector and mathematics degree. “Ahh, another Apple fanboy who needs educated on the real definition of technology,” you think to yourself. Most likely not, so keep it to yourself.

Will Android capture a majority percentage of the mobile market? Yes, most likely it will. Will it crush iOS? Most definitely not. Just as Ford, Honda, and Mercedes all coexist in the automotive market, several players do and will continue to coexist within the mobile market.

1. It’s all about the people, coder. Customers buy devices. Some customers may be programmers, but the majority are not. Average consumers simply don’t care about the programming platform. They just want to have a great user experience. Apple makes application consumption and usage dead simple. Since the media feed Apple and, in turn, application sales, unless the media turn on Apple, iOS will still be a great platform for anyone who wants to make real money in mobile applications.It’s simply supply and demand: Coders like to eat, Apple gives them a great solution to sell products, and so coders won’t dismiss iOS.
2. Peer Review doesn’t mean censorship. Several people have debated Apple’s philosophy regarding application review. I have to be honest: I can argue either side. The argument doesn’t seem to affect the customers, though, so, again, as long as money is to be had, programmers will seek to capture it. Granted, I jailbreak my iOS devices. It’s not that I have a need for additional applications, I simply like being a rebel. I will tell you that I’m far more comfortable giving my teen an iPhone than a Droid, so something positive can be said for Apple blocking out the porn applications.
3. When you’re the best, you don’t need to imitate. Yes, Android runs on multiple devices, and no, that’s not a crushing blow to Apple. Windows CE as well as the new Windows 7 Phone both have the ability to move from device to device, but it hasn’t helped Microsoft crush anybody. In fact, it’s created more problems than done them any good. Apple controls the user experience on both sides of the equation, building the best overall experience for the customer. Having more hardware, more choices, and more training leads to an inconsistent customer experience. If iOS devices aren’t the best in customer experience, then why does everyone seek to recreate them?
4. Come on, Google? Google is an advertising company with a great search engine and some killer apps, but they aren’t and don’t want to be a platform provider. Apple has an interest in maintaining and growing its platform because it sells hardware and applications, not ads.How many times has Google rolled out “the next killer app” only to be stomped into the mud and simply run away leaving users in a pinch? If you think the strength of cloud-based productivity tools is the winning combination, think again. The Microsoft Kin was a cloud device, and “poof.” we see where that landed. If Google isn’t collecting data about your spending habits, they’ll drop the OS like a hot potato. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s simply the business model they choose to maintain.
5. It’s the 21st century. We carry more information in our pockets every day than we used to create in a lifetime. It doesn’t want to be free, in fact, we spend a considerable amount of time and money trying to protect it. This is a simple argument to win. (Linux on the desktop, anyone?) If something as great as Linux hasn’t benefited from an open community then it’s not going to happen for Android.Focus on customer goals: Saving time, increasing productivity, staying connected, and short-term entertainment. Mobile isn’t technology-driven, it’s experience driven, and that’s where Apple wins hands-down.

Android and iOS are simply different answers to the same problem. What we haven’t addressed is the fact several other players are also playing in the same space. With the introduction of tablets into the mobile space, customer’s needs will increase and the solutions will grow even more complex. Unfortunately for programmers, no single solution will win and so the market will remain fragmented for years to come. The only thing getting crushed this year is Jacob’s ego.

Just a side note: Many of the Android tablets being reviewed at CES look exceptional. I’m actually looking forward to the advances this competition will bring.

Read what others have to say at: http://www.quora.com/Why-does-the-world-tolerate-the-proprietary-approach-of-iPhone

Filed under: Technology | Tagged: Android, Apple, Google, iOS, iPhone | 2 Comments »

Editor’s note: Be sure to check out Chris Jenkins’ response to this post, in which he defends his iPhone: The iPhone that’s more amiable than your Android.

I see you there. You, clutching your lovely iPhone, your eyebrows raising incredulously above the edge of your shiny iPad. “Great, another zealotus tech nerd trying to rain on my iParade,” you’re thinking. Maybe. But maybe not.

Yeah, I work in IT. I have a geeky title (Business Analyst). I have a geeky degree (mathematics), I do geeky things (analytics, data mining, programming, business intelligence), and I even like geeky media (Star Trek, Firefly). And I’m partly biased, in that I use the geeky mobile operating system, Android. But I’m also partly unbiased, because I’m a die hard Mac guy, too (I’ve used them for the past eighteen years). So, I’d like to think I have a little latitude to tell you, disbelieving “i”Fan, that the green robot is here and he’s ready to take iOS’ name. Here’s why:

1. It’s all about the coders, baby. As sweaty Steve Ballmer will never let us forget, it’s all about the developers (Developers! Developers! Developers! Developers!). Android applications are basically written in Java, a programming language used widely by everyone from hobbyists to multinational corporations. iOS applications are written in Objective-C, a language used widely by Apple. It’s not that it’s a bad language, but a lot more people already know Java than Objective-C. The barrier to entry is just that much lower.
2. The iron curtain. Publishing in the iPhone/iPad store is like publishing in a fascist dictatorship. You submit your work to a hidden cabal, which examines your work and compares it to a semi-secret blacklist of banned things. If you’re lucky, after a while, the censors will deem your work acceptable — unless they later decide it’s verboten after all.In contrast, publishing in the Android Market is like publishing in the free world. You submit your work, and a short while later it’s available for everyone. End of story.
3. Here, there, everywhere. There are dozens of phones and tablets that run Android, but just one that runs iOS. It’s a lot easier to get someone to buy any of the various Android-powered devices, from the company and with the features and design of his or her choosing, than it is to get someone to buy the one particular device offered by one particular company that runs iOS.
4. Come on, it’s from Google. I love Apple. They produce great hardware, and they’ve made some great software. But I really love Google. And one of the things I love about Google is their ecosystem of interlinked cloud products. My contacts are stored in Google Contacts, and my mail in Gmail. I use Google Talk to chat online, Google Voice to make calls and store voicemails, Google Maps to find my way around, and Google Reader to read my RSS feeds. Oh, and let’s not forget a little thing called Google Search (you might have heard of it).All this stuff? It’s instantly available anywhere I can get an Internet connection, and I can get into it using any device of my choosing. Apple just doesn’t have the Internet presence to compete with this range of powerful, intertwined products.
5. Its the 60s again. At the end of the day, information wants to be free. Android is open source and is based largely on free components (Linux, Java, etc.). Furthermore, it has a strong supporting community. Blogs and forums full of dedicated Android developers abound, discussing the minute details of how to get the most out of the system and lending a hand to newcomers wanting to join the fray themselves. The whole platform encourages experimentation, free expression, innovation, and cooperation.

Apple’s iOS is the polar opposite of Google’s Android in many ways. While its community of developers is doubtless as friendly and open, iOS itself is closed, so only Apple can develop it. iOS is based on some free components, but also a lot of proprietary ones. It’s a tightly controlled system. The benefit of this closed environment, I will admit, is a more cohesive and “pretty” experience — Android apps have an unfortunate reputation for not being as “shiny” (i.e., refined) as their iOS counterparts. But, this tight control just does not create as free or inviting an environment. By not letting people involve themselves in the system as deeply as they want, Apple inherently shuts people out and innovation down.

And that’s just it: An open, enticing platform is going to win in the long run. While both Android and iOS have the technology, Android has the people and the excitement. No amount of “pretty” is going to win over “fun” and “open.” That walled garden may be carefully pruned and cleaned, but who wants to get stuck behind a pretty wall? I’ll take my chances walking free in the public park.

Filed under: Technology | Tagged: Android, Apple, Google, iOS, iPhone | 2 Comments »