Really?
You don't see how a company designing hardware that allows more of its users to run the latest OS over a longer period of time impacts the experience of developing and using apps for that platform?
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Apple Executives Speak on the 'Low-Cost Phone', Android's Fragmentation Issues
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Really?
You don't see how a company designing hardware that allows more of its users to run the latest OS over a longer period of time impacts the experience of developing and using apps for that platform?
Yes but again, it's not about the price point it's about it being paraded around as NEW when it's, for all intents and purposes, the same phone but in plastic.
The cost savings alone for using the same processor, ram and flash memory and not using plastic instead of aluminum is enough to bring the price down.
I don't know where you are finding gingerbread new devices.I just went to Verizon site and there best seller cheap phone is an lg enact 4g and its 19.99 with a 2 year contract and comes with the same android as the galaxy S3. Its running jelly bean
Sure it's not $99 just like the 5S is not $199. Of course those are subsidized prices. The question still has not been answered, your opinion notwithstanding, factually, how the 5S is bad for consumers who make the conscience decision to buy it over the 5S or a used 5?
I thought galaxy gear compatibility was more of a touchwiz update problem than an android update problem.
Samsung is really more to blame. But yes shame on Google for not figuring out how to force OEMS to update. Until then only buy nexus or Google play edition.
No, it's not clear at all. How is it less than the iPhone 5? Apart from the case it's pretty much identical except that the 5C does have a radio which accepts more frequencies. Functionally the 5C is every bit as good as the 5 if not a better "world phone" because of the new radio. Aesthetically -- that's opinion.
Agreed. Not everyone is in it for specs, etc. There are still plenty of people who choose what model car by what color they can get it in.
It is very safe to assume that the price difference isn't the only reason someone might choose a lower priced iPhone. Maybe having it in the color that they want IS more important. Maybe they prefer plastic to metal. And yes - maybe they would rather spend the $100 on something else. That doesn't mean they can't afford to - they just see no increased value for THEM. That doesn't mean the 5S isn't better. It just means that there are people who don't need the extra(s) nor feel like paying for them if they aren't going to benefit from them.
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You're right - I stopped replying because it's a perfect example of someone creating a strawman. Intentional or not.
ETA: He's also complaining that a product not released yet works on another product not released yet but not his phone.
It is not "dumb math"
and it is VERY applicable!If you want to ignore the cost of owning a smartphone then that would make you dumb.
You aren't really paying $99 for an iPhone (unless you are able to get someone else to pay your bill, but most pay themselves)
Apple was never the market share leader.
It's only disturbing if you choose to believe that there is only one important metric and all customers are the same.
Or so your theory goes.
And yet, when you control for price and distribution, more people choose iPhones than Android phones. Maybe Android's market share isn't all about the OS.
An HTC phone less than one year old cannot be upgraded to the latest Android version and I remember a tech blog talked about this a while ago.
Edit: I found it:
It's the HTC One S:
http://gigaom.com/2013/07/03/google...bandon-software-updates-for-last-years-one-s/
Google shouldn’t allow HTC to abandon software updates for last year’s One S
So? What does that really mean to the end user. What are they "losing on their purchase?
And again - the OS might not be able to be upgraded - but the APIs and core apps are. Constantly.
That phone hasn't ceased to function because there's a new OS - has it? Did HTC put a kill switch in for when the next latest OS release hit?
It's not, unfortunately nobody is currently selling a brand new, current generation iPhone for $99.
They lose whatever present value they assign to the phone's ability to make use of future technology. For any given consumer, that value may be zero... but for many, clearly (witness the percentage electing to upgrade when possible), it's a positive.
Micro**** and Google getting TOTALLY snookered right now...
The big issue that people seem to be missing, but that Google and Micro**** are DESPERATELY trying to do something about, is the price of software; Apple keeps pushing it DOWN and DOWN and DOWN, to the point now where it's FREE! iOS 7 is free...and new hardware now comes with Apple's equivalent to Micro****'s stupid Office apps. Apple makes it's money in hardware, primarily; software is an afterthought. So, with such GREAT success in the hardware world, it can afford to push the prices ever lower. But what's Micro**** going to do? What do they sell? Zunes? Ah ha ha ha! The Surface? Yeah, that's going well...! How long will Micro**** and Google be able to match software prices with Apple? Will they be able to GIVE their operating systems away? How soon till Micro**** starts GIVING Office away...and how long will they be able to sustain that model? That is why they are so DESPERATELY trying to develop hardware; because they know, in the long run, they are ****ed!
Revenge of Steve Jobs! I love it! Remember Micro****'s $500.00 operating systems? Those days are LONG gone!
Cheers,
Cameron
The big issue that people seem to be missing, but that Google and Micro**** are DESPERATELY trying to do something about, is the price of software; Apple keeps pushing it DOWN and DOWN and DOWN, to the point now where it's FREE! iOS 7 is free...and new hardware now comes with Apple's equivalent to Micro****'s stupid Office apps. Apple makes it's money in hardware, primarily; software is an afterthought. So, with such GREAT success in the hardware world, it can afford to push the prices ever lower. But what's Micro**** going to do? What do they sell? Zunes? Ah ha ha ha! The Surface? Yeah, that's going well...! How long will Micro**** and Google be able to match software prices with Apple? Will they be able to GIVE their operating systems away? How soon till Micro**** starts GIVING Office away...and how long will they be able to sustain that model? That is why they are so DESPERATELY trying to develop hardware; because they know, in the long run, they are ****ed!
Revenge of Steve Jobs! I love it! Remember Micro****'s $500.00 operating systems? Those days are LONG gone!
Cheers,
Cameron
This is such a load of BS. Just like Androids, iPhones are now popular in *all* segments. I'll grant you that the first couple generations of iPhones were special high-income trophy gadgets (and I was proud to own one back then). But now everyone and their brother has them because the entry price for older iPhones models is more or less the same as older Android phones.
This thread is like a dose of nostalgia. These same old arguments have been so thoroughly discredited that they've become almost laughable.
Why do you keep saying that the APIs are upgraded? Each new release has its own API level.
I see the same with iPhones though - and supposedly there's no fragmentation. Are we sure that the OS is the reason people update and not other features like screen, camera, speed, etc?
You can't get last year's phone for $99. Not anymore. Now you get a plastic fantastic phone instead.
What an absurd post. First off - no one has missed anything. Second - last I checked Android updates and software - to the consumer is free.
As for Apps - Google Apps are free to the customer.