[Merged] Google Android Mobile Phone OS / Platform Project

[wakerider017]

Android looks awesome, but when can we expect to buy a phone that uses it?

[Flail]

I've heard from a couple of places that the second half of the year is when they start rolling out. I believe T-Mobile promises one "before the end of 2008."

[biturbomunkie]

awesome? i thought the OS was kinda slow when i saw the vid (the one where brin looks kinda stoned) on youtube.

in any case, i've heard that dell would make one.

[zap2]

^^ Dell denied that(but who really knows!)


But Samsung is aiming for early 2009....I'm interested who thinks they'll have one before the end of '08...since T Mobile isn't making the phones to run it

[wakerider017]

Here's to hoping my network (Alltel) will have Android phones...

[PowerFullMac]

Late 2008/Early 2009, the first ones in late 2008. I think Android looks cool too, gonna get myself a Android phone when they are out!

And to those who say its crap or slow or whatever, its not even been finished yet! Its not going to be perfect is it?

[juanm]

awesome? i thought the OS was kinda slow when i saw the vid (the one where brin looks kinda stoned) on youtube.

in any case, i've heard that dell would make one.

He really does look stoned! :eek: That must be what $18,5 billions feel like. :p

[elppa]

I would be surprised if Android was any more cool or awesome than OS X on the iPhone. Trying to write software for all sorts of yet to be built devices is messy and complicated.

[PowerFullMac]

I would be surprised if Android was any more cool or awesome than OS X on the iPhone. Trying to write software for all sorts of yet to be built devices is messy and complicated.

I think the general approach to the phone market is WAY better than Apple's approach with the iPhone.

The Android OS is open from the beginning, and even based on the most popular open OS, Linux, and they openly released the SDK for free before the OS even hit the streets. Plus, there is no one "Android phone" or "Google phone", which means there will be a different phone to get for people who use there phones in different ways, not like the one rip-off phone you have to get if you want mobile OS X.

And, oh yeah, it wont be messy and complicated, thats what the pre-release SDK and emulator are there for.

[elppa]

I think the general approach to the phone market is WAY better than Apple's approach with the iPhone.

Ok, we'll wait to see, currently Apple has 4 million+ phones out there and many, many satisfied customers. Google has an SDK (well two, cause they re-released it because the first one had problems (http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/19/android-dsk-frustrating-developers-due-to-bugs-lack-of-document/)).

The Android OS is open from the beginning, and even based on the most popular open OS, Linux, and they openly released the SDK for free before the OS even hit the streets

Yes, this is a nice ideology, but it would be nonsensical for Apple giving away their intellectual property for free. Apple sells products, not adverts. Maybe Google has the better business model in terms of making money, but for Apple to try and copy this wouldn't work.

Plus, there is no one "Android phone" or "Google phone", which means there will be a different phone to get for people who use there phones in different ways. not like the one rip-off phone you have to get if you want mobile OS X.

There's nothing to say Apple won't bring out other, cheaper models of iPhone. Anyway Apple's strength is writing good software for their own hardware which they then sell as a tightly integrated product. They don't do software licensing, so they were always going to play to their strengths with iPhone.

And, oh yeah, it wont be messy and complicated, thats what the pre-release SDK and emulator are there for.

Well if your certain, we'll see. It's a bit of a bold claim considering the SDK has been re-released already. Also Apple has a 30+ year history of developing hardware and many years experience of software and operating system development.

Personally I think Apple's approach is better for customers. Get a product out in customers hands first and make sure it is working well. Then encourage third party development in a well defined, controlled fashion. That way is far smoother for consumers.

Don't get me wrong, it would be great for Android be a success and the ideas are very nice but I think you have jumped headfirst into the hype without evaluating the situation properly (especially as we don't have much to evaluate yet!).

[7on]

It'd be nice if the folks over at xda get android onto existing handsets. I'd be all over that :D

[wakerider017]

Ok, we'll wait to see, currently Apple has 4 million+ phones out there and many, many satisfied customers. Google has an SDK (well two, cause they re-released it because the first one had problems (http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/19/android-dsk-frustrating-developers-due-to-bugs-lack-of-document/)).



Yes, this is a nice ideology, but it would be nonsensical for Apple giving away their intellectual property for free. Apple sells products, not adverts. Maybe Google has the better business model in terms of making money, but for Apple to try and copy this wouldn't work.



There's nothing to say Apple won't bring out other, cheaper models of iPhone. Anyway Apple's strength is writing good software for their own hardware which they then sell as a tightly integrated product. They don't do software licensing, so they were always going to play to their strengths with iPhone.



Well if your certain, we'll see. It's a bit of a bold claim considering the SDK has been re-released already. Also Apple has a 30+ year history of developing hardware and many years experience of software and operating system development.

Personally I think Apple's approach is better for customers. Get a product out in customers hands first and make sure it is working well. Then encourage third party development in a well defined, controlled fashion. That way is far smoother for consumers.

Don't get me wrong, it would be great for Android be a success and the ideas are very nice but I think you have jumped headfirst into the hype without evaluating the situation properly (especially as we don't have much to evaluate yet!).

Goggle is throwing gobs and gobs of money into this. I really think it will be a success!

I think Google is picking up where Apple left off. Apple made a cool handheld mobile device, Google intends to create handheld mobile computers.





I am not interested at paying a minimum of $400 for the phone and being forced into a 2-year contract with a company I do not like.

[yg17]

Wirelessly posted (SonyEricssonW580i/R6BC Browser/NetFront/3.3 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

I think the general approach to the phone market is WAY better than Apple's approach with the iPhone.

Ok, we'll wait to see, currently Apple has 4 million+ phones out there and many, many satisfied customers. Google has an SDK (well two, cause they re-released it because the first one had problems (http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/19/android-dsk-frustrating-developers-due-to-bugs-lack-of-document/)).

The Android OS is open from the beginning, and even based on the most popular open OS, Linux, and they openly released the SDK for free before the OS even hit the streets

Yes, this is a nice ideology, but it would be nonsensical for Apple giving away their intellectual property for free. Apple sells products, not adverts. Maybe Google has the better business model in terms of making money, but for Apple to try and copy this wouldn't work.

Plus, there is no one "Android phone" or "Google phone", which means there will be a different phone to get for people who use there phones in different ways. not like the one rip-off phone you have to get if you want mobile OS X.

There's nothing to say Apple won't bring out other, cheaper models of iPhone. Anyway Apple's strength is writing good software for their own hardware which they then sell as a tightly integrated product. They don't do software licensing, so they were always going to play to their strengths with iPhone.

And, oh yeah, it wont be messy and complicated, thats what the pre-release SDK and emulator are there for.

Well if your certain, we'll see. It's a bit of a bold claim considering the SDK has been re-released already. Also Apple has a 30+ year history of developing hardware and many years experience of software and operating system development.

Personally I think Apple's approach is better for customers. Get a product out in customers hands first and make sure it is working well. Then encourage third party development in a well defined, controlled fashion. That way is far smoother for consumers.

Don't get me wrong, it would be great for Android be a success and the ideas are very nice but I think you have jumped headfirst into the hype without evaluating the situation properly (especially as we don't have much to evaluate yet!).

Jumped into the hype...just like everyone did with the iPhone. Except no one said anything back then :rolleyes:

[yg17]

Wirelessly posted (SonyEricssonW580i/R6BC Browser/NetFront/3.3 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1)

I think the general approach to the phone market is WAY better than Apple's approach with the iPhone.

Ok, we'll wait to see, currently Apple has 4 million+ phones out there and many, many satisfied customers. Google has an SDK (well two, cause they re-released it because the first one had problems (http://www.engadget.com/2007/12/19/android-dsk-frustrating-developers-due-to-bugs-lack-of-document/)).

The Android OS is open from the beginning, and even based on the most popular open OS, Linux, and they openly released the SDK for free before the OS even hit the streets

Yes, this is a nice ideology, but it would be nonsensical for Apple giving away their intellectual property for free. Apple sells products, not adverts. Maybe Google has the better business model in terms of making money, but for Apple to try and copy this wouldn't work.

Plus, there is no one "Android phone" or "Google phone", which means there will be a different phone to get for people who use there phones in different ways. not like the one rip-off phone you have to get if you want mobile OS X.

There's nothing to say Apple won't bring out other, cheaper models of iPhone. Anyway Apple's strength is writing good software for their own hardware which they then sell as a tightly integrated product. They don't do software licensing, so they were always going to play to their strengths with iPhone.

And, oh yeah, it wont be messy and complicated, thats what the pre-release SDK and emulator are there for.

Well if your certain, we'll see. It's a bit of a bold claim considering the SDK has been re-released already. Also Apple has a 30+ year history of developing hardware and many years experience of software and operating system development.

Personally I think Apple's approach is better for customers. Get a product out in customers hands first and make sure it is working well. Then encourage third party development in a well defined, controlled fashion. That way is far smoother for consumers.

Don't get me wrong, it would be great for Android be a success and the ideas are very nice but I think you have jumped headfirst into the hype without evaluating the situation properly (especially as we don't have much to evaluate yet!).

Jumped into the hype...just like everyone did with the iPhone. Except no one said anything back then :rolleyes:

[elppa]

Jumped into the hype...just like everyone did with the iPhone. Except no one said anything back then :rolleyes:

Actually there is a big difference. The iPhone is a product that can be critically evaluated. Android has yet to produce anything that the general public/media can evaluate. Also there was plenty said "back then" both good and bad about the iPhone.

And even if the first Android phones are as good and as compelling a product as the iPhone was when first launch (and I am not sure they will be as well polished), the Open Handset Alliance will still be 18 months behind Apple.

[PowerFullMac]

Actually there is a big difference. The iPhone is a product that can be critically evaluated. Android has yet to produce anything that the general public/media can evaluate.

Theres a emulator, aint there? Demo handsets that were shown at the mobile congress?

[elppa]

Theres a emulator, aint there? Demo handsets that were shown at the mobile congress?

A demo handset shouldn't be used to evaluate the final product. That would be unfair. And like you said earlier:

its not even been finished yet!

[PowerFullMac]

A demo handset shouldn't be used to evaluate the final product. That would be unfair. And like you said earlier:

True, but its not nothing though is it, it gives a general idea of Android.

When it comes out, you shall bow down to its almighty power! :D

It will definatly show Apple whats what! They cant just rip us off and get away with it!

[yg17]

Actually there is a big difference. The iPhone is a product that can be critically evaluated. Android has yet to produce anything that the general public/media can evaluate.

All we had from Apple was a presentation and a bunch of screenshots. Android has an SDK with a usable demo of the OS

[wakerider017]

Android = iPhone + some.


Look how integrated the iPhone already is with Google!

Maps
Safari Google search
YouTube
Mail


The phone is half Google!

Not to mention Google already has it's own Calender, Photo, and Document apps.




Who ever says they would not like OS X Mobile to be open source is lying to themselves.


Looks like Android still has months and months left of development, so we can only expect for it to get better and better!

[guruji]

Google's gphone will be based on completely open platform.

Unlike iPhone, whose key areas, like wifi/wireless/ipod etc. are closed to developers.

by mid-2010 choices will be much much better.

[Drumjim85]

last i heard there was no "gphone" and just a google phone platform .... and isn't this already out?

[nickspohn]

Cool. Your point is?

[JadawinUK]

The problem with Googles Android is, that it is so open, that there's no way to tell on which hardware it will run. So you will have phones with big screens, small screens, touchscreens or no touchscreens, fast CPUs, slow CPUs, good gfx chips or bad ones etc. etc.

Sorry, but in this case - and I am NO apple fan - I prefer the iPhone by far, a great OS on standard hardware. Every developer knows what to expect, every user knows that programs for the iPhone will run on his own phone.

[sr5878]

http://www.esaba.com/cats/catimagessimple2/541834.jpg

[Michael CM1]

Google's gphone will be based on completely open platform.

So is Linux. What is its marketshare among PCs? Yah.

Android also doesn't have a device to run on yet. I also haven't heard much more than it's going to be made by Google, run on some mobile phone, and is called Android. It's also 2 years from even existing. That's a lotta time in the tech world.

Eventually, the smartphone market will probably dwindle to iPhones, BlackBerrys, and everything else. I can't find two people who will say good things about the same product from any smartphone maker not called Apple or RIM.

If someone tries to pitch a phone with Windows Mobile to me, i will kick them in the :eek:

[guruji]

you forgot PALM - the first King.

[skubish]

you forgot PALM - the first King.

haha! Its a wonder they are still in business.

[MyJelleo]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/420.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/3.0 Mobile/4A102 Safari/419.3)

didnt palm do pretty well with sales with its cheaper products?

[spikefood]

Quiet frankly the way I see the iPhone going in just the next few months is amazing (corp. support, 3G, SDK, ect). Two years from now the iPhone will probably control the majority of the market share for smart phones.

[7on]

Quiet frankly the way I see the iPhone going in just the next few months is amazing (corp. support, 3G, SDK, ect). Two years from now the iPhone will probably control the majority of the market share for smart phones.

Except for people on Sprint, Verizon, and T-mo

[javadh]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9953924-7.html?tag=cnetfd.mt

Google shows off Android, have you considered it? does it have any chance to compete with Apple and Blackberry in the smart phone market? is it the iPhone killer?

[extraextra]

I think OS-wise it might be a strong competitor, but that's good because it'll encourage Apple to step up their game and always be innovative.

Phone design-wise, who knows? I remember reading something about how Samsung and LG were making phones for Android, but I don't remember exactly.

[kdarling]

It'd be nice if the folks over at xda get android onto existing handsets. I'd be all over that :D

I believe someone already showed off running Android as a process under Windows Mobile.

But yeah, I agree. I was rather disappointed that Google hadn't already ported Android to a ton of current smartphones when it was announced.

Just imagine if everyone could've reflashed their phones and started running Android last fall.

It's a good bet that Android helped push Jobs into finally allowing third party apps.

[retroneo]

Coming along nicely, first devices still scheduled for late this year.

Some different ideas in the interface. Multitouch UIs are going to be interesting with Apple, Microsoft, Google and S60 currently developing their own take on interfaces.

Check it out:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=arXolJrLVEg

[DreamPod]

I like the parallax-scrolling wallpaper background, I wish you could give the iPhone a real wallpaper (without jailbreaking it).

[ruinfx]

the google streetview + compass feature is badass

[kleo]

Honestly i Love my iPhone but some of the stuff shown in the video beats it hands down. Slide to unlock becomes a visual password, AMAZING. I was sold when he did the status bar pull down. If this was out before the iPhone apple would have used this as there mobile OS, no doubt about it.

[Michael CM1]

It looks like the iPhone OS heavily Googlized and with a hint of Windows.

Like I've said before, I don't get the big deal about Android. Google has never made an OS before and it was supposedly some OOOH AHHH thing before it had even been created.

It sure as hell looks better than Windows Mobile (what doesn't?), but it looks mostly like a ripoff of the iPhone with like two features you might want extra. The guy obviously said "fling" instead of "flick" on purpose. It was like watching a Microsoft video for Vista where they had "gadgets" instead of "widgets."

So like I said, nothing too great. It's likely that the iPhone OS 2.0 will allow you to do some similar things, like the background. I'll stick with the iPhone OS myself.

[edesignuk]

Like I've said before, I don't get the big deal about Android.It's a free and open mobile OS with big backing, that's the big deal.

[t0mat0]

It's a free and open mobile OS with big backing, that's the big deal.

As Karim said on Twitter:

Google is playing both sides at the same time. Develop for a single platform -- and yet, feel free to add proprietary hardware & functionality and rip out stuff you don't want!
Android supports Java -- and yet, it's not really Java!
Android is open source -- and yet, the SDK is proprietary!
Google is going to make a ton of money on Android -- and yet, they're giving it away for free! Android is aimed at the price-sensitive handset manufacturer
-- yet, we want to see it deployed on cool phones with expensive hardware! etc. etc. etc. Well played, GOOG, well played.

[edesignuk]

I don't think anyone is under any illusions that Google will make a small fortune out of it, never the less, I still believe it will be a great platform with a wide range of handsets and developers.

[Project]

Honestly i Love my iPhone but some of the stuff shown in the video beats it hands down. Slide to unlock becomes a visual password, AMAZING. I was sold when he did the status bar pull down. If this was out before the iPhone apple would have used this as there mobile OS, no doubt about it.

That's kind of the point though. If the iPhone wasn't released then Android wouldn't look like it does.

Make no mistake, the iPhone has singlehandedly jump started this industry.

[ScoobyDoofus]

It looks promising, for sure. Competition encourages innovation, I'm looking forward to seeing what these companies come up with in the future.

I was wowed by the compass/streetview thing until I stopped and thought about when I would ever actually use that feature... It's cool, no question about that, but kinda pointless. If I'm stood on a street corner, I can just look around, I wouldn't be looking at street view on my phone while turning on the spot! And if I was at home, I'd rather be sat there and use a cursor or whatever to move the view than have to get up and turn around to see what is "behind me".

Still cool though. And I suppose it'd be good for satnav...

:D

[kdarling]

I don't think anyone is under any illusions that Google will make a small fortune out of it, never the less, I still believe it will be a great platform with a wide rage of handsets and developers.

iPhone SDK downloads = 100,000+
Android SDK downloads = 750,000+

Millions of Java programmers. How many Cocoa devs? (It would help if Apple didn't throttle the iPhone developer acceptances.)

I like the way Google gives away money in its Android contests, no strings attached. Microsoft, RIM and Apple should take a lesson.

Apple's iPhone Fund has only funded two applications so far out of 1700 entries, and approached just one other so far. Is nothing else interesting enough?

We're still in the infancy of mobile apps, looking for the killer ones.

I want all the handhelds to succeed, but it'd be nice to have a common development platform. (Apple should've ported Phone-OSX to multiple current ARM-based phones... same as Google should've.) Still a chance for Opera or Adobe here.

[t0mat0]

iPhone SDK downloads = 100,000+
Android SDK downloads = 750,000+
Millions of Java programmers. How many Cocoa devs? (It would help if Apple didn't throttle the iPhone developer acceptances.)

I like the way Google gives away money in its Android contests, no strings attached. Microsoft, RIM and Apple should take a lesson.

Apple's iPhone Fund has only funded two applications so far out of 1700 entries, and approached just one other so far. Is nothing else interesting enough?

We're still in the infancy of mobile apps, looking for the killer ones.

I want all the handhelds to succeed, but it'd be nice to have a common development platform. (Apple should've ported Phone-OSX to multiple current ARM-based phones... same as Google should've.) Still a chance for Opera or Adobe here.

I guess portability of code between platforms is going to be an issue here. The Raging Thunder developers seem to partially solved something coding for multiple platforms: something Google was saying was (implicitly) a problem

At Polarbit, however, we have developed our own middleware solution, Fuse, enabling us to cover all the major high-end mobile platforms. Because we rely on Fuse, we can reach the iPhone, Symbian, Windows Mobile, Brew, WIPI and even the Nintendo DS with just a single source code. This is of course a tremendous advantage when working in a field as wide and fragmented as mobile gaming.

We aren't totally aware of all that's going on VC and funding wise, as NDAs must be numerous. I think Apple reigning in on apps is a blessing in a way - yes, they are the ones deciding as gatekeepers which app gets in, but also they can pick cream of the crop. We don't yet know the true level of control they want long-term on this. iTunes can cope with the variety of music available, so why can't the Apps Store. (I think there is a difference between music and applications though, in terms that most people may have hundreds of videos, thousands of songs, but even more than a few dozen apps and things get messy.

Something akin to Quicksilver for iPhone? Or is leafing through the 8 odd pages quicker?

[gloss]

Frankly, I think Android looks great, if not quite as slick as the iPhone interface. Still, if I weren't dead-set on getting an iPhone I'm sure a nice Android device would be my second choice at this point.

[heyp]

Honestly i Love my iPhone but some of the stuff shown in the video beats it hands down. Slide to unlock becomes a visual password, AMAZING. I was sold when he did the status bar pull down. If this was out before the iPhone apple would have used this as there mobile OS, no doubt about it.

agree about the status bar... that was a real nice feature

[sfoalex]

I think that Android looked pretty nice. It will most certainly boil down to the overall device experience. What software are available, what hardware are available, what accessories are available. I think Android is a credible #2 to iPhone. I still say the eco system for content on the iPhone makes it the best consumer device. But this Android should not be discounted. That video is pretty impressive. Did they steal concepts? Heck yeah. Perhaps Google could make a real competing OS for something like an iPod where Microsoft, Creative, and all others have failed.

I still don't see how BlackBerry is going to survive this. iPhone and Android look like front-runners to me. BlackBerry looks like a Commodore 64 by comparison.

Alex Alexzander

[DreamPod]

iPhone SDK downloads = 100,000+
Android SDK downloads = 750,000+

There's a couple reasons for that. When the Android SDK came out, nobody really knew what Android was - there were no Android phones, Google had only given hints, yet had hyped it up way beyond measure. So most of those 750,000+ downloads were not developers at all, but people wanting to see and play with the Android simulator. Second reason was that contest, develop something Google considers a killer app, and you get a lot of money. Apple's iFund is nothing like that, it's just a normal Venture Capitalist willing to invest in startups. Contests with lots of money involved gets people crawling out of the woodwork, whether they are qualified or not. I bet the majority of people who downloaded Android for that contest realized they were in over their heads and gave up.

The problem I have with Android, is the fact that it isn't a set hardware platform. Cellphone companies can make their hardware any way they want, so if I were to program a game for Android, I'd have to program it like a PC game, able to run at varying resolutions, processor speeds, graphic and sound capabilities...ugh. Android games will end up much like standard cellphone games, designed for the lowest-common-denominator, the weakest phones. The iPhone, on the other hand, is a set hardware standard - I can push the SDK to its limit to make a game that really makes full use of the hardware, and know that my game will run the same on all 4 million iPhones sold already, and all 3G iPhones sold in the future. And that hardware platform is a pretty good one.

[sfoalex]

The problem I have with Android, is the fact that it isn't a set hardware platform. Cellphone companies can make their hardware any way they want, so if I were to program a game for Android, I'd have to program it like a PC game, able to run at varying resolutions, processor speeds, graphic and sound capabilities...ugh. Android games will end up much like standard cellphone games, designed for the lowest-common-denominator, the weakest phones.

I couldn't agree more with this statement. We've seen exactly this situation happen even in a single console which adds something like HD DVD after the fact. No developer touches it because those that will have it will only be a subset of that total market. This has been shown so many times.

What would need to happen is for one Android to become a front-runner within the group. And that one Android would have to have a huge user-base. If it is scattered as you suggest, then I couldn't agree more with you.

Alex Alexzander

[skubish]

looks and works too much like Windows for me.

[mkrishnan]

I think it looks very nice. A lot of the features seem very useful. :) The interface is slightly messy at times, but I'm sure it's a work in progress, and in the past Google has favored clean interface designs. The drag down notification minder is very nice.

Also, whatever the demo device was, that was FAST! :eek:

I would seriously consider a phone using it, except for that nagging iTunes integration issue... even compared to phones I've had in the past with native iSync integration, the iPhone + iTunes experience is soooo much nicer.... :o

[kdarling]

So most of those 750,000+ downloads were not developers at all, but people wanting to see and play with the Android simulator.
Same goes for the iPhone SDK, only in spades since people downloaded it to non-compatible systems, and because they thought it was an phone upgrade. The numbers are a relative comparison, not absolutes.

The problem I have with Android, is the fact that it isn't a set hardware platform.
Thank goodness. There are currently about 160 different WM phones available from 50 manufacturers. Android will probably end up with large numbers as well. All of these represent choice to the consumer. And yes, it means that programmers should handle multiple screen sizes.

The iPhone, on the other hand, is a set hardware standard
When Apple decides to up the resolution of the iPhone screen, or to make it faster, iPhone programs will break, if they're programmed for a single standard.

[powderblue17]

To me this seems like a device that would appeal more to gadget geeks then it would to the general public like the iPhone. While some of the features seem neat for a tech demo I don't really see how they would benefit anyone in real world usage and really just end up over complicating the device for a majority of people.

[jmadlena]

Same goes for the iPhone SDK, only in spades since people downloaded it to non-compatible systems, and because they thought it was an phone upgrade. The numbers are a relative comparison, not absolutes.


Thank goodness. There are currently about 160 different WM phones available from 50 manufacturers. Android will probably end up with large numbers as well. All of these represent choice to the consumer. And yes, it means that programmers should handle multiple screen sizes.


When Apple decides to up the resolution of the iPhone screen, or to make it faster, iPhone programs will break, if they're programmed for a single standard.

It will be undoubtedly much easier to program for the 2 (?) models of iPhone in the wild compared to the hundreds of different Android phones. Also, the iPhone's lowest powered model (current iPhone) is still very powerful. Even if Apple upgraded the processor or anything else, it wouldn't be horrible. Programming for a free phone is horrible on anything else.

Also, do you have a link showing that people actually downloaded the iPhone SDK thinking it was an update (one which you have to sign up for at Apple developer's website)? That seems kind of hard to do on accident.

[gkarris]

A phone with a full color touchscreen, downloadable programs, and access to the internet! :eek:

What will they think of next?

:D

[Voidness]

I personally think that the main competitor Android is going against is Windows Mobile. iPhone, Blackberry, and Palm are all hardware/software platforms. Windows Mobile and Android are both software platforms licensed to third-party hardware manufacturers.

IMHO, if Android succeeds, and with the growing popularity of the iPhone, it's only a matter of time before Windows Mobile becomes irrelevant.

[Evev12]

I don't know how many of you have been digging around, but I'm gonna go ahead and say it...this is the phone that will either make or break the iphone. While I don't think you can fairly say the iPhone is THE BEST phone out there right now, it's def the most stable, however Apple also runs it with a more restrictive policy than a prison inmate's daily schedule. Once this phone is released, I honestly think that Apple will be forced to lower these crazy restrictions and finally step up to the plate or risk loosing a large part of their marketshare. Grant it, there will always be Apple lovers who will priase anything and everything they make, but for the for the rest of us it finally looks like Apple might start to bead their first drop of competition sweat. I'm def EAGERLY awaiting it's arrival - and supposedly they're also supposed to have a completely restrictive free policy. Hear that Apple? No handcuffs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PRfVKzuUJ4

[dejo]

What phone is gonna break the iPhone? Because Android isn't a phone, it's a platform.

[mcdj]

I don't know how many of you have been digging around, but I'm gonna go ahead and say it...this is the phone that will either make or break the iphone. While I don't think you can fairly say the iPhone is THE BEST phone out there right now, it's def the most stable, however Apple also runs it with a more restrictive policy than a prison inmate's daily schedule. Once this phone is released, I honestly think that Apple will be forced to lower these crazy restrictions and finally step up to the plate or risk loosing a large part of their marketshare. Grant it, there will always be Apple lovers who will priase anything and everything they make, but for the for the rest of us it finally looks like Apple might start to bead their first drop of competition sweat. I'm def EAGERLY awaiting it's arrival - and supposedly they're also supposed to have a completely restrictive free policy. Hear that Apple? No handcuffs!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PRfVKzuUJ4

seriously dude, stop trying to make your every post the hyperbolic be-all-end-all.

[bluenoise]

Everything I've seen of Android so far tells me it's going to be much more like WinMo than iPhone. There are many people who will like the freedom to choose hardware and tweak all sorts of aspects of the phone's functionality, but there are also folks like me who just want it to work without having to wonder if some app is going to sing nicely on my particular flavor of phone. I had three WinMo phones before getting the iPhone and all of those three had their own quirks and limitations that drove me nuts. The iPhone is certainly not perfect and there are some confounding quirks about some of the lack of customization, but it's still a tremendous net-positive for me compared to those old phones.

The best thing Android might do for the market is upset the current business models in a way that is beneficial to us consumers.

[Evev12]

seriously dude, stop trying to make your every post the hyperbolic be-all-end-all.

I'm sorry DUDE, I've posted all of about 10 posts on this forum so either you're scarily following my every post or you read this particular post and it so enraged that Apple, Steve Jobs loving loyalty inside you that you felt the need to reply like a 12 year old - either way, it's a bit scary...and childish, yet I'm still honered that my simple 10 posts have left such a strong impression on you!

To the other poster, I don't know if you've been following this at all, and obviously you're right, Android is just an OS (and a SEEMINGLY very powerfull one at that) but they do have some phones (or projected phones) in the works. The most notable and first which is to be released is the HTC Dream - youtube or google it, you'll find some great stuff and an already pretty big community which is only growing.

Regardless of what everyone here might think (and it's only taken with a grain of salt being on an Apple forum) but I strongly think this phone will either make Apple step up to the plate or will make them suffer a bit. Grant it, I hate the "iphone killer" phrase as much as everyone else, and I know it's a long shot to say that anyone will ever actually kill the iphone, but Android will make them break a good sweat. And at the end of the day if anyone ever does "kill" the iphone (as unlikely as it is) it will be Apple and Apple alone.

[PowerFullMac]

I agree with the above post.

I remember all those products which claimed to be "iPod killers", so far, after 8 years, none have succeeded. I think Android and the iPhone are obviously aiming at different parts of the market, and they will both serve their markets well.

[gauchogolfer]

Here's something from the Silicon Alley Insider (http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/8/an-early-gphone-review-android-is-powerful-but-no-iphone-goog-aapl-) on the new Gphone.


So now we know that the first GPhone is indeed coming this fall.

Will it be a hit? It's hard to tell much from the supposed spy photos we've seen floating around on the Web, like the one to the right.

But someone who's actually seen the gadget -- similar, if not identical to the one in the photo -- tells us that both the hardware (from handset-maker HTC) and Google's Android software suffer from a similar problem: They're technically powerful but not as elegant as Apple's (AAPL) iPhone and OS X.

Specifically, the phone -- apparently a hot item to show off in Google's cafeterias these days -- is big and bulky, and not as sleek as the iPhone. And Android, while extremely powerful, has a less-elegant, less-user-friendly interface than the iPhone.

[PowerFullMac]

I wish people would stop referring to Android as "the Gphone", its is an OS for many phones, not a single "Gphone"!

Anyway, Android, I cant really judge it as its not out yet, but I think it will suit me better than the iPhone because of the level of customisation of offers, but only time will tell... Lets see if an iPhone nano comes out, too, coz that will complicate things a bit.

[mkrishnan]

In other very recent news on the Android platform, it continues to look like T-Mobile USA and HTC will be the first pair out the gate.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=apj5UbQ0PHIE&refer=germany
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/patterson/25639/first-google-android-phonethe-g1expected-sept-17/

It sounds like it will be an HSPA device, and is expected in Sept or October. Which may mean that there will also be more about T-Mobile's progress in HSPA roll-out by then....