From Steve Jobs' Biography: "I'm going to destroy Android"

[Harrybarracuda]

I agree with you. But you should visit some android forums. It's 10x worse. These days, the comments are practically all glee that SJ is dead. 'Good riddance', etc, while claiming Apple is irrelevant in the industry. Yeah, it's that bad.

The emnity is quite pathetic taken to extreme.

Personally I don't give a toss what phone someone else uses, I'm more concerned that mine does what I want.

But as much as I'd wish people would stop arguing (most of the arguments have little or no foundation), I would MUCH rather the companies themselves stopped acting like stupid kids.

Buying up patents and throwing lawsuits around is not only an horrendous amount of money, but ultimately the costs of all of those lawsuits are not going into R&D, but instead are being added to the phone's price.

Personally I'd like to take the legal departments of Apple, Microsoft, HTC and Samsung, ship them to Libya and tell the people they're all related to Gaddafi.

 

[coconutxyz]

there wont be anyone like jobs and im glad that i used iphone

 

[Oletros]

I agree with you. But you should visit some android forums. It's 10x worse. These days, the comments are practically all glee that SJ is dead. 'Good riddance', etc, while claiming Apple is irrelevant in the industry, and it seems like the posters believe they're in a holy war. I stepped in once to suggest it's a bit disrespectful to spit on SJ in such a fashion and I got torn to shreds and banned. Yeah, it's that bad. Alot of ****** people on the internet.

Which Android forums?

 

[k995]

Go to YouTube and search for D8 2007 where Walt Mossberg interviewed Steve Jobs and Bill Gates together. Watch the whole interview, and you'll know what Steve meant when he said Google stole Apple's idea and put it on Android. For reference, watch MacWorld 2007 keynote where Steve Jobs revealed the original iPhone.

Now, turn back the clock and look at what Android was before iPhone came about in 2006-2007. It was a copy of Blackberry. In fact all smartphones were copied Blackberry .... Palm Treo, Nokia on Symbian S60, Samsung were licensing S60 then. I think HTC (initially known as dopod) was on Android.

Thats simply not true:

Version 1.0 (February 06, 2007): spb mobile shell

reminds you of something? This was released 6 months before iphone

...


Lg prada released couple of months before iphone

...


The market was laready moving in that way, apple and google just did the same. The evr repeated fanboy "we were first" is usualy BS .

Anyway, the only way to destroy Android is through litigation. Apple couldnt destroy Windows then (a copy of MacIntosh OS). I am sure they can't destroy Android now.

Yes that does seem the answer of apple these days, when outsold start the lawsuits.

 

[Slurpy2k8]

After you show me where you can get an iPhone 4S for $199 contract free.

See, I can use an ad absurdum argument too.
There are plenty of Android devices that are available for less than that price, or for free on contract. How they compare to the 'cheap' iPhones is personal preference in my opinion, but the Galaxy SII a friend showed me a few days ago pretty much blows my iPhone 4 away, and the 4S is barely an upgrade.

I've played with the GSII also. It's nice. But I fail to see how it 'blows away' iPhone4. The 4S is barely an upgrade, compared to what? Have you seen some benchmarks lately? Cause it blows away the GSII in that sense.

 

[k995]

And the day after they ask themselfs why didn't they pay 699.

Just like some wonder why they did pay 699 .

 

[Ed91]

Amazon Got it Right

Amazon has done more towards the destruction of Android than has Apple. The only thing that binds Android devices together as a platform is Google's services, but being open source, anyone can take vanilla Android and create their own meta platform, which is exactly what Amazon did, and that's the REAL fragmentation threat to Android.

Imagine if, instead of Android skins, handset manufacturers started creating custom flavours of Android to differentiate themselves from each other. At the moment they just make Google's devices for them, and that's not a strong hand to play unless you're google. Device manufactures know that, and if they have any sense they'll move on.

Somewhat ironically, I think Nokia (maps, music, application store) could have forked Android away from Google and had a decent smartphone OS independent of Microsoft. Aside from those pesky Android licensing issues, that is.

 

[k995]

I agree with you. But you should visit some android forums. It's 10x worse. These days, the comments are practically all glee that SJ is dead. 'Good riddance', etc, while claiming Apple is irrelevant in the industry, and it seems like the posters believe they're in a holy war. I stepped in once to suggest it's a bit disrespectful to spit on SJ in such a fashion and I got torn to shreds and banned. Yeah, it's that bad. Alot of ****** people on the internet.

Care to give an example of a thread filled with such comments?

 

[Renzatic]

I agree with you. But you should visit some android forums. It's 10x worse. These days, the comments are practically all glee that SJ is dead. 'Good riddance', etc, while claiming Apple is irrelevant in the industry, and it seems like the posters believe they're in a holy war. I stepped in once to suggest it's a bit disrespectful to spit on SJ in such a fashion and I got torn to shreds and banned. Yeah, it's that bad. Alot of ****** people on the internet.

That's all kinds of sad and pathetic. When it comes right down to it, our phones, computers, and tablets are tools. You got your favorite? Yeah, that's cool. I know a bunch of people who prefer DeWalt over Makita drills. They sometimes get into heated arguments, too.

But to celebrate a guy's death because he was, you know, "on the other side". I dunno. Not only is it crass and rude, but it's also kinda creepy. It like people are putting way too much of an emotional investment into their phones and whatnot.

I'm glad I don't visit those forums. It'd probably put a damper in my otherwise cheery faith and optimism in humanity. Sorta like reading Youtube comments, times 100.

 

[sicn]

I am really tired of this site and this forum, but I just have to ask you people: Are you effin' kidding me? How can people be so brainwashed and devout to a _BRAND_, a _COMPANY_. It's like most of you are members in some sort of sect where the leaders can't be wrong.

Get REAL. It's a TELEPHONE... If Apple was bankrupt tomorrow your life would continue. Focus your energy on something else, like your OWN life, rather than living for a business that really doesn't give a rats ass about your life other than wanting your money.



And yes, let the downvoting begin...

 

[wonderspark]

I currently have the luxury of owning both an iPhone and an android, the HTC Inspire 4G.

I really like both of them, but the iPhone gets points for being able to wake up one handed. With the HTC, I find it difficult to push the power button on the top of the handset to get to the unlock swipe single-handed, so I end up using two hands. Drag. Siri is nice for my friends who are doing things while driving, but that's so rare for me that it makes it more a gimmick than useful. I don't need to map a route or set an appointment while I'm driving, since I do that junk before I get rolling. (I have an air-headed friend that starts driving before she knows where she's even going.) I admit that I'm amused by the crazy things I hear them telling the phone, since they're forced to say it out loud. "Remind me to buy tampons." Hahaha, awesome.

On the other hand, the android does almost everything better. iOS 5 is an improvement, especially wireless sync, but I could do that already with android via a choice of bluetooth or wi-fi, and without using annoying iTunes. I like that any mp3 I drop into the android is recognized automatically, and usable as a ringtone, alarm or just plain music file. The screen is bigger, webpages load better, the battery lasts longer and when it dies, boots up much faster when plugged in. I also like the little colored notification light, because I can just glance at the phone and know if I have a new message or if the battery is charged, etc.

iOS 5 finally took away my need to jailbreak, but the android never needed that. It just worked the way I wanted it to in every way, right out of the box. People who say an iPhone is better built than an android either don't own one or are fooling themselves. The build quality on my HTC phone is just as good. The only thing I like better on the iPhone at this point is that home button, and if android phones incorporated that, there would be nothing (in my opinion) to draw me to an iPhone. Of course, that would be another lawsuit, right?

I wish the suing would stop, and competition would be manifested by way of new products that innovate new ideas or improve what's already out there. The lawsuits are hurting everyone... consumers and corporations alike. If you and your neighbor start smashing each others windows, not only do you both pay for new windows, but your carpet gets damaged, your family gets cold, and both of you look stupid. Spend more time cleaning your own windows, and enjoy life. That's my take on it.

 

[addicted44]

Why did Jobs not say this about WebOS? Because the WebOS guys made an interesting new product.

Why did Jobs not say this about WP7? Because Metro is innovative, and quality (shocking coming from MS, I know).

Android? Just a completele knockoff of iOS without any attempt to differentiate. Really disappointing to me personally, because I am a huge Google fan, but Android is sickening to the stomach. Essentially, Google used their engineering skills to steal Apple's designs, and then give it away for free to a bunch of East Asian companies who usually fail because they cant match up to American SW design…but Android means they dont need to try, because the Americans are giving away their competitive advantage for free!

 

[MrNomNoms]

He's definitely passionate about protecting his company's ideas...

Can you blame him? Apple's be f-cked over in the past and further compounded by past CEO's of Apple willing to accept a few crumbs from the high table only to find that later on they're playing second fiddle in the marketplace. The difference though between Microsoft and Apple is Microsoft doesn't even need to say 'boo' but rather threaten in indirect ways - just take the issue of Microsoft's intellectual property, .NET and the open source implementation called Mono. Steve Ballmer starts talking about the 'importance of intellectual property in Microsoft's future' and all hell breaks loose out of shear terror that they'll be in Microsoft's firing line but when Apple follows through with its threats to get the sorts of results Microsoft obtains through threats then it is apparently evil? is it just me or doesn't it smell like double standards?

 

[hot spare]

Maybe I should say EVERYONE stole from Moto. They invented the mobile phone, period. Jobs, Schmidt, Lee Kun-hee (that's the Korean gentleman's name from Samsung) all are riding on an invention from Moto. Apple stole from Moto, period. Why does apple does not have any FRAND licenses? Maybe because they never made any fundamental inventions in the mobile space. WHy all the core, basic patents all belong to Moto, Samsung and Nokia? You CANNOT make a mobile without using their inventions/patents. YES, every company can license those bare essential patents and they are obliged to give license to one and all. But this simply proves they are the masters of communication that makes a cell phone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Cooper_(inventor)

 

[smalltimewine]

because the Americans are giving away their competitive advantage for free!

Not quite. They're all going to end up paying MS $15 a license to use Android. It's laughable.

 

[weckart]

Sitting below? You're implying he's in hell? You 'bet' he regrets his decisions?Most people agree he's made some of the best decisions of our time. You have no damn idea how his relationship was with him family.
Steve Jobs' death has really brought out the trash from the sewage. How despicable. Oh, and learn some damn spelling/grammar.

Awww. Don't you hate it when that happens?

People need to calm the heck down in this thread. There is less dignity on display than in the average All You Can Eat diner at closing time.

 

[wikus]

He could have killed android if he allowed flash and made a new design instead of the iphone 4s. Not that it isn't a great phone, but it could have beat android in so many ways.

LMAO! 138 people so far gave this a negative rating.

I see how it is; 138 people are completely opposed to CHOICE.

 

[JoeG4]

And long before the iPhone:

Granted, it was a ripoff of this:

which was a ripoff of this:

In reality, all of the above used an icon grid that was copied from this

Also: The Xerox Star and Alto were production machines and the OS was a functioning OS - Apple (and MS and others) improved upon it.

Still, having a grid of icons wasn't particularly new.

 

[Tanguyvd]

Like Apple has never stolen anything.

You all should know that Apple in general never denied the fact they "kind-of-borrowed-ideas", but that's what it's all about.

Apple's philosophy has never been: let's invent something that doesn't exist.
They usualy look arround and see what they don't like and turn it into something everyone likes.

Take the iMac: Apple didn't "invent" the computer, they didn't "invent" the PC; They just made sure the PC is actually what it should be: a Personal Computer,

They didn't "invent" the smartphone, or the touch-capable interface phone for that matter; no, they just made sure their phone was realy touch cabable, and really smart.

Idem for the iPad, Newton, even iPod: they didn't invent the mp3 player.

And even idem for that pattented staircase...

But this can't be said for the majority of Apples so-called competitors. They do add some flavor here and there. They do try very hard to present themselves as to be the valid alternative but in most cases they fail due to
- bad marketing
- bad products
- or even the lack of a real customer/fan base.
Add to that the fact they want the customer to change phone at the rate they change undie, that makes it impossible to add vallue.

In other words: Apple is in it for the value where as most others are most likely in it for the volume. But they both ar in it for the money, that's for sure

 

[Harrybarracuda]

Why did Jobs not say this about WebOS? Because the WebOS guys made an interesting new product.

Why did Jobs not say this about WP7? Because Metro is innovative, and quality (shocking coming from MS, I know).

Because neither of them is gobbling up smartphone business like Android.

Now *that* I would have thought was obvious.

 

[wikus]

Like Apple has never stolen anything.

I think Steve Jobs was still bitter about being completely trounced by Microsoft's domination with Windows.

Xerox should have been in the #1 position today. Funny how Microsoft, the last entity on the list of thieves won the major battle.

 

[NickFalk]

Android changed a LOT from the iPhone. I don't even find them any more similar than Windows Phone 7 and iPhone are.

Fair enough, as I mentioned in my previous post I'm not really qualified to comment on similarities as have very limited experience with Android.

Android had desktop backgrounds before iPhone too, remember that (though not a terribly original concept, as the lack of backgrounds on the first iPhone was stupid)...

Some concepts like "pinching" to zoom are just incredibly natural replications of the real world. The iPhone wasn't really that unique, if anything just very simplified and polished. Android did the same kinda thing, but in a very different way.

This I don't agree with however. iPhone was the first multi-touch device brought to the masses and completely changed the way people expected a smart-phone to work. Yes pinching feels natural, but Apple (perhaps through Fingerworks) were the ones to bring it to public. Also: How does this replicate anything in the real world??? It's a perfect match for physical movement/visual representation, but I can't really think of anywhere in the physical world this behavior would work the same way.

If anything I believe this clearly demonstrates just what kind of ground work needs to be done when changing from stylus/keyboard input to finger-on-screen input. Fingerworks was bought by Apple and their and Apple's ground-breaking work really defined how people expect capacitive touch screen interfaces to work. Personally I believe this is a generation leap in machine-interface design and certainly a lot more important than including the possibility to insert custom backgrounds...

 

[Renzatic]

Can you blame him? Apple's be f-cked over in the past and further compounded by past CEO's of Apple willing to accept a few crumbs from the high table only to find that later on they're playing second fiddle in the marketplace. The difference though between Microsoft and Apple is Microsoft doesn't even need to say 'boo' but rather threaten in indirect ways - just take the issue of Microsoft's intellectual property, .NET and the open source implementation called Mono. Steve Ballmer starts talking about the 'importance of intellectual property in Microsoft's future' and all hell breaks loose out of shear terror that they'll be in Microsoft's firing line but when Apple follows through with its threats to get the sorts of results Microsoft obtains through threats then it is apparently evil? is it just me or doesn't it smell like double standards?

It's not a double standard. People freaked out and hated MS over the very same things Apple is now doing. Just because one corporation got lucky, and managed to get away with it, doesn't mean we should give free reign to another simply because.

Do we really want to see Apple become the next MS? A company so entrenched in their respective field that they didn't even have to try anymore? Do you want to see computer technology stagnate like it did back in the late 90's, early '00's? I sure as hell don't.

Now that MS has some competition, they're making great stuff again. Apple is kicking ass left and right. And Google is making a name for themselves. Because of this, we've seen more neat stuff come out and advance in the last 5 years than we did during the previous decade beforehand. Not to say that there weren't any goings on back then, but they weren't nearly as fast paced and interesting as they are now.

The only reason this is happening is because of competition. If any one company tries to play their strengths, and monopolize themselves, we should all be bitching, whining, moaning, and groaning. Cuz who wants all this fun to stop?

 

[MacSince1990]

Rofl... Ah Stevey. Your silly, hypocritical self-righteousness knows no bounds

 

[Lershac]

Destroying Android... not working out so well.



So I guess that means Steve got a little taste of what the men and women of PARC must have felt for all of those years.

Good lord man! Don't you think it's a little different when someone sees an idea, says "wow this is great! Can I license it? Here is compensation!" vs a trusted friend and advisor watching what you show him that you have developed and running off to make a competing product with it?

One is the right way to respect creation, the other is disrespectful and outright theft.