4 ms·

With no snark whatsoever, though this question I realize implies it but I'll try my best to not: What good will? Google wrote the book on directed advertising.

With no snark whatsoever, though this question I realize implies it but I'll try my best to not: What good will? Google wrote the book on directed advertising. I'm genuinely interested why this attitude pervades Google's user base, that the Internet giant with 80% of the smartphone market is some kind of 'scrappy underdog' compared to Apple.

dasil003 9y ago
Android was an underdog for years as iPhones rewrote the industry from top to bottom, killing Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Phone. It took years of intense focus to bring Android to parity, and lucky for Google, there are a few areas where Apple is weak... Apple is underdog in services. To this day Apple Maps is a pale shadow of Google Maps. They're getting better to be sure, but still an underdog.
- rkowalick 9y ago
  I imagine the only reason Apple Maps is worse than Google Maps is because the community around Google Maps has been updating it consistently for over a decade. Apple maps transit experience is, in my opinion, much more carefully though out than Google's, so I know they can do something with the right information.
  - FussyZeus 9y ago
    Apple Maps had a rough start, but people forget Google Maps wasn't always perfect either. It would be nice if Apple users had the ability to submit corrections to Apple somehow.
    - eridius 9y ago
      You can. Not while turn-by-turn is active (presumably because Apple doesn't want to distract drivers), but outside of that, hit the (i) button and "Report an Issue" is an option. What's neat about this is if you report a map error and they correct it, you actually get a push notification telling you that it's been fixed.
      - FussyZeus 9y ago
        No kidding? I'll have to try this, thanks.
manquer 9y ago
In terms of higher value userbase who still are willing to pay for apps and not easily able to pirate an app, Apple is still way ahead, this makes them far more desirable for app creators than Android does
mseebach 9y ago
I can only answer for myself: I have a decent amount of faith in Googles ability to effectively advertise to me in a non-obtrusive manner, while treating my data responsibly. Taking it one level of abstraction up, I don't see a future where using your data for efficient targeting of advertising isn't happening (and I don't consider that an obviously bad thing), and I consider Google a net positive force in shaping a responsible way of doing that.
- mercer 9y ago
  While I'm nowhere near your position, I've been entertaining similar notions. Could you elaborate a bit on your views on this?
  - mseebach 9y ago
    Not sure what you are after, exactly? They have the means and the motive to do this well, and as far as I can tell, they have been successful at it; I don't think they have suffered any significant breach of privacy.
freedomben 9y ago
There is a lot of value in open sourcing the product. Yes there are proprietary pieces of Android, but overall it's mostly open. Contrast with Apple who closes everything and makes it difficult for a user to get at their own hardware. RMS is pretty out there on a lot of things, but he's right about the need for open products.

dasil003 9y ago

Android was an underdog for years as iPhones rewrote the industry from top to bottom, killing Blackberry, Nokia, Windows Phone. It took years of intense focus to bring Android to parity, and lucky for Google, there are a few areas where Apple is weak... Apple is underdog in services. To this day Apple Maps is a pale shadow of Google Maps. They're getting better to be sure, but still an underdog.

rkowalick 9y ago
I imagine the only reason Apple Maps is worse than Google Maps is because the community around Google Maps has been updating it consistently for over a decade. Apple maps transit experience is, in my opinion, much more carefully though out than Google's, so I know they can do something with the right information.
- FussyZeus 9y ago
  Apple Maps had a rough start, but people forget Google Maps wasn't always perfect either. It would be nice if Apple users had the ability to submit corrections to Apple somehow.
  - eridius 9y ago
    You can. Not while turn-by-turn is active (presumably because Apple doesn't want to distract drivers), but outside of that, hit the (i) button and "Report an Issue" is an option. What's neat about this is if you report a map error and they correct it, you actually get a push notification telling you that it's been fixed.
    - FussyZeus 9y ago
      No kidding? I'll have to try this, thanks.

manquer 9y ago

In terms of higher value userbase who still are willing to pay for apps and not easily able to pirate an app, Apple is still way ahead, this makes them far more desirable for app creators than Android does

mseebach 9y ago

I can only answer for myself: I have a decent amount of faith in Googles ability to effectively advertise to me in a non-obtrusive manner, while treating my data responsibly. Taking it one level of abstraction up, I don't see a future where using your data for efficient targeting of advertising isn't happening (and I don't consider that an obviously bad thing), and I consider Google a net positive force in shaping a responsible way of doing that.

mercer 9y ago
While I'm nowhere near your position, I've been entertaining similar notions. Could you elaborate a bit on your views on this?
- mseebach 9y ago
  Not sure what you are after, exactly? They have the means and the motive to do this well, and as far as I can tell, they have been successful at it; I don't think they have suffered any significant breach of privacy.

freedomben 9y ago

There is a lot of value in open sourcing the product. Yes there are proprietary pieces of Android, but overall it's mostly open. Contrast with Apple who closes everything and makes it difficult for a user to get at their own hardware. RMS is pretty out there on a lot of things, but he's right about the need for open products.