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How Can Apple Lose the Tablet Wars When Competitors Produce Products Like Sony
- Thread starter LaWally
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Sony design and business approach had a huge impact on Steve Jobs in the 80s. He admired Sony and was greatly influenced by them. companies come and go, even Apple will wax and wane.
Sony did things no one was doing in their time and was very innovative. Sony created much of the personal electronics world, other companies advanced it further.
Big companies can fall, look at all the innovative electronics companies from the early days, Pioneer, McIntosh audio, Bang Olufsen, and even Ford, GM, and a little bit with Honda and Toyota. Lots of factors effect businesses and their continued success.
but I loved Aibo and if you are old enough, no one forgets their first Walkman!
Sony did things no one was doing in their time and was very innovative. Sony created much of the personal electronics world, other companies advanced it further.
Big companies can fall, look at all the innovative electronics companies from the early days, Pioneer, McIntosh audio, Bang Olufsen, and even Ford, GM, and a little bit with Honda and Toyota. Lots of factors effect businesses and their continued success.
but I loved Aibo and if you are old enough, no one forgets their first Walkman!
Agreed on Android's fragmentation; it's a sad mess.
But ICS on the Nexus lines is a better experience, in my opinion, than iOS is on the iPhone. Chrome is brilliant, fast, and intuitive (switching tabs, for example, takes a simple swipe vs. hitting the tab button, swiping, and selecting the page you want on the iPhone). The keyboard is also better; more responsive, has the suggestion bar, and better autocorrection (we need only look so far as the plethora of iPhone-typo websites on the web to see how poor the iOS keyboard is. Granted, everyone thumb-types at different speeds, and I will say iOS' editing tools are superior. I love that magnifying glass). There are other examples: better gmail integration (honestly, Mail is horrible on the iPhone); voice navigation; toggle widgets (one of the things I missed the most from Android); etc.
I'm not trying to start any "Android vs. iOS" wars here (and notice I'm speaking specifically about ICS on the Nexus line), so please don't misunderstand me. I am a user and lover of both platforms. I feel iOS is far better realized on a larger tablet device, whereas I think the inverse is true for ICS; it's much better on a smaller screened-smartphone (I can't even imagine using Android on any tablet, much less on Sony's P).
Iono about the whole nexus thing, I got the nexus s 4g and google still hasn't sent the ota yet... And this is a google phone.
The iPad 3 is my first iOS device and aside from some frustrating things, it is a great experience, that I don't think google can compete when it comes to the tablet scene.
Windows 8 is a different story tho...
Dream on. Google isn't trying to replicate the iOS experience. They are trying to differentiate by eliminating most restrictions. Competition doesn't mean copying someone.
i don't care if google copies apple or not. i just want them to offer a POLISHED and FLUID experience like iOS. ever used android OS? very noticeable lag still even in ICS. get every android device updated to the latest version and running smoother and apple will start to see some real competition
The main problem with Andriod is purely fragmentation followed by the lack of tablet specific apps. I am excited on what Windows 8 tablets can bring to the market maybe it can give iOS and Andriod a run for its money, for sure one of them will be hit hard.
I refuse to pay for the Xbox service but Sony has this powerful computer that plays games, blu rays, and dlna streams. But it falls short in the App department. It has netflix but that's about it. There are more apps on on it's stand alone blu ray player?!? Why?? Not to mention it has content ties to all the media distributors and it's own movie studio. Sony you suck.
While Sony can't make a decent android device to save themselves, I do like the PS Vita and it's OS. That's probably the best (and most reasonably priced) device they've made in years. The PS3 struggled out of the gate because they priced it so high, and that allowed both the Wii and 360 to gain serious traction. Additionally, their penchant for proprietary parts (Memory Stick Pro/Duo, UMD, their own versions of both firewire and now Thunderbolt connections, etc.) have put them in a class of their own in the electronics space.
I've had Xbox Live since 2006. I don't mind paying. Sony's online service stinks and is full of hackers and cheaters. Better machine but I definitely dont feel it's a better experience.
I would never pay twice to use Netflix. But I am not an online gamer. I play only two or three video games a year as I am very picky. But to each their own.
I don't think Apple is winning as much as the others are losing. Hear me out for a second here:
I am an Android guy. My first "smartphone" was an iPhone but after that, I moved to a Dell Streak and presently have a xperia play. When it comes to phones, I think iOs is a little too restricted and doesn't allow the freedom android does. The freedom of android may allow me to accept some of its shortcomings and consider it as my primary choice. This is how it plays out in phones.
In tablets, it couldn't be more different. Android is just a mess. There are no HD tablets available. For all intents and purposes, ICS is DOA because no one (other than ASUS) is selling an ICS tablet. Honeycomb is hardly a competitor to iOs. The apps selection on iOS just beats the piss outta Android. Fragmentation doesn't help the equation any further.
I was waiting to buy a tablet since November (which looks like eons ago now!). First news came that Lenovo will introduce an HD tablet sometime in January. Well, it didn't happen. Then Samsung said it would introduce its HD tablet some time soon. Didn't happen either. Finally, I got frustrated and got the iPad. I thought even if there are some disadvantages, I will just have to live with them. To my surprise, I am just loving my new iPad. I read so much on it (and I haven't even started any serious subscriptions). I watch so much media as well. I facetimed recently and it was a lot of fun. The only serious drawback is lack of multitasking though I am sure it will be introduced shortly. There are some more restrictions on the iPad but just adds a few steps / apps more and nothing more than a minor nuisance.
Long story short? iOs still has a ways to go but to say that Android is even in the game is just plain laughable.
I am an Android guy. My first "smartphone" was an iPhone but after that, I moved to a Dell Streak and presently have a xperia play. When it comes to phones, I think iOs is a little too restricted and doesn't allow the freedom android does. The freedom of android may allow me to accept some of its shortcomings and consider it as my primary choice. This is how it plays out in phones.
In tablets, it couldn't be more different. Android is just a mess. There are no HD tablets available. For all intents and purposes, ICS is DOA because no one (other than ASUS) is selling an ICS tablet. Honeycomb is hardly a competitor to iOs. The apps selection on iOS just beats the piss outta Android. Fragmentation doesn't help the equation any further.
I was waiting to buy a tablet since November (which looks like eons ago now!). First news came that Lenovo will introduce an HD tablet sometime in January. Well, it didn't happen. Then Samsung said it would introduce its HD tablet some time soon. Didn't happen either. Finally, I got frustrated and got the iPad. I thought even if there are some disadvantages, I will just have to live with them. To my surprise, I am just loving my new iPad. I read so much on it (and I haven't even started any serious subscriptions). I watch so much media as well. I facetimed recently and it was a lot of fun. The only serious drawback is lack of multitasking though I am sure it will be introduced shortly. There are some more restrictions on the iPad but just adds a few steps / apps more and nothing more than a minor nuisance.
Long story short? iOs still has a ways to go but to say that Android is even in the game is just plain laughable.
I think a lot of blame for this (especially fragmentation) has to be placed on Google itself. At Google I/O last year, they stated definitively that Android devices would be moving to a unified update system where all models would be updated at the same time. They also stated that models would be supported with updates for 18 months after release. However, when several manufacturers of Android handsets were asked about this not even two months later (including HTC, Samsung and ironically Motorola), every single one of them basically said "yeah, right". Google could have implemented some requirements for the manufacturers and chose not to. That has created this mismash of Android versions, "custom" UIs that more often than not suck and are bloated (TouchWiz is one I particularly despise), and the same handset being sold under 18 different names depending on the wireless carrier and country is it being sold in.
To give you an indication of how screwed up the Android ecosystem is, I know of a US-based carrier (not one of the majors, just a small regional one) whose Galaxy S2s are actually European models. While customers run into problems trying to get warranty service from Samsung because of this, they are able to upgrade to ICS on these phones because Samsung already released the update for phones in Europe. Meanwhile, customers on ATT/Sprint/Verizon with the same phone are still waiting for an update that might never come at the rate Samsung's going.
The tablet side is even worse. The general trend for Android tablets has been to either a) compete with Apple on price alone, b) compete with Apple on features alone, or c) aim for the lower end of the market, below Apple's pricing. Tablet made with option A are often underpowered, clunky, and/or obsolete by the time they're released. Option B packs a lot of power, but the pricing really makes a traditional laptop a more desirable option for many potential buyers. Option C is really becoming a niche market to drive people to specific content providers, as evidenced by the success of the Kindle Fire and (to a lesser extent) the Nook. While these devices are definitely popular, they really serve a more limited set of purposes than the iPad or tablets directly competing with the iPad. Other tablets that are in this price range are afterthoughts at best. The longer it takes for ICS to become prevalent in tablets, the bigger the risk of permanently falling behind the iPad becomes.
Going back to this Sony "tablet", anyone else notice that it looks like a miniature PS3 when folded up? I doubt that was accidental.
Well, I kinda disagree with you on whom to place the blame. Yes Google has not made any fans outta their outrageous announcements. I remember Eric Schmidt(sp?) telling that in 6 months, devs will be making apps for Android rather than iOs. Andy Rubin saying that they will double down on tablets (what were they doing till now then?). Jelly bean already ready in the flanks before ICS is even fully realized.
But to blame them solely is being a little harsh. Whatever product Google has personally being involved in has actually being a good success. Look at the Droid or the Nexus phones. All did very well and generally considered very good phones. Their involvement in tablets was limited only to Xoom and the price doomed them to failure.
Which begs the question? Why should Google be personally involved with the OEM's to make successful products? Google is not a hardware manufacturer. They always were and are considered to be a software. Yet they seem to have clearer vision than the OEM's on the hardware side. The OEM's have screwed up things wherever they could and even where they couldn't. You already mentioned custom skins being the blight of Android. There are so many more mistakes: delayed releases, high prices, delayed updates, poor app selection, different hardware etc etc OEM's are interested in the profits of apple without putting any effort in what so ever.
Imagine a dev working an iPad app. He has 2 resolutions to work with. One is 1024*768 and another is double that. Simple right? Most of the devs are saying that even for the new iPad, upgrading to retina requires changing of images, not complete re-writing of code. Hardly an issue. Now look at the resolution of upcoming android tablets. We already have 1280*800 with 1920*1200 and 2560*1600 in the pipeline. 1280*800 is available on 10" and 7" (further problems caused). This is just stupid. Standardize something already Google otherwise don't even bother.
The OS is the main, probably the only reason I went for an iPad. I did lots of research of other offerings and planned offerings and then tried to match that with what I needed a tablet for. The iPad was the only one that had the apps I needed to do what I wanted to do or had a better implementation of it than the android counterpart. I've never been a mac user so had every reason to want an android tab with USB and sd slots...but apples OS and apps are hard to beat. I'm loving my new iPad..or iPad 3 whatever you want to call it.
I am more interested in the Windows 8 tablets to be introduced later this year.
If Apple has anything to worry about, it will be talbets that run WIndows software and be free of the Apple restrictions and FRE from iTunes
If Apple has anything to worry about, it will be talbets that run WIndows software and be free of the Apple restrictions and FRE from iTunes
Sony has one ace up their sleeve: big content.
The hardware may be crap, but if the content is only available on sony devices, then they will sell. alternatively, sony don't bother making the hardware and just make the money via licensing fees to apple/whoever.
The hardware may be crap, but if the content is only available on sony devices, then they will sell. alternatively, sony don't bother making the hardware and just make the money via licensing fees to apple/whoever.
I am more interested in the Windows 8 tablets to be introduced later this year.
If Apple has anything to worry about, it will be talbets that run WIndows software and be free of the Apple restrictions and FRE from iTunes
Windows 8 is going to bomb. As simple as that. For so many years now, Microsoft has been promising something new and always they have failed to deliver. They always think that this time they will succeed but eat humble pie. Their initial tablet offerings were awful.
Even now, people are psyched about the upcoming Windows release. All I can say is that don't get your hopes up too high. In fact, don't hope for anything. That is the only way to come out on top relating to anything Microsoft.
See Microsoft cannot make mobile OS's. They are used to running bloated, cumbersome programs which run fine on desktops (and high end laptops) but which would lag on anything mobile. Their battery life will be **** considering that the minimum RAM required in windows 8 is 2GB (whilst the iPad manages just fine with 1 GB lol). Also, Microsoft has never done anything with regards to power management. Look at windows 7. Is it groundbreaking in terms of power management? Nope. Neither was Vista... or windows XP or..... The two most important things in a tablet are price and performance. Price is too early to comment. Performance in terms of raw horsepower might be good but the battery will NOT be. Apple gets that while hardware obviously plays a big role in battery life, so does software.
Wait till the Holidays when Apple releases a 7inch version of the Ipad for around the same price as the Kindle, I can guarantee its gonna happen, they are not going to let Amazon dominate the low end market either, it will be the res of the old Ipad so existing apps will run fine