Android vs. iPhone
I was just checking our web stats in Mint and saw that we’re getting a lot of hits from a post by Scott Loganbill at the newly revamped Webmonkey (I’m glad Webmonkey’s back as it was a very useful resource in the 90’s and early 2000’s). The post, entitled ”Six Reasons iPhone Delivers Where Android Won’t”, discusses some significant reasons why Apple, with the iPhone, has a pretty serious leg up over Google’s Android mobile platform.
Some of the reasons are from a developer’s point of view and this is why the post is of interest to me. I’ve been following Android’s progress from somewhat of a distance and I’ve been relatively unimpressed so far. Of course, if Android proves to be a viable mobile platform, there’s a chance we’ll jump on board and develop apps for it but I have been, and continue to remain pretty skeptical.
Check out the post here. A lot of what’s discussed is totally in line with my thoughts on Android.
Granted, the openness of the platform can be a good thing. But from a business point of view, that openness may very well be the thing that stifles Android and prevents it from going anywhere.
What do you think of Android?
LKM
4:35am, August 19
I just checked out the latest beta of the Android SDK. Man, Android is looking pretty good right now!
I will probably get an Android phone once they start coming out. Not sure if it’ll replace my iPhone (it might, since there will probably be unlocked Android phones, which is kind of important if you’re living in Europe), but it definitely looks a lot better than the YouTube movies make it out to be. Very clean, very usable. Great home screen, great messaging UI idea. Hopefully, the application developer will follow Google’s lead and produce some great applications for it; I might put some time into creating something.
PatrickC
3:25pm, August 25
Android appears to be a nice platform. However, I’m not sure if it will be such a popular platform for consumers.
I think a huge benefit to the iPhone, BlackBerry, (Treo?) is that those devices are a franchise. I think for the most part, consumers like sticking with a brand that delievers and they trust. I see Android is being an operating system on many phones. Developers will know about it sure, but I don’t see the average consumer following a platform.
It works for Windows mobile because…well it’s Windows, they have a name that everyone knows. But with companies like HTC and others who will make newly named devices every 6 months that run Android, I think it would be difficult for the masses to attach themselves to a platform that doesn’t have a “home” (a branded phone specifically for Android).
I could be totally off-base, but that’s what I think about it currently.