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Is there a single Android handset that competes with the iPhone in terms of units, or is it "Android collectively beats iPad and iPhone collectively?" I think

by ja2ke 15y ago

Is there a single Android handset that competes with the iPhone in terms of units, or is it "Android collectively beats iPad and iPhone collectively?" I think Kottke was referring to specific one off products like the iphone itself. Google and the rest of the handset world collectively has surpassed iOS usage, but we know that the iOS pie slice consists of just 3 broad models -- iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch -- while Android slice consists of seemingly every other phone under the sun. How does the landscape look if you stop looking at it by collective mobile OS and start looking by handset model line? I'm asking out of genuine curiosity, not to try and prove a point, so if this post sounds smarmy or anything its not deliberate. Culturally, collectively, "Android" seems like it is going toe to toe with iOS, but when you get down to single models, everyone talks about the iPhone and iPad, but not much about specific Android-sporting handsets. Android, in those conversation, always gets abstracted back down (incorrectly) to a nebulous brand/make, or (correctly) a platform.

StrawberryFrog 15y ago
The statement iPhone and iPad competitors are never going to beat Apple at their own game seems wrong (note the "never going to"), since I'd say that Android collectively may well beat iPad and iPhone collectively. To say that iPhone is number 1 at present is plausible, to say that there is no threat to that is not plausible. I'm not going to argue about "my phone is better than your phone"; but Android is definitely in the market and rising: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Android-Has-37-of-US-Smartphone-Share-Nielsen-681962/ http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Android-Has-37-... I think it's wrong to focus on particular models with Android, that's not how Android is getting traction.
- ja2ke 15y ago
  Android handset makers aren't competing with each other? Even if they aren't right now, or if Android is the one thing they don't publicly compete over, that will change. If the iOS slice of the pie shrinks enough at the expense of the Android slice, don't be surprised if unifying "Android" branding starts disappearing from all handset advertising. They'll all want to talk about how they're unique and better an not the other guys, not about how they're holding hands.
  - StrawberryFrog 15y ago
    Android handset makers aren't competing with each other? Yes they are. In terms of "beating apple at their own game", is that even relevant? They'll all want to talk about how they're unique and better so far the vendor-UIs on top of android have been unique, but better? Not usually. If one finally is, I'd welcome it, but there hasn't been a stand-out that I know of. not about how they're holding hands. As a coder I'm interested in targeting all of them, which I can, and they'll want to talk about "comes with a store full of bajillions of apps" so in that sense they will make the co-operative nature a feature.
tintin 15y ago
"Is there a single Android handset that competes with the iPhone in terms of units" In a lot of countries the Samsung Galaxy S just does that.
Egregore 15y ago
Why a single android handset is important? It's like asking if there is a single computer maker that is more popular than Apple computers. It doesn't matter, what matter is Android vs iOS devices.
- ja2ke 15y ago
  Only Google has the capability to "beat Apple" in the OS/platform game in the context of Android as a platform. Any handset maker has the potential to "beat Apple" by making a handset that outsells the iPhone. You can beat the iPhone without beating the entirety of the iOS platform, for instance. As the below comment points out, that already happened in some places. I don't think Kottke meant his comments as platform war commentary (I think he was talking about products) but not surprisingly HN fully interpreted them that way.

by ja2ke 15y ago

StrawberryFrog 15y ago

The statement iPhone and iPad competitors are never going to beat Apple at their own game seems wrong (note the "never going to"), since I'd say that Android collectively may well beat iPad and iPhone collectively. To say that iPhone is number 1 at present is plausible, to say that there is no threat to that is not plausible. I'm not going to argue about "my phone is better than your phone"; but Android is definitely in the market and rising: http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Android-Has-37-of-US-Smartphone-Share-Nielsen-681962/ http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Mobile-and-Wireless/Android-Has-37-... I think it's wrong to focus on particular models with Android, that's not how Android is getting traction.

ja2ke 15y ago
Android handset makers aren't competing with each other? Even if they aren't right now, or if Android is the one thing they don't publicly compete over, that will change. If the iOS slice of the pie shrinks enough at the expense of the Android slice, don't be surprised if unifying "Android" branding starts disappearing from all handset advertising. They'll all want to talk about how they're unique and better an not the other guys, not about how they're holding hands.
- StrawberryFrog 15y ago
  Android handset makers aren't competing with each other? Yes they are. In terms of "beating apple at their own game", is that even relevant? They'll all want to talk about how they're unique and better so far the vendor-UIs on top of android have been unique, but better? Not usually. If one finally is, I'd welcome it, but there hasn't been a stand-out that I know of. not about how they're holding hands. As a coder I'm interested in targeting all of them, which I can, and they'll want to talk about "comes with a store full of bajillions of apps" so in that sense they will make the co-operative nature a feature.

tintin 15y ago

"Is there a single Android handset that competes with the iPhone in terms of units" In a lot of countries the Samsung Galaxy S just does that.

Egregore 15y ago

Why a single android handset is important? It's like asking if there is a single computer maker that is more popular than Apple computers. It doesn't matter, what matter is Android vs iOS devices.

ja2ke 15y ago
Only Google has the capability to "beat Apple" in the OS/platform game in the context of Android as a platform. Any handset maker has the potential to "beat Apple" by making a handset that outsells the iPhone. You can beat the iPhone without beating the entirety of the iOS platform, for instance. As the below comment points out, that already happened in some places. I don't think Kottke meant his comments as platform war commentary (I think he was talking about products) but not surprisingly HN fully interpreted them that way.