Google has won

by Volker Weber

A few years ago we discussed that there is interest amongst carriers to have a third platform besides Android and iOS. Both BlackBerry and Nokia believed they would be that third platform. The market has decided otherwise. BlackBerry 10 is a walking dead and Android is the future for BlackBerry handhelds, if there is one. Microsoft's marketshare just fell below one percent according to Gartner. Since Microsoft does not seem to have any plans to launch any new Lumias this year, it will fall even lower.

That leaves us with a complete victory for Google. They are the only company which supports devices from C&A (cheap and awful) to the high end and from rugged to sophisticated. Their only interest is to get you on to Google services. Companies which make Android devices don't necessarily make money, but they make Google IDs.

Android is the new Windows. And as there was with Windows, there is an island for people who can afford to live there: Apple.

Comments

Well, all companies need to make money. Apple, besides making more money with their phones, of course want your ID and your Credit Card as well for their store so they can make more money.

Slightly different model, but very similar.

Google services > Apple services?

Michael Kobrowski, 2016-05-23

Google and Apple have completely different business models. Google at its core is an advertisement company, Apple sells hardware with integrated services and software. Also, most Android users don't buy their devices from Google.

Volker Weber, 2016-05-23

Oh yes, there is a huge difference between those two business models. Every time Apple wants to make a product around "You" (using collected data), they fail. Looking at Ping, Apple Music/ iTunes and so on. And Tim Cook already got that when saying "Our product is _not_ you". He said that with personal data security in mind, but the truth is, they just can't handle "you" (IMHO).

Thomas Langel, 2016-05-23

It is surprising.

For a while I did wonder if Amazon might be able to make a go of it. But then they over thought their first device and canned it once people whinged about it.

Ian Bradbury, 2016-05-23

An island which only sells phones for the price of a decent computer will submerge eventually, methinks. And the quality of their software ain't so great either these days. Lots of complaints about the quality of iOS and OS X on the net at the moment.

People don't like monopolies, so I think there's a good chance competition will emerge for Google. Maybe not right now, but as the island sinks further.

John Keys, 2016-05-24

I made a serious effort to like Android. I even developed software for that platform. I still need to be convinced that this is a platform I want to use:

1. The user interface is horrible.

Cluttered configuration, hardly intuitive task handling, point-and-click-like touchscreen interface. I can live with this on a tablet but not on a phone where I want quickest and easiest possible access to the functions I use most often and an interface that I can even use when blindfolded.

I have not seen any serious improvement in any of those points for years.


2. Often bad OS/hardware integration

OK, for this vendors are to blame. But isn't it the same with Windows on PCs? Are there any PCs not "built for Windows"? You see the difference when using an iPhone or BB10 device.


OK, Blackberry seem to have fixed (2) rather impressively. But (1) still holds. I'm not religious about this. I just want a device that is robust and easy to use as an everyday-communication-workhorse. I want a *simple* user interface, I even accept some learning curve (that's necessary when you start using a BB10 device).

To me this all looks like with the foreseeable demise of BB10 there won't be any device for me in the future. Sad.

Martin Dietze, 2016-05-24

John, we will see if profitable businesses sink and unprofitable businesses stay afloat. Go back a few years when idiots told Apple they needed to make netbooks or else.

Volker Weber, 2016-05-24

mmmh is an ipad not kind of a netbook?


I am a bit sad about the dying of Windows Phone. i still believe that there is a demand for a third plattform. More "open" for HW Developers as iOS, more secure and business compliant then Android. But, unfortunately Microsoft made too much mistakes. They reinvented the Plattform with every mayor release instead of envolving step by step. The acquisition of Nokia was a desaster, killing the only vendor for their OS. What i never understood is why Microsoft didnt bought Blackberry instead.

Roland Dressler, 2016-05-24

A netbook is a slow, crippled, cheap and awful Windows notebook. An iPad is a blazingly fast tablet. I don't see any resemblance.

Volker Weber, 2016-05-24

Volker, I don't expect Apple to sink, but I think in 4-5 year's time, they will have moved on. The iPhone won't be their cash cow; although they will probably still produce it, much like the iPod today, which before the iPhone was introduced was a cash cow for them.

John Keys, 2016-05-24

I cannot see that far into the future. I expect Apple to have continued success with high quality products and to stay out of the race for ever cheaper crap.

Volker Weber, 2016-05-24

They have to stay in premium - it is their only niche.

Besides that, it is all a mess :-/ Like Roland said, it is a pitty that there is only one mighty player having all the marketshare and small one, having most of the profit. One being too open, one being too closed (and imho a little boring).

Hubert Stettner, 2016-05-25

Android is not open. Google owns the interesting parts.

Volker Weber , 2016-05-25

"Their only interest is to get you on to Google services." This might be the most important reason not to choose android. Though many android devices (Galaxy S7, Moto X Force) are technically superior to the iphone. The question is: Which business model will microsoft choose? Windows only could be a third ecosystem if it gets strong with tablets (until now windows is not yet optimized for tablet use). Besides that: I still like Windows phone and miss the former lumia design made in finland. Maybe a german designed surface phone will be an alternative.

Christian Just, 2016-05-25

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