The Inquisitr » android

iPhone 4G Part Appears Online, Could Apple Have An iPhone Upgrade Coming Soon?

Duncan Riley — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:55:22 +0000

A part claimed to be the “iPhone 4 Generation Midboard” has appeared online today from a Chinese site that accurately published details of iPhone 3GS parts a month before the 3GS was officially launched.

The midboard, the frame of the phone that holds the internals, doesn’t show anything that exciting (see picture above) but as Gizmodo notes, it could means that a new iPhone might be on the way, sooner rather than some time next year as per the current iPhone product announcement cycle.

Rumors about the iPhone 4G have been swirling for months, with recent rumors claiming that Apple has been testing prototypes on the Verizon network. Notable there is that the phone runs on LTE, the next generation mobile network that is being embraced by both CDMA (Verizon, Sprint) and GSM (AT&T, T-Mobile, all Australian telcos) providers alike.

It’s hardly panic stations for Apple quite yet, with the iPhone remaining the most popular touch screen phone on the market, backed by an app store that offers over 100,000 applications. But the media attention of late has been focused on phones running Google’s Android OS, notably today the announcement of the stunning Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, a phone that quite simply kills the iPhone when it comes to specs. With around 18 Android based phones expected to be on the market shortly, Apple faces a real challenge to the iPhone’s dominance; who knows, it might just pull a rabbit out of its hat with an earlier than expected new iPhone that offers a range of new features to keep the good fight up with its Android competitors.

Google’s GPS announcement tanks TomTom and Garmin shares

Kim LaCapria — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:53:15 +0000

It was a gloomy day on Wall Street for investors in proprietary GPS services today, not just because of the soaking rain in New York.

News hit this morning that Google is offering a free, turn-by-turn navigation service on Motorola Droid phones starting next week. Consequently, shares of Garmin tumbled 17% while TomTom’s shares fell 21%. In a post about the announcement and subsequent stock dive, the Business Insider linked to this post by John Gruber where he predicts more woe for companies like TomTom and Garmin:

The biggest objection is that the dedicated devices store all the map data locally. That’s great, and I’m sure it’s essential for some people. But the writing is on the wall. Google is entering the field. Their service is going to be free. It is going to improve constantly. Surely, eventually, map data will be stored (or at least cached) locally on devices. Soon enough, Google’s service will be both free and superior. Garmin and TomTom are toast.

Indeed, Google does have a habit of owning stuff like this, and Google’s pitch in the video below (which is oddly reminiscent of a workplace sexual harassment PSA) looks pretty awesome. Google’s search by voice feature looks pretty handy, and it appears that Apple and Google are collaborating on bringing it to the iPhone as well. Google also reports that the data used will be stored in the cloud, using Google Maps and real-time information to make GPS navigation even more accurate.

Verizon Teases With Droid Ad

Duncan Riley — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 23:48:40 +0000

The latest challenger to the iPhone is the Verizon Droid, and if you believe the new teaser commercial aired over the weekend, it’s even better than the jesus phone.

The Verizon Droid is a Motorola handset developed in conjunction with Google. Running Google’s Android 2.0 operating system, the Droid does a range of things that iPhone doesn’t according to the ad, including offering a physical keyboard, multitasking, a five-megapixel camera, widgets, “open development,” a removable battery and more.

Android 2.0 is the first major upgrade for Google’s mobile operating system, and from leaked shots appearing online it finally gets some decent built in visuals. It’s not clear from the ad as to whether Verizon is going to offer its own customization version of Android, where as other manufactures, including HTC and notably Motorola have previously offered customized Android installs.

Also benefiting from the phone is George Lucas, with the ad noting that the name Droid is licensed from Lucasfilm.

The Verizon Droid ad as follows, and the Verizon Droid teaser website (which offers the ad and not much else) here.

Why I just purchased an iPhone 3GS, and why Android isn’t ready for prime time yet

Duncan Riley — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:34:24 +0000

Last week, much to my dismay, my seven year old son attempted to place my 14 month old iPhone 3G in our JBL iPod/iPhone speaker dock without lining the phone up before hand. The end result was that he managed to snap part of the inside of the iPhone where the charger/ sync plug goes into the phone so I could no longer charge it.

One week later, and running off my old 2G original iPhone (which strangely wouldn’t accept incoming calls), and I’ve only managed to find one place that will even look at repairing it, but they’re a donkey trek away. I’ve tried Apple resellers, dedicated mobile phone outlets and more, and none were interested. One said they’d look at it if it was under warranty…but it’s not (and even if it was, I doubt my son abusing it would be covered) and despite offering to pay a deposit if only to get a quote, they wouldn’t play.

If I’d tried harder, maybe I would have eventually found someone interested in repairing it, but likewise mobile phones are considered such a throw away item that a sector that once supported a thriving repair market has seemingly evaporated over time.

After a couple of days of serious consideration, I made the trek to the nearest Apple store (Doncaster…we actually have two of them here in Melbourne now) and dished over way more than I really could afford to spend on an iPhone 3GS. Id note that I had to buy the phone outright as I’m still under contract with the old phone, which in some ways isn’t a bad thing because that contract will expire just as the next version of the iPhone comes out.

As an Apple fanboy of some years standing, I shouldn’t have really given it a second though, but this time round I did. I’ve always loved the iPhones I’ve had, but likewise I’ve been following the Android phones closely, and I believe strongly in the open application platform Google is providing.

The problem with the Android phone range isn’t the OS as such (although without customization, it’s verging on as ugly as sin), but the quality and quantity of the handsets available. Besides HTC’s G1 (no longer sold in Australia,) the successor is the HTC Dream. I know people who own it and think it’s a good phone, but it puts the cheap into cheap in the looks department, and it doesn’t have great reviews. The HTC Hero is available in some markets, but not locally except via eBay, and although that’s one sexy looking phone with a beautifully customized version of Android to match, the reviews all said that it was seriously underpowered. I did seriously consider the HTC Hero though, but I couldn’t find an outlet that sold it where I could at least play with it first.

Samsung has a very pretty looking Android phone coming out that among other things has a 5 megapixel camera with flash, and an OLED screen. I did manage to play with one of these, although they’re not on sale yet here, and despite being in shops no one could actually tell me when it would be available to buy (and I’m not making that part up.) The reviews though were not great: poor battery, slow web browsing, underpowered…and no customization of Android.

Motorola has the Cliq out in the Northern Autumn (fall) but know one knows when in the United States, let alone Australia, so given I needed a phone quickly, that one was out of the question.

In the end it really came down to an iPhone 3GS in black or white, and having owned a white one previously and saw how dirty it became, I went black this time. I should mention for those who don’t own a 3GS, that everything you’ve heard about it being quicker is true… it’s quite remarkable, not just on app load times, but it even surfs the internet quicker over the exact same network as the 3G.

As much as I really wanted to consider an Android phone, there wasn’t one out there for me. That’s not Google’s fault by any stretch, but it is reflective of the slow uptake of Android phones; by not having any control, or even a say over the handsets, Android despite all its potential really still fails to deliver in terms of handsets.

I’d hope sincerely by July next year, when my contract is up and I don’t have to hand out a fortune to buy a new phone that the Android choice will be richer. Competition is vitally important, and although I may surround myself with Apple products (3x more Apple products than people in my house) Android should and must be supported by enough people to keep Apple on its toes.

HTC Magic Android-Phone Delayed Over “Hardware Change”

JR — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:53:38 +0000

The HTC Magic — the new Android-based phone set to follow the T-Mobile G1 — has been delayed due to some sort of “last-minute hardware change,” HTC says.

The Magic was set to launch in the U.K. this month. It’s now being pushed back to May 5. HTC isn’t saying exactly what type of “hardware change” is involved.

The HTC Magic boasts a far sleeker design than its predecessor, featuring a 3.2-inch touchscreen with 320 by 480 resolution and no swivel-out keyboard. It’s also smaller and lighter than the G1.

A U.S. launch date has yet to be set.

You can see more about the Magic in the following promotional video:

Google Launches Free e-Book Reader

JR — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:24:17 +0000

Good news, smartphone users: Google is now making thousands of e-books available for mobile download, for free.

The newly launched Google Book Search for mobile is available for all iPhone and Android-based device users. All you have to do is navigate over to books.google.com/m, and you can browse through subjects or search for specific authors or titles. Already, more than 1.5 million books are available.

Google Book Search on the Web had been around for a while. The new thing here is really the formatting — the books are now optimized for smartphone reading. Google engineers explain what they had to do go through to make that happen in the official Google Book Search Blog, if you’re interested.

Sorry, Kindle, but with the introduction of this — not to mention the availability of relatively inexpensive mobile services like eReader and BookShelfLT — your market is suddenly looking a lot less bright.

AdMob Launches Ad Unit for Android Applications

Duncan Riley — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:00:03 +0000

AdMob has launched its first advertising unit for Android applications, enabling developers to monetize their applications on Google enabled phones.

The first developers to use AdMob’s new Android ad unit in their applications include AccuWeather, Jirbo, and TapJoy.

AdMob’s new Android ad unit allows brand and performance advertisers to reach consumers engaging with applications on their Android devices, to drive customer actions such going to the Android Market to download an application.

Ali Diab, Vice President of Product Management for AdMob said “Android’s open platform enables developers to build rich mobile applications that provide a great experience for users. We are already seeing strong interest in developing applications for Android-based devices, similar to what we saw with the iPhone last summer, and are very excited to take the lead in helping developers monetize their applications on this fast-growing device platform.”

AdMob has already started serving ads on Android phones and received a respectable 27 million requests in December 2008.

Android users to get some Last.fm love

Steven Hodson — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:25:33 +0000

One thing about smartphone users – they love to get their streaming music. Up until now it is usually the iPhone that is getting all the love from sites like Last.fm but that is about to change with an announcement on the Last.fm site that users of the T-Mobile G1 can now have the same goodness.

According to Shane McGlaun over at SlipperyBrick the Last.fm application is now available on the Android Market

The Last.fm application is available now on the Android Market. Features of the application include up-to-date concert information, streaming radio stations, personalized streaming radio, the ability to find similar artists and genre-specific radio streaming.

One important new feature for the Android application is called Background Playback. This allows the music to be played in the background while another application is being viewed or used. That means that you can listen to your music while you surf the Internet or play a game.

I’m sure this will make a lot of people – if there are any – using the G1 very happy indeed.

Study: iPhone Most Popular With Lower Earners

JR — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 22:11:24 +0000

Here’s a bit of a surprise: The majority of iPhone users aren’t exactly rolling in the dough. Even given the not-so-low price of the device, some new numbers from ComScore indicate most people with iPhones make less than the median American household income.

The data show that 16 percent of iPhone owners are in households making less than $25,000 a year, and 48 percent are in households making between $25,000 and $49,999. The median household income, according to U.S. Census data from August, is just over $50,000.

What’s more, the growth rate in iPhone adoption is more than three times higher in those lower income brackets compared to brackets of people whose households incomes top $100k.

“As an additional household budget item, a $200 device plus at least $70 per month for phone service seems a bit extravagant for those with lower disposable income,” says Jen Wu, the ComScore senior analyst who wrote the report.

So what’s the story here? There are a few possible explanations. First, the iPhone has traditionally been a big hit among the younger crowd, many of whom are either in college or early in careers — thus, living on their own, and likely not making a ton of money. The typical $100,000+ household, one might contend, could be more likely to be made up of more corporate business folks — “suits,” per se — who may be more apt to have work-issued BlackBerries strapped to their waists.

Aside from that, though, there’s another factor that ComScore points out: Some people are paying more for an iPhone, but then saving in the long-run by cutting back on other areas of spending — Internet access, music, and other communication-oriented services, for example.

“One actually realizes cost savings when the device is used in lieu of multiple digital devices and services, transforming the iPhone from a luxury item to a practical communication and entertainment tool,” notes Wu.

Speaking of savings, have you heard that Wal-Mart is carrying the G1 as of today? The price is $148.88, about $31 less than what T-Mobile is charging. If ComScore’s data is to be believed, the lower-price, discount-style option for Android’s first smartphone may be a pretty smart move.

Google Explains Android’s “Kill Switch”

JR — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 18:48:21 +0000

The discovery of a so-called “kill switch” within the new T-Mobile G1’s Android Market app store is causing a minor uproar throughout the blogosphere and tech media world. It’s no surprise — we saw plenty of backlash when a similar feature was found with the iPhone a couple of months ago. But what does this thing really do, and is it a cause for concern?

The buzz all comes over a single line found within the Android Market’s terms of service. The line states that if Google finds an app that “violates the developer distribution agreement,” it “retains the right to remotely remove” it from your phone “at its sole discretion.” The question, then, is how liberally that right will be exercised.

The answer? Not liberally at all, Google says.

“The Android Market is designed so developers can make their applications easily available to users,” a spokesperson explains. “While we encourage that community aspect, we are also very careful with the safety and security of the user. In limited cases where an application has a malicious intent, we will remove it from the Market and potentially uninstall it from user devices to ensure the safety of the Android Market community.”

There you have it: the real deal on the Android “kill switch,” straight from the horse’s mouth. Feel better?

The truth is that it’d be tough to have an open mobile system — with no carrier control over applications — without having some sort of protection plan in place. The safety of the network and its users depend on that. As long as Google sticks to its word on the intent and function of the remote delete option, there’s nothing to get upset over here. The worst that could happen is that a dangerous program that could ruin your phone will be deleted, and Google will help get your money back.

Apple Tells Silverlight to Step Away From the iPhone

JR — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:07:43 +0000

Microsoft’s new Silverlight 2.0, announced yesterday and available for the first time today, won’t be hitting the iPhone any time soon. The company tells Wired’s WebMonkey it has talked with Apple, but says:

“At the end of the day, Apple ultimately controls what software runs on the iPhone. To date, what they’ve said is that at this time, they’re not looking to enable browser plug-ins like Silverlight or Flash to run on top of it.”

The spokesperson goes on to say that the company would gladly offer up an iPhone-friendly version if Apple changed its mind, but as long as the third-party gate remains closed, it will remain locked out.

The upcoming G1 Android phone, in contrast, will likely see Silverlight before long. The reason? Its open source nature makes it easy for third-party utilities to come in. Microsoft’s rep said the company will “definitely keep [its] eyes out” as far as that possibility goes.

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iPhone Inspired Carrier-Switching — Can G1 Do The Same?

JR — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:51:55 +0000

Nearly a third of all iPhone 3G users switched carriers to get the new device this summer, some new research has found. A study by the NPD Group discovered 30 percent of all U.S. iPhone users made a move to AT&T because of the 3G phone.

So where’d they come from? A full 47 percent deflected from Verizon. T-Mobile accounted for 24 percent of the users, and Sprint took up 19.

The study also says the 3G phone has grown iPhone’s smartphone market share from 11 percent, before the new phone came out, to 17 percent now. While the iPhone dominated sales over the summer (followed by the RIM Blackberry Curve and RIM Blackberry Pearl during the period of June to August), it’s the second-best selling overall phone in America. Motorola’s RAZR V3 holds the top spot, according to NPD.

Think the Android G1 can inspire any measurable amount of carrier-switching when it comes out later this month? T-Mobile’s certainly hoping so. The company is shooting for sales of 400,000 to 500,000 devices in the remainder of 2008 alone. The G1 is set to become available October 22, with pricing starting at $179 with a two-year T-Mobile contract. (Data plans will run $25-$35 a month, and a separate T-Mobile voice plan is also required.)

T-Mobile, by the way, recently set up a G1 emulator where you could check out a simulation of the mobile software. Oddly, the URL now returns a “403 Forbidden” error. That can’t be a good sign.

Forget Android — This Phone Can Start Your Car

JR — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:34:48 +0000

You think the iPhone or maybe the new Android G1 phone is powerful? Wait till you see what Japan is cooking up in its latest mobile device.

A new phone about to be revealed by Sharp and NTT DoCoMo has a built-in “Intelligent Key.” Why, you might ask, is it so intelligent? It lets you open your car door and start your engine without ever lifting a finger. Once you set the system up, the phone will automatically unlock the door when you get within a certain distance — then, if you so choose, start ‘er up once you get inside.

Nissan has been working on the technology for a while, but this will mark the first time it’s been built into a cell phone, the companies say. The technology is expected to be unveiled at a conference next week.

Maybe the rest of us will get to try it in another decade. Or three.

Where the T-Mobile G1 Fails

Duncan Riley — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 01:33:31 +0000

And so it was, that on the 23rd day of September in the year of our lord 2008 that Google entered the mobile space with the T-Mobile G1. Having spent a good couple of hours reading every review, staring at every picture, and watching some neat videos, I haven’t changed my mind from yesterday: the G1 is NOT an iPhone killer.

There are positives and you can read them in JR’s earlier Android G1 post. No one would argue that the OS isn’t impressive because it clearly is, but there’s also bucket loads of fail in this first offering, and here’s where the T-Mobile G1 fails.

No Exchange support

My initial reaction here was along the lines of “WTF, are Google completely insane!” and an hour or two later the reaction remains the same. The G1 doesn’t offer Exchange support, which like it or not is the cornerstone of business email. The original iPhone didn’t either, but the second incarnation does. Not offering Exchange support severely cripples the G1 as a Blackberry competitor, where as its marriage of an iPhone like OS and practical hardware with a real keyboard, it could have been a Blackberry killer.

While Google offering strong links to its own products may make sense for Google as a tie-in that benefits its product line up, the mobile phone business isn’t the desktop or browser, and pushing these products instead of offering Exchange as an option makes absolutely no sane business sense.

Memory/ Music

The G1 offers an abysmal 1gb of memory, although capacity can be expanded to 8gb via a mini-SD card. The problem is that if we take the business market out of the equation (see the previous point) you’re left with a consumer market play. And what are consumers looking for in a phone today, particularly post iPhone launch? memory, and lots of it, to store their music. Apple quickly killed the iPhone 4gb when they discovered it wasn’t selling, and although they offer two phones in the iPhone 3G, the 16gb model is the stronger seller. Now not everyone needs that amount of memory for their music collections, but 1gb doesn’t go far at all. Presented with two phone options, one with a “basic music player” as Walt Mossberg called it with 1gb of memory, or a phone with 16gb of memory that is a full blown iPod as well, which phone will people pick? Mossberg may say the G1 offers the iPhone competition, but it won’t be in the consumer market of music listeners who want their music on their phones.

Data/ speed

AT&T and Apple took a hard kicking in the press this year over 3G data coverage and data speeds on the new iPhone. We know that part of the problem was hardware related, and if you’re in a coverage area now with the latest iPhone OS installed, you’ll be experiencing less problems, but there’s still the issue of network coverage. Unlike 2/2.5G GSM, 3G coverage in the United States lags behind the rest of the world, but some networks are better than others.

To quote Walt Mossberg

Finally, a word about networks. In the U.S., the G1 will initially only be available on T-Mobile, whose high-speed 3G network will be up and running in many fewer cities than those of its larger rivals, AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ).

So if you’re considering a G1 for data because you have a use for mobile data (or simply like having access to it) and you want high speed access, the G1 isn’t going to work for you unless you live in selected coverage areas.

Other areas

There are other areas with concern with the phone and the community around it. While the Android Marketplace may offer open access, others are arguing that developers will likely favor the iPhone due to the money some are making from the iPhone app store.

The phone doesn’t offer a video player and only basic multimedia functions (naturally YouTube is built in). The marketplace will offer choices here, but out of the box the G1 doesn’t offer a strong range of apps.

And I nearly forgot: non-standard headphone jack…why?

Conclusion

While the Android operating system offers a glimpse of something great, the G1 has been retarded by a HTC phone that fails to deliver on hardware or looks, coupled with some strange decisions from Google that handicap the phone even more. Having said that, when has Google ever really launched a product and got it right the first time, and yet slowly but surely they build marketshare. Android the platform has a strong future, it’s just not going to be with this phone.

Also see Mark Rizzn Hopkins for a different take.

Android’s First Offering: The Full Scoop on G1

JR — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:59:47 +0000

Google’s first foray into the mobile world is finally upon us. T-Mobile, HTC, and Google showed off the Android G1 — formerly known as the Gphone and the Dream — at a media event Tuesday. So does it deliver? Check out the specs and decide for yourself.

The Phone

The phone itself, as had previously been rumored, combines an iPhone-style touchscreen with pull-out QWERTY keyboard and a BlackBerry-like trackball. It’s not nearly as ugly as some of the early leaked shots had suggested, either (click images to enlarge):

The Music

Some of the strongest criticism against the G1 phone has included its lack of iTunes support compared to, you know, that other phone on the market. To counter that, Google has built-in integrated Amazon MP3 options. Instead of iTunes, you can conduct one-click ordering through Amazon’s music service and then use the Android music player to listen. It has integrated Google and YouTube “more information” options for any playing song, too.

The Network

The iPhone, of course, has come under fire for its 3G-related problems. How will T-Mobile stack up? The company says its newly built network will be live in 22 U.S. markets — all the major metropolitan areas, it says — by the time the G1 launches. The phone will also have support for T-Mobile’s EDGEnetwork and regular WiFi. As far as comparative reliability, though, only time will tell.

The Price

The G1 comes a bit cheaper than its competitor, with initial prices at $179 (with a two-year T-Mobile contract). Data plans run either $25 a month for limited messaging and unlimited Internet or $35 a month for unlimited of both. Though the savings there seem significant over AT&T’s iPhone options, note that you are required to sign up separately for a T-Mobile voice plan.

(The phone, by the way, will be in U.S. stores on October 22, with pre-ordering available soon for current T-Mobile customers. The G1 is expected to hit the U.K. in early November and then spread throughout Europe early next year.)

The Programs

The Android OS comes with a number of unique options from Google. As you might expect, services such as Google Maps, Google search, and YouTube are integrated throughout the platform. There’s a dedicated Google search button on the keypad. The most interesting option, though, is the Street View compass mode. That lets you get a real-time, moving image on street level that’s matched with your own location.

The Apps

Android has some pluses and some minuses compared to Apple when it comes to apps. As of now, Apple’s App Store certainly has a wider offering, given the newness of the Android platform. Where Android gains points, though, is in its open system. The Android Market, as it’s being called, will let developers sign up and upload programs in a matter of minutes — no involved approval process required. What’s more, uploaded apps will appear instantly and will be ranked based solely on user ratings. Given all the anger surrounding Apple’s banning of apps lately, this may prove to be a strong positive for Android. Reps insist the companies will never moderate or ban any programs from the store.

As for availability, you can get an idea of some of the early offerings at the Android Developer Challenge Gallery. We won’t really see the full scope of what could come for several more weeks, though.

The Killer Question

So will the G1 be an iPhone killer? The Inquisitr’s Duncan Riley predicts no, and he may be right. Apple has built quite an empire with its brand, and it’s not about to be toppled in an instant. At the same time, though, I’ve gotta say that the first Android offering has an awful lot of appeal. It looks to be a pretty cool device with some intriguing and unique options. The inclusion of the QWERTY keyboard along with the touchscreen is a big plus for me, personally, and I’d be just as satisfied with an Amazon-based music option as I would with iTunes. The built-in Google functionality will be a strong selling point, and the lower pricing won’t hurt, either. The open nature of both the OS and the app store are also pleasing to me on both a principle level and a practical level, with the increased innovation that could result down the road.

So for me, yeah — from what I know so far, I’d consider a G1 before I’d consider an iPhone. Will everyone else? Of course not. And hoards of iPhone users likely won’t jump ship on October 22. But all together, Android’s first offering is a decently impressive package with the potential to provide the iPhone some real competition. It may not have the power to make an immediate kill, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it make a good-sized splash — and as it expands over the coming years, that splash could just grow into a fairly fierce wave.

No related posts.

Watch the Android Announcement Live

JR — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:20:53 +0000

We’ve heard months of buzz about the first Android phone — the T-Mobile G1, formerly called the Dream — and today, we finally get to see the thing for the first time.

Want to watch the Android announcement live for yourself? Go here at 10:30 a.m. ET today to check out the live news conference stream.

The latest rumor, by the way, is that the G1 will offer built-in Gmail access, without the need for a data plan of any sorts. The phone is expected to be on sale by October. Rumored prices put it at about $199 with a two-year contract.

The G1 design boasts both an iPhone-style touchscreen display and a swivel-out QWERTY keypad. It also has a “jog ball” that appears to have Blackberry-like navigation functions and also features an iPhone-like accelerometer.

Repeat after me: the Google Phone is not an iPhone killer

Duncan Riley — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:10:38 +0000

As the fabled first GPhone gets closer to launch (T-Mobile is expected to make the formal announcement tomorrow) the blogosphere and press have run heavy coverage comparing the Android powered HTC Dream to Apple’s iPhone, complete with the lines iPhone killer and Apple’s nightmare among others. In the school of sensationalist journalism 101, these headlines pass with flying colors, but they fail on another test: the school of stop drinking the kool-aid reality.

The first GPhone is not an iPhone killer.

The HTC Dream is as ugly as sin, the iPhone isn’t

Looks may not be everything, but the iPhone has good looks in spades, a supermodel compared to the Dream’s Ugly Betty. iPhone users like shiny things, and the iPhone is the shiniest of them all. People who have purchased iPhones, or are about to, are not going to be swayed by the Dream. We already know that the iPhone doesn’t deliver the best feature set, and yet it has sold millions. Android does seek to compete via on screen visuals, but the best platform in the world in an ugly box still looks ugly.

Sweet sweet music

Consider that various reports have shown that iPod sales have flatlined or even declined (the latest refresh to the iPod line was about stimulating sales). But people haven’t stopped listening to music, nor have they started buying non-Apple MP3 player, it’s just that their iPhones are also iPods. Really good, kickass iPods at that. Like or hate the iTunes/ iPod music lock-in, it’s the biggest game in town, and only one phone operates natively in this space, the iPhone. Android may offer open access, but it isn’t an iPod, and it won’t play with iTunes, at least not easily. Strike a sizable portion of music lovers off the list as GPhone buyers.

Business users

There is of course one area where the iPhone has struggled in its uptake, and that’s in corporate buys. The 3G iPhone does offer more features that its predecessor, like Exchange support to support the business case, and certainly no one is suggesting that businesses haven’t purchased iPhones, but at the top of the business market, ignoring SME’s, the most popular phone is the Blackberry. And what line do we hear from Blackberry addicts who won’t consider an iPhone over and over again? keyboard. They want a real keyboard. And what does the HTC Dream offer that the iPhone doesn’t? a keyboard.

What we see in this phone is some of the best features from the iPhone placed into an ugly as sin BUT practical handset that offers a real keyboard. If the Dream was a consumer play directed at the iPhone, they wouldn’t have picked practicality over aesthetics. T-Mobile wants Blackberry customers who like the features of the iPhone, but want a keyboard. If we have to call killer on anything, the GPhone is a potential Blackberry killer, because they’re the high end users most likely to buy it.

Where it might go wrong

We’re making presumptions that the first GPhone will be smooth sailing and a viable competitor to the Blackberry, or any existing phone. But it can go wrong. For starters, the phone is made by HTC, and while they’ve improved their product in recent years, the company has a track record of releasing awful phones, as most people who have used a HTC phone in the past can attest.

Then there’s the open nature of the phone. Google and T-Mobile see the open app marketplace as a selling point, offering more variety at a lower cost. It’s a great marketing line, but what happens when people take advantage of the marketplace and upload bad applications that either cause stability issues in Android, or compromise security on the phone. If Apple can’t get it right with a closed shop where they vet every application, the odds of the same issues, or worse situations occurring here are a sure bet.

Conclusion

Steve Jobs may be the worst for wear health wise, but he hasn’t lost one nights sleep over the GPhone. Google entering this space, and driving innovation forward is a positive that should be rightly celebrated, but lets not go over board, at least not yet. We will see new GPhones in the future that may seek to tackle the iPhone head on, but the HTC Dream isn’t that phone. My recommendation: start selling your RIM shares.

Ten Months Later…an Android SDK Update

JR — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:43:14 +0000

After months of developer agony, Google has finally released its beta version of the Android SDK — the same day its first Android phone was formally approved by the FCC.

The SDK, 0.9 beta, builds on the “early look” releases made public in November. Google says although the full 1.0 release is unfinished, APIs will remain largely stable from this point forward. The final(ish) SDK is tentatively slated to go out in September.

This SDK already has plenty of changes. GTalk support is gone due to obscure “security reasons,” and the Bluetooth API has also bitten the dust. A slew of new features, however, is added, including a new home screen and several new applications: alarm clock, calculator, camera, music player, picture viewer, and SMS/MMS messaging. The beta release also includes new development tools such as an XML layout graphical preview tool and nine-patch image construction tools.

As for the phone itself, the HTC Dream — first rumored for an October release in a leak last week — now has the official government go-ahead. The T-Mobile 3G phone will feature a GSM/GRPS/EDGE 850/1900 radio as well as a “jog ball,” believed to be a variation on the BlackBerry-style track ball. Prices are rumored to start around $400, with a handful of specials offering it for as low as $150-$250 for the first days of its release.

So has Google kept developers and the public waiting too long to see widespread success with its release? There’s certainly been plenty of chatter in the blogosphere suggesting that. Ultimately, though, the Android may not be able to topple the iPhone’s impressive debut as far as numbers — but I suspect it won’t exactly bomb, either. After all, the iPhone, as we all know, hasn’t been a smashing hit as far as performance. The Android phones might just offer an interesting alternative.

HTC Dream running Android looking good

Duncan Riley — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 23:47:01 +0000

A blurry video allegedly showing HTC’s Dream cell phone running Google’s Android has surface on YouTube.

From the blurry pics, the Dream includes a slide out keyboard in addition to a near full sized touch screen. The screen includes an iPhone like auto-rotating display, and similar iPhone like icons. Boy Genius isn’t sure if the video is real or not, but if it is, and presuming the 2009 delays don’t drag on, Google Android looks likely to be a strong competitor to Apple.

Nokia Shifts To Open Source

JR — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 14:44:52 +0000

Just a day after announcing its acquisition of location-based social network Plazes, Nokia has another new property under its belt.

The mobile maker has bought out cell phone software developer Symbian — a company of which it already had a 48 percent ownership. With Symbian fully in its control, Nokia has opted to switch its operating system over to open source. Symbian’s OS is currently used on a variety of phones, including Nokia’s S60. Nokia estimates about seven percent of all cell phones sold last year had the Symbian system in place.

The shift seems to be a clear sign of competition for Google’s upcoming Android open source platform, with Nokia’s CEO going as far as saying he wants to create “the most attractive platform for mobile innovation and drive the development of new and compelling web-enabled applications.” With word just yesterday that Android could be facing delays, the heat is definitely on — and this could be anyone’s game.

Google, for the record, insists everything is on-track with Android, despite strong reports indicating otherwise.

(Image via Wikipedia)