Google/Motorola Developing Flagship Phone to Compete with Apple and Samsung

[gotluck]

Originally Posted by bushido

i wish i could replace iOS with Android on my iPhone 5. now that would be a real killer

Agreed, this would be the best of both worlds. Apple hardware and android freedom/capabilities

[samcraig]

Originally Posted by DavidTheExpert

What Google doesn't seem to realize is that it doesn't matter how cool the phone looks, or how amazing the specs are. It's the software that runs on it. If I could get an Android phone that was 100% exactly like an iPhone 5, except that it ran Android, I would still choose an iPhone because the iOS software is just so much more pleasant to use. I can't stand the Android software. It's terrible, it crashes, it's buggy, it's unreliable, it's sluggish, it's insecure.

My iPhone and Android crash about the same amount. I have buggy issues with both iOS and Android. Both lock up. As for being insecure - I've never had an issue nor has anyone I have personally known.

As I said above - both platforms offer GREAT features and both platforms have their downsides.

You know you can praise iOS and tell everyone how much you prefer it and love it without resorting to fud and hyperbole about any competition to it. It's more telling about the integrity of the poster vs the OS

[rmwebs]

Originally Posted by Red Oak

Google does not care about hardware revenues or their OEMs. They want to earn money off their services (e.g. search advertising). The want massive scale. That is why the released the LG-built Nexus at $299 without contract. They are sucking ANY potential profits out of the Android hardware market. Both smartphones and tablets

That is why, Samsung, has been duped. That is why they are Google's bitch. They don't even realize how Google is marginalizing them

Actually Google will be wanting to make money from hardware now that they own Moto. Previously it would have been all about the adverts, but they are clearly diversifying their range of services.

Obviously search will always be their big money maker, but make no mistake, they will want to be making several billion a year from handset sales.

[Gemütlichkeit]

What are the chances it will look exactly like an iPhone (but plastic).

[Oletros]

Originally Posted by Gemütlichkeit

What are the chances it will look exactly like an iPhone (but plastic).

Zero?

[rmwebs]

Originally Posted by Gemütlichkeit

What are the chances it will look exactly like an iPhone (but plastic).

Really?

[Red Oak]

Originally Posted by rmwebs

Actually Google will be wanting to make money from hardware now that they own Moto. Previously it would have been all about the adverts, but they are clearly diversifying their range of services.

Obviously search will always be their big money maker, but make no mistake, they will want to be making several billion a year from handset sales.

That is pure speculation

[rmwebs]

Originally Posted by Red Oak

That is pure speculation

No **** sherlock. Everything here is pure speculation.

Shockingly I'm basing my 'guess' on common sense.

[samcraig]

Originally Posted by Red Oak

Google does not care about hardware revenues or their OEMs. They want to earn money off their services (e.g. search advertising). The want massive scale. That is why the released the LG-built Nexus at $299 without contract. They are sucking ANY potential profits out of the Android hardware market. Both smartphones and tablets

That is why, Samsung, has been duped. That is why they are Google's bitch. They don't even realize how Google is marginalizing them

I respectfully disagree. And I don't "humanize" a company like you have. They aren't someone's bitch. Nor have they been duped. Do you believe that Samsung honestly thinks they wouldn't eventually be faced with competition from Google?

And I find the argument even funnier on an Apple forum where people talk about how they prefer a premium device vs cheap crap.

If Google is going to put out products - they are going to have to have real value or people won't buy them - they'll pay more for Samsung - or another competitor.

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Originally Posted by Red Oak

That is pure speculation

So are your posts

[camnchar]

Originally Posted by yanksrock100

Is the current Nexus 4 not to compete with the iPhone?

Nope. This is the "and we really mean it this time" version.

[gotluck]

Most of the android hate has to be based on pre 4.0. My Touchpad, which was never intended to run android and has to be 'hacked' to run it, performs excellent with 4.1 jelly bean.

'Project butter' was a marked improvement from 4.0 to 4.1 as well.

I know anectodal evidence is anecdotal

[rmwebs]

Originally Posted by yanksrock100

Is the current Nexus 4 not to compete with the iPhone?

Given that its a 'basic spec' phone, no.

To give you a basic idea:

iPhone 5 unlocked: £529
Google Nexus 4 unlocked: £239.

Also, take into account the fact that LG had massive problems with the display, it's been sold out since the day it launched, etc.

If anything it was a toe in the water before their real push into the market.

[Red Oak]

Originally Posted by rmwebs

No **** sherlock. Everything here is pure speculation.

Shockingly I'm basing my 'guess' on common sense.

No. It's been documented via iFixit that the Nexus phone is being sold close to cost. As well as the $199 Nexus 7 tablet. Both of which have set a price point expectation for consumers on what Android products should cost

So, ********, how is Samsung now suppose to bring to market a 7" tablet that actually makes them a profit?

[CWallace]

Originally Posted by Red Oak

So how does Samsung feel now. Google has used them, and is about to put them out to pasture. Sucks doesn't it when you don't own your own operating system

Samsung can fork Android into their own customized OS as easily as Amazon has done for the Kindle Fire.

And that is what Google is worried about concerning Samsung. Amazon highlights their own services on the Kindle Fire, not Google's. As Google's primary revenue comes from their services, if one of the most well-reviewed Android handset vendors moves to their own version that doesn't promote Google's services, that's a not insignificant amount of revenue they are at risk of losing.

[rmwebs]

Originally Posted by gotluck

Most of the android hate has to be based on pre 4.0. My Touchpad, which was never intended to run android and has to be 'hacked' to run it, performs excellent with 4.1 jelly bean.

'Project butter' was a marked improvement from 4.0 to 4.1 as well.

I know anectodal evidence is anecdotal

It is.

I've been using iOS and Android since they were released, and not just for 5 minutes on a friends. I own a bunch of different handsets. Jelly Bean was a MASSIVE step forwards for Android.

The nonsense about it being slow, fragmented, etc is from people who tried or saw it on 2.x (3.x was really only for tablets). These days its a much better OS.

Props on the touchpad by the way - it's a fantastic device. I loved Web OS - it would have been a true competitor to iOS if it had taken off.

[Red Oak]

Originally Posted by CWallace

Samsung can fork Android into their own customized OS as easily as Amazon has done for the Kindle Fire.

And that is what Google is worried about concerning Samsung. Amazon highlights their own services on the Kindle Fire, not Google's. As Google's primary revenue comes from their services, if one of the most well-reviewed Android handset vendors moves to their own version that doesn't promote Google's services, that's a not insignificant amount of revenue they are at risk of losing.

That is a good point. Samsung could fork Android and take control

[Glideslope]

They are definitely worried about the WIN8 Phone now. I'm no Redmond fan, but WIN8 Mobile on the Nokia 920 is a far more useful device than an SIII running Hot Fudge Brownie.

Android is no more stable now than 12 months ago.

Google and Apple had better be concerned of a Galaxy IV running Win8 Mobile.

[rmwebs]

Originally Posted by Red Oak

No. It's been documented via iFixit that the Nexus phone is being sold close to cost. As well as the $199 Nexus 7 tablet. Both of which have set a price point expectation for consumers on what Android products should cost

So, ********, how is Samsung now suppose to bring to market a 7" tablet that actually makes them a profit?

We're not talking about the nexus. We're talking about the new device. It wont be a cheapo phone, it'll be designed to compete with Samsung and Apple, that doesnt mean selling at cost, it means making a premium handset - the Nexus was cheap because it was a basic device.

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Originally Posted by Red Oak

So how does Samsung feel now. Google has used them, and is about to put them out to pasture. Sucks doesn't it when you don't own your own operating system

Samsung has actually developed their own OS. They just chose not to go down that route (and rightly so) in the end, so it's now only used on its lower-priced smartphones.

They also have a hand in Tizen OS, which is also backed by Intel and IIRC is due to be released (opensource) in 2013.

[The Bulge]

So much Google cool-aid suddenly

[samcraig]

Originally Posted by Red Oak

No. It's been documented via iFixit that the Nexus phone is being sold close to cost. As well as the $199 Nexus 7 tablet. Both of which have set a price point expectation for consumers on what Android products should cost

So, ********, how is Samsung now suppose to bring to market a 7" tablet that actually makes them a profit?

Build a better device?

Are you saying that the only tablet selling now on the Android platform is the Nexus 7 (or 10 for that matter)

Samsung, like any company, has brand loyalty going for it. It has people who like touchwiz. There are specs which Samsung can include which can compete.

Will Samsung take a hit? Probably. How much? No one can say.

[McGiord]

OK, what are the killer features?

[genovelle]

Originally Posted by gotluck

Agreed, this would be the best of both worlds. Apple hardware and android freedom/capabilities

How disgusting!!!!!

[marksman]

Shocking. Pretty sure I noted this signed android eol when the se was announced. Sure a couple forks will survive, like amazon, but Samsung is in the worst position by far, right now.

Even if google pays lip service to continued a droid development it is no longer going to remain a viable competitive platform on its own.

A google and apple shared world is better for both of them then a google/apple and Samsung world.

I suspect a crazy man response from Samsung in the next eighteen months.

[Red Oak]

Originally Posted by samcraig

Build a better device?

Are you saying that the only tablet selling now on the Android platform is the Nexus 7 (or 10 for that matter)

Samsung, like any company, has brand loyalty going for it. It has people who like touchwiz. There are specs which Samsung can include which can compete.

Will Samsung take a hit? Probably. How much? No one can say.

Yes, that is what I'm saying. The only Android tablets that are selling in any volume are the 7" Nexus and Amazon Fire. Both which are selling at cost.

In that world, Samsung and other manufacturers, stand little chance of making any money

Android is going to become a zero profit wasteland

[maxwelltech]

I thought Google's flagship phone already came out, and it is the Nexus 4.

Originally Posted by newagemac

The current Nexus 4 is a joke compared to the iPhone 5. There isn't really a competitor to the iPhone 5 out there right now yet.

Fandroid point of view:
The iPhone 5 is a joke compared to Nexus 4 and Galaxy S3