 |
Sick of the same old regurgitated iPhone news? Subscribe to Apple iPhone Review for fresh insights, accessory reviews, and iPhone how-to's. |
Google last week unveiled Android, an extremely versatile open-source mobile phone platform that will be freely available to all handset makers under what CEO Eric Schmidt calls “one of the most liberal licenses in the world.” Will Android change the mobile landscape as much as iPhone did, and if so, how will iPhone suffer — or benefit — because of it?
At the moment, Android is just software, as opposed to iPhone’s complete package. There’s no actual Google phone hardware, or “gPhone”, as some speculated Google would build.
Rather, Google has teamed up with 34 companies (including Motorola, T-Mobile and chipmaker Qualcomm) under what’s been dubbed the Open Handset Alliance to manufacture a number of different phones that will run the Android operating system.
While iPhone is priced at a hefty $400, Google says it hopes to reach a more mainstream market by pricing Android-powered devices at around $200.
That’s exciting news, considering some of the high-end features Google developers have touted for Android phones — most notably: 3G data speeds, accelerated 3D graphics and a touchscreen, as one developer Steve points out in Google’s Android demo video.
Android vs. iPhone: Open platform vs. closed
What most sets Android apart from iPhone is the openness of the platform, both in terms of its licensing approach and its accessibility to third-party developers.
Google will license Android to any company, allowing handset makers and wireless carriers to adapt the software to their needs.
Imagine how widespread Android could become if anyone can make a device for it, and any wireless carrier can support it — while iPhone in the US remains exclusive to AT&T for five years. That is plenty of time for Google to sweep up the market with Android. Should Apple be concerned?
In addition, developers will be able to build apps for Android, with few restrictions. In fact, Google has already released a software development kit (SDK) for the platform and is encouraging third-party development by offering $10 million in prizes to those who build the best apps.
This is in sharp contrast to Apple, which has yet to allow actual third-party applications — though it will finally release an SDK next February — and has even thwarted efforts by developers who hack into the iPhone’s framework so as to install custom apps.
How will Android change iPhone?
If Android takes off, the competition Apple will face from Google will certainly benefit iPhone owners, as Apple will have to work harder to keep the device fresh and “revolutionary.”
So what can we eventually look forward to with regards to the iPhone if Android becomes a threat? My guess is, at least:
- 3G network speeds
- more openness & third-party app support
- Flash & Java support
- Better handling of documents (Android will most likely feature Google Docs)
There are plenty of things wrong with the iPhone that Apple will be rushed to fix in order to keep up with Google. I’m excited to see what they come up with.
Will you ditch your iPhone for a Google phone?
Still, many questions remain unanswered, and it’s too soon to tell how well Google will pull off the open handset concept, but if the Internet giant’s past successes are any indication, Apple better get working on some new iPhone innovations soon.
Do you think Google’s mobile phone platform will take the iPhone by storm?
If you’re an iPhone owner, will you consider giving up your mobile device for an Android one? Or if you’re thinking about getting yourself an iPhone, will you put off your purchase until later next year to see how Android phones compare? Leave a comment and let us know.
[ Update: iPhone 2.0 is without a doubt better equipped to compete with Android. Read my article on the subject here. ]
24 Comments So Far...
I’m buying an iPhone next month and I too am very eager to see android up and running in pdas, but I will buy my iphone anyways, because has you said, apple will have to get better to stick with the android in the mobile race, so I hope that all the flaws that the iPhone has, will go with time. But i’m willing to drop the iPhone in the future if it doesnt go better and the android is so cheap as $200, that’s just plain cheap.
Time will tell. Great article
I am definitely waiting to see the verdict on the Android phone/OS. My wife has an iPhone and she has been summarily crippled by the fact she can’t do mass text messages for her job. This being after she BROKE her contract with T-Mobile to get it. I was given a ray of hope when hackers announced that they can ‘unlock’ an iPhone only to be squashed by the rumored phone breaking Apple update. If it turns out that the Android OS can work on an unlocked iPhone AND protect itself from dumb disabling updates, I’ll be happy. If anyone makes a phone w/as much processing speed as an iPhone w/better network connectivity, whose battery can be changed without hassle, AND doesn’t cost as much as a first born, even better!
After reading many flaws of the iPhone a few months ago I decided to wait for either a better price or a better phone. Well just last week I gave in and bought an iPhone. Aside for a few missing functions i’d like to have the iPhone is the best thing since slice bread. The only few flaws i’d like to see change is speaker quality, a MS word like app, ability to cut and paste for websites, and an easier way to download movies without having to purchase them from the itunes store.
I’m up in the air about this one. We were going to buy iPhones next month, but I’m not sure if we’ll wait or not now because of this. I’d really be interested in seeing the things that Android has to offer. That being said, I’ve heard rumors floating around that when they launch the 16G after Christmas, that they will be cutting the price again on the iPhone. I know they stopped making the 4G, in fact both the Apple and AT&T stores here in Colorado do not have any 4G iPhones left. The rumor is that the 8G is going to be dropping by at least $100. I’ll be interested to see what they offer the 16G at if they do drop the price of the 8G. Now I’m wondering if this price drop is in response to them hearing about the Android software. I guess we’ll see what happens after Christmas.
History has a way of repeating it self! I remember a time when apple tried to control 3rd party software for the early Mac and look where they got with that thought process!
I for one will not wait for Android. Coming from the land of RIM, I will purchase my iPhone in the next 2 weeks and this will satisfy my needs for global service as I travel extensively internationally. Also, being in Canada, I don’t have to put up with the flaky service or QoS from AT&T. The iPhone is truly revolutionary!
Cheers.
Nope - I just bought an iPhone and it was delivered today. I spent the last couple months reading the rumors about a 2nd generation iPhone and all the reviews, which cited both the ups and downs of the iPhone. But in the end, I decided to buy my iPhone now and enjoy it for what it is… an amazing piece of equipment that will make my life much easier. There’s always something better coming down the pipeline, if all I did was wait for the next best thing I’d never have anything!
Just bought two iphones and loving it. For Now, The iphone is the best smart phone on the planet. Will have to wait and see what gphone will offer… Iphone rules for now…
I have an iPhone, I had one shipped over to the UK since the unlock hack came out, I love the device, but if a company produces a similar looking device, ie with a 3.5″ touch screen running Android, I would probably get one and it being the open nature that it is, probably in time ditch the iPhone, but if Apple were to produce a iPhone 2.0 factory unlocked then I don’t know…
While the development of The Google Android is cool and exciting It offers nothing to the table that Windows mobile, Symbian, Linux for phone and other phone based operating systems don’t already provide. For example the problem today with Windows Mobile is not the OS it self but the complete lack of a “Cool” Phone. The OS is only part of the story. The iPhone success is tied not only to Software but also the Hardware and By hardware I dont just mean the “look” but the technologies such as glass screen, light meters, accelerometers that seamlessly give a great user experience. If you think about it Games for Windows Mobile today suck not because Windows Mobile dosent have good games But because every Windows mobile phone has a different key arrangement making playing games impossible. Same thing killed J2ME. Remember The app you create dosent just have to blend in with the OS but also the Hardware.
Good points, everyone. Thanks for your input.
My wife has an iPhone and I will certainly wait to compare Android to the new iPhone. The way the iPhone works is awesome and I’ve been tempted to buy one for months. I just can’t get over the obvious features that are missing (i.e. actual bluetooth funtions, not just headset. Multimedia messaging). On top of that I just can’t bring myself to pay for everything extra. Even if the iPhone doesn’t cost more Apple will nickle and dime me to death (more like .99 and 1.99 me to death) for anything I want to add.
Certainly! Paying a hefty price for a phone which needs to be unlocked to be used with other carries, much to the ire of Apple & they think it is rightful to lock it back again via incentives of upgrades. Whilst all these upgrades are devious ploys & not any significant enhancement to user experience!!!! Google has always stood for user friendliness, free & open source programs. They will certainly pull it off. Even if they struggle initially the would have more patrons than apple has.
Bravo google!
Hi,
Thanks for the article.
Unless Iphone get mobile experience greater, i can’t ignore its closed system.
I don’t care about what Google will offer out of the box; anyway, like Gmail or Calendar: it is its open which makes it success.
I think the 3 ways, opensource (Google), high quality (Apple), no-matter-software (Windows) will go on for a while in the mobile devices too, like computers.
Today, I really need to buy a smartphone, still my old samsung is going death; but I think i will opt for a symbian-based phone, waiting for what Google will rush out… which i hope remain free (@see http://www.goosync.com :-/ )
Any benchmark symbian/Android will be pleased.
Abbccc, Paris.
It’s interesting reading this article from the past. It’s amazing how much more influential the new iPhone will be, and the struggles that the Android would have to fight the iPhone. I’d like to share the many things the Android could do to remain competitive with the iPhone: http://www.openxfer.com/wordpr.....-iphone/?8
Thanks for your comment, Hai. You make some good points in your article. I linked to it in my latest post on Google Android.
there’s nothing really great about an iPhone. It just looks cool and is fun to play with.(not considering jailbreaking it which stevenobs is taking care of with the app store which is a stupid idea.) but google is making evryhing easier and more flexible ratherthan being lockedin like the iPhone. I suppose the android should take over, but a choice for many would be to get an android based iPhone
See and andriod based iPhone would never work. One of the primary reasons is that the iPhone IS its software. If you take away iPhone’s software then it wont work. The ting about android is it offers nothing that hasent been done before.
Think of this scenario(which is quite common today). I go out and buy an Android phone, a cheap one albeit without all the wizbangs. Now I go to id(in my hypothetical world) and try and install a super cool which end up not working on my phone. Worst I have a touchscreen android phone and buy a non thochscren application OR have a non touchscreen phone and get a touchscreen app. (Happens all too often on UIQ phones from Sony Ericsson)
The thing about the iPhone is that you have to think of it as a xBox. or a playstation. On PC gaming you dont really know if the game you bought will work on your PC right.. But if you buy an xBox game(not 360 ) you are guaranteed that it will work on your xBox.
The thing the iPhone provides its developers is a unified platform not only in terms of software but in terms of hardware too. I can create an awesome 3d software and my market will ALL iphones. Every iphone app demoed in the WWDC already exists today exist for Windows Mobile But not all phones have the hardware to support all phones. I used to have a pretty cool and powerfull windows mobile phone But I couldnt play a single game on it cause it didnt have a D-pad!!!. I could install it and run it but aftre that I coouldnt interact with it.
look guys i have to agree with tim the andriod is better then the iphone plus it has a great price of only 200 dollars estimate better then a roaring price of 400 dollars like the iphone which(lets face it) it sucks anyway.
The openess of the platform will mean that Android will bet Apple. Apple has already started making the same mistakes that other businesses have made in the past, which is treating it’s customers badly. Within the first 2 weeks that the iPhone came out, I went to 3 AT&T stores to get an iPhone 2.0 and they were all sold out. There are 2 Apple stores near me, and the lines outside of these stores were very long. Apple is making their customers wait for 3-5 hours for this phone. Not good business. Apple’s brainwashed devotees don’t seem to have a problem with this. Or the fact that AT&T is gouging them for over $100 for the phone/data plan. The iPhone is a nifty device. But, I don’t like companies taking advantage of me. So I’ll look for an alternative.
Oh, and might I add, that the iPhone doesn’t give the consumer an choice but to use AT&T. The Android platform gives choice back to consumer. Since it works on any carrier and device. Hmmm, sounds like Google has once again thwarted tech companies’ plans of world domination. (Microsoft & Apple)
So basically Gina, Apple forces people to wait in line because their successful product can’t be mass produced at the same rate it goes of the shelter? Mhh.. they’re evil!!!!!!
I am Most defiantly not buying an ANDROID! there will be too many problems with trying to find an application that works on all phones. Apple makes it wonderfully easy to brows through applications that work 100% with the iPhone. what happens when your non-touchscreen android phone downloads the coolest touch application?
I own an iPhone, and i am never, ever, going to purchase another brand of phone anytime soon. I am utterly in love with what my phone can accomplish. sure, there are things that need to be fixed/added. But i have never been able to use a phone so seamlessly with work, or school. the browser is the best around. and with he new GPS and 3G chips, the skies the limit.
If you buy an iPhone, you will not regret it!
Idle loops waste time, so why wait for Android? I got my iPhone 3G and if Android blows iPhone 3G out of the water, then I will pay max of 500$ and break my contract and get an Android.
PS: Why didn’t Google think of Android 10 years ago? What do large companies do with their money?