The Inquisitr » g1

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.

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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.