I guess the iPad will have its arse kicked

[Paulywauly]

Im not getting into a debate about what gadgets/operating systems are best, the debate could go on all day (and surely will without anyone coming to agreement)

However i would like to put this forward for consideration; How many times over the past decade have other manufacturers brought out products touted as an "iPod Killer" then the "iPhone Killer" and now the "iPad Killer"?

Not saying its never going to happen, i'll just believe it when people start referring to upcoming products as "playbook/pad/xoom killers"

 

[MacAddict1978]

No single device, but as a platform (and apple love to lump everything under the IOS platform vs. individual devices themselves) Android handsets year over year outsold iPhone, and will soon have outsold iPhone units from the launch of the iPhone. It's to be expected. Android is accessible to anyone, iPhone is not.

There is trickery involved in how sales are reported. Most people that comment on these numbers actually have no idea what they mean or what they are talking about. For example, Microsoft can claim they shipped 1 million WP7 handsets which is different from customers buying 1 million. They can also say they sold 1 million (to carriers, doesn't mean 1 million were purchased at retail.) Once a company takes wholesale shipment, the seller books it as revenue.

But since the day iPhone 4 launched till today, Android does outnumber iPhone. To say no one handset on the droid platform outsold the iPhone is silly. There's only 1 iPhone. There are 200 Android devices in the market competing with themselves.

Count me as "mistaken" then. No single Android phone has iPhone-like sales and I doubt any Android tablet is going have iPad-esque sales numbers anytime soon. As long as Apple doesn't rest on it's laurels I like the iPad's chances.

 

[cmvsm]

Android officially is more popular than iPhone now, and that trend is continuing.

Honeycomb has shown to be a significantly improved OS over iPad's iOS 4.2. Just as Froyo and Gingerbread are well ahead of iPhone's iOS 4.2.

If you think the iPad is going to be the king of tablets for long, you'd be mistaken.

That is, unless Apple finally decides to change some base functions of their mobile OS.

Android's market share is less than Apple's iPhone by a few points. Not sure where you are getting your info, but at least be correct about it. As Verizon picks up the iPhone, you'll see that disparity become even larger with the iPhone pulling away.

You should probably wait until the actual IPad 2 is available for testing before you start slobbering all over yourself repeating honeycomb a million times. In terms of interface, gaming, and number of available applications, these other companies have simply waited too long to get into the game with something substantial. As Apple's market share continues to dominate, where do you think that the developer's will spend most of their time?

I've used the Droid OS, and its nice from a visual standpoint, but just too clunky to use. These companies are falling all over each other trying to create something innovative, but just can't seem to get out of the iOS shadow.

 

[sciwizam]

Android's market share is less than Apple's iPhone by a few points. Not sure where you are getting your info, but at least be correct about it. As Verizon picks up the iPhone, you'll see that disparity become even larger with the iPhone pulling away.

http://techcrunch.com/2011/01/06/android-passes-iphone/

Comscore says Android is up by a point, Neilsen says Android is down by a couple points.

 

[BaldiMac]

No single device, but as a platform (and apple love to lump everything under the IOS platform vs. individual devices themselves) Android handsets year over year outsold iPhone, and will soon have outsold iPhone units from the launch of the iPhone. It's to be expected. Android is accessible to anyone, iPhone is not.

I think you are misstating it a bit. If you are comparing "as a platform" you should add in all iOS devices. If you are just comparing smartphone OS market share, than you are correct.

Though, as I have pointed out before, there is no real significance to Android holding the most smartphone OS market share at this point. Apple is still making the most money and is still the most attractive development platform.

Apple has a higher market share than any other manufacturer in the US. Sure Google has a higher OS share, but what does that get them? They really only care about keeping Google as the default search engine on smartphones. So Windows Phone 7 is their biggest concern at this point. To a lesser extent, they want to push AdMob for in app advertising, but they have the same access to iPhone apps as they do Android apps.

 

[gatearray]

I disagree. People seem to like Android a lot and the proof is that Android is now the number 1 OS for smartphones. (in market share).

-OR-

Android is the #1 mobile phone OS because it's on over 100 devices, many of which are FREE or buy one get one free, and most average phone buyers don't care which phone they have, as long as it's cheap and on their preferred carrier. For these buyers, the fact that "it's kind of like an iPhone" is a nice bonus, too.

In fact, people "seem to like" their Android touch screen telephones so much that they surf the web only 25% as much as iOS users. Hardcore Android fans making the most of their "free and open devices," I guess. I'm sure that developers are just flocking in droves to the platform to cash-in on all of these non-user users.

 

[petvas]

-OR-

Android is the #1 mobile phone OS because it's on over 100 devices, many of which are FREE or buy one get one free, and most average phone buyers don't care which phone they have, as long as it's cheap and on their preferred carrier. For these buyers, the fact that "it's kind of like an iPhone" is a nice bonus, too.

In fact, people "seem to like" their Android touch screen telephones so much that they surf the web only 25% as much as iOS users. Hardcore Android fans making the most of their "free and open devices," I guess. I'm sure that developers are just flocking in droves to the platform to cash-in on all of these non-user users.

That might be true, but the thing is that Google has managed to achieve a high market share. Of course iOS has the most active users. Apple sells one or two devices while there are many Android devices.
If we add the iPod touch to the equation, then there are more iOS users out there.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I hope the Honeycomb or whatever it's called is a good device. More choices, aways better. I love my iPad, maybe too much but I'll take the marketstore over the app store anyday.

Nothing better than buying an app, not liking it and getting your money back.

 

[bigbro1096]

Android officially is more popular than iPhone now, and that trend is continuing.

Honeycomb has shown to be a significantly improved OS over iPad's iOS 4.2. Just as Froyo and Gingerbread are well ahead of iPhone's iOS 4.2.

If you think the iPad is going to be the king of tablets for long, you'd be mistaken.

That is, unless Apple finally decides to change some base functions of their mobile OS.

The only reason Android is more "popular" is because teens want cool texting phones so they get android cause their parents can't afford the iPhone and or aren't on at&t. I am the only on in the group of friends I have and all of them say their jealous of my iPhone and if they could they rather have that. Plus in middle school if you have an iPhone it means your cool and well let's say better off.

 

[tjb1]

I hope the Honeycomb or whatever it's called is a good device. More choices, aways better. I love my iPad, maybe too much but I'll take the marketstore over the app store anyday.

Nothing better than buying an app, not liking it and getting your money back.

Im going to droid this spring for a lot of reasons, including the ability to return an app. Another big one...Apple is too worried about people competing with them(Google Voice) to actually rid the App Store of all the free crap. I have had an iPod Touch for 3 years now and every venture to the App Store is horrible, many times I just check the Top 10 list to see whats good, if you want to find something else you have to dig through 1000s of free crap bs apps. If Apple wants the App Store to grow they need to stop worrying about the big apps like Google Voice and start worrying about the thousands of crap apps that fill the store. The way I see it, if you can afford the $100 iPhone Dev and figure out how to make it...your almost guaranteed to have your app in the App Store.

Oh and dont say Apple is so great with iOS updates. Whats the one that supports multitasking/background changes? 4.x? Oh sorry, the 2G Touch cant handle multitasking or background changing but you have been doing it on jailbreak since the beginning of 3.x. Apple is just as bad at restrictions as Verizon/AT&T/whatever on the phones and such.

And to finish, read this thread and you will see who the true "Apple Fanboi" people are...

 

[Stetrain]

The way I see it, if you can afford the $100 iPhone Dev and figure out how to make it...your almost guaranteed to have your app in the App Store.

You complain about the low level of entry to the App Store but are switching to an Android? Interesting


I do know what you mean though, I don't mind lots of cheap apps but I think that there needs to be a better way to bring the good ones to the top. An app can get stuck up in the top lists even if it's junk with thousands of one star ratings. Because it's at the top people keep downloading it which keeps it at the top.

Worst are the ones that do absolutely nothing, like the ones that claim to provide "fingerprint security."

I don't see how that's specific to Apple's store though, if anything they're the strictest on curation (possibly Microsoft is more careful at this point since their store is newer, not sure).

 

[tjb1]

You complain about the low level of entry to the App Store but are switching to an Android? Interesting


I do know what you mean though, I don't mind lots of cheap apps but I think that there needs to be a better way to bring the good ones to the top. An app can get stuck up in the top lists even if it's junk with thousands of one star ratings. Because it's at the top people keep downloading it which keeps it at the top.

Worst are the ones that do absolutely nothing, like the ones that claim to provide "fingerprint security."

Or the "mirror" apps...and most of the morons are too busy developing mirrors for the App Store to worry about Android. Its not as much that there are tons of crap ones, its that Apple is too worried about the ones that compete with standard apps on the iPhone or switching buttons to "police" the other apps. Instead of letting people better the iPhone, they reject the app and let all the garbage ones pass. Im sure Android will be different because there are not restrictions so people are not worried about what they are making and will be more inclined to develop something useful.

This below relates to the above. When things are not restricted, I believe better things will come out of it.

I also thing making the drinking age lower(to a degree) or making marijuana legal would reduce a lot of the problems currently associated with both. Ex. If marijuana was legal, there would be no need for street dealers which eliminates big chains of people, gangs...blah blah blah you get what im saying.

 

[lilo777]

-OR-

Android is the #1 mobile phone OS because it's on over 100 devices, many of which are FREE or buy one get one free, and most average phone buyers don't care which phone they have, as long as it's cheap and on their preferred carrier. For these buyers, the fact that "it's kind of like an iPhone" is a nice bonus, too.

In fact, people "seem to like" their Android touch screen telephones so much that they surf the web only 25% as much as iOS users. Hardcore Android fans making the most of their "free and open devices," I guess. I'm sure that developers are just flocking in droves to the platform to cash-in on all of these non-user users.

What exactly are you trying to prove? Being on over 100 devices is a feature of open platform (Android). And what exactly the browsing habits have to do with platform popularity? iOS users constantly browse Internet trying to figure out if it's time to sell their current iPhone/ipad (what the going prices are, when the next model is coming etc.). Android users do not have this issue. This might explain elevated level of Internet usage by iOS users.

 

[fertilized-egg]

And what exactly the browsing habits have to do with platform popularity? iOS users constantly browse Internet trying to figure out if it's time to sell their current iPhone/ipad

The absurd claim about the reason for browsing web aside, it's an interesting bit of data because it indicates the usage pattern of the platform and what type of consumers it's attracting. Symbian, for example, has an even bigger share of the smartphone market. However when we look at the usage pattern, Symbian phones are much less likely to be used for apps or internet surfing, which means Symbian phones are used more like featurephones.

It makes sense too. Often people buy Symbian phones because those phones are well-built Nokia phones with usually good reception, not because they want to buy smartphones with expensive dataplan. Android's growing exponentially and very fast, but much of that growth is coming from people who buy cheap Androids instead of featurephones as evident from the usage pattern, so you cannot compare that directly against the iOS marketshare.

 

[zetsurin]

The only reason Android is more "popular" is because teens want cool texting phones so they get android cause their parents can't afford the iPhone and or aren't on at&t. I am the only on in the group of friends I have and all of them say their jealous of my iPhone and if they could they rather have that. Plus in middle school if you have an iPhone it means your cool and well let's say better off.

What a ridiculous generalization.

 

[matrix07]

Nothing better than buying an app, not liking it and getting your money back.

This is one of the feature I love to see on my iOS devices. Too bad Google reduced the window to just a measly 15 minutes, which, in all practicality, is simply just not that useful anymore.

 

[jazziethomas]

I don't think so, as we all know apple products had gained so much popularity to people I think this is why people are so hooked up on having gadgets made by apple no matter how pricey it is.

 

[Stirolak123]

Many of these rivak tablets dont haveto del with external connectors or itunes bull@it or crap apps like photoshop express. They can have real apps like photoshop, final cut, dreamweaver, etc. Instead of ipod touch apps.

 

[petvas]

Many of these rivak tablets dont haveto del with external connectors or itunes bull@it or crap apps like photoshop express. They can have real apps like photoshop, final cut, dreamweaver, etc. Instead of ipod touch apps.

Where did you see that? Are you dreaming? No tablet has the power to run such applications. Even if it had, there is no Photoshop or Final Cut for Android. Windows Tablets could theoretically run some of these apps, but please, get serious. Who would want something like that?

 

[Glideslope]

Android officially is more popular than iPhone now, and that trend is continuing.

Honeycomb has shown to be a significantly improved OS over iPad's iOS 4.2. Just as Froyo and Gingerbread are well ahead of iPhone's iOS 4.2.

If you think the iPad is going to be the king of tablets for long, you'd be mistaken.

That is, unless Apple finally decides to change some base functions of their mobile OS.

Honeycomb is a Tablet Only OS. The only current generation phone it will run on is the Nexus S. Anyone with a current generation Android phone will not be able to run Honeycomb in a form higher in quality than Gingerbread. Homecomb needs a Dual Core and chews massive battery life.

You are completely in for a massive surprise in 2011 as Android Device Makers, Moto, Samsung, HTC, move to lock down their devices to prevent Android continuing on it's path towards becoming the Windows of the the Mobil Device Market. The only way to truly have a, as you like to call. "Open" Android phone is to purchase a Nexus with Honeycomb. A year from now iOS will be viewed as the more open OS.

Android will have a larger market share simply due to all the buy 1 get on free promotions. There is no other reason. iOS will always have the high quality end user experience to itself.

Apple will have 2011 to itself. 2012 will be the test year. iPad 2 and Verizon will put the hurt on Android.

Your in for some surprises when the new Apple Notebooks arrive as well

 

[petvas]

Honeycomb is also coming to smartphones. There is also no requirement for a dual core processor. You got your facts wrong.

 

[Stirolak123]

Where did you see that? Are you dreaming? No tablet has the power to run such applications. Even if it had, there is no Photoshop or Final Cut for Android. Windows Tablets could theoretically run some of these apps, but please, get serious. Who would want something like that?

Im talking about the ones coming out this year. People would want it that were dumb enough to get a tablet as their main and only computer. Like thst lady in palo alto who got news channel 7 to go to the store because she couldnt pay with cash.

 

[iJon]

Got a chance to play with the BlackBerry Playbook this weekend at CES. What a pathetic piece of hardware.

I really tried to give it an honest chance but it was just horrible at everything. The UI was terrible, pinch and zoom lagged, clicking on links took multiple presses, even from the RIMM representative.

They also couldn't give me battery time, price, specs or release date.

This product is dead on arrival if you ask me. Apple and Google will be the only ones to dominate the tablet industry in my opinion.

 

[Moogyman]

iPad kicked off top spot?

I don't this will happen. Yes Android is proving popular but this down to flooding of the Market of lower specced models such as the wildfire. And as for Android taking over the tablet Market I'm sure it will in some aspects, ie the cheaper nastier end, but I'm sure that's not what Apple want anyway.
The fact is that the Apps for Android are at best copied from the Apple store, and for the most part mediocre. Apple do have it right, they are concentrating on the most important thing, the Apps. This lesson was learnt when Sony produced Betamax, a far superior video format to JVC/Phillips VHS, however VHS just had more film titles, and the rest is history. This model is being followed today by Apple, it's tried and tested, but some companies just continue to be hardware driven. In short the hardware needs to be good enough to run the good software. As techie people we will of course enjoy the hardware more as that is what we are interested in, however the success of a product will rest in the hands of the general population, and they on the whole are more interested in Apps. I personally find the Android system glitchy even on a powerful machine like the HTC Desire HD, it's just not as slick as Apple stuff period

 

[Stirolak123]

I don't this will happen. Yes Android is proving popular but this down to flooding of the Market of lower specced models such as the wildfire. And as for Android taking over the tablet Market I'm sure it will in some aspects, ie the cheaper nastier end, but I'm sure that's not what Apple want anyway.
The fact is that the Apps for Android are at best copied from the Apple store, and for the most part mediocre. Apple do have it right, they are concentrating on the most important thing, the Apps. This lesson was learnt when Sony produced Betamax, a far superior video format to JVC/Phillips VHS, however VHS just had more film titles, and the rest is history. This model is being followed today by Apple, it's tried and tested, but some companies just continue to be hardware driven. In short the hardware needs to be good enough to run the good software. As techie people we will of course enjoy the hardware more as that is what we are interested in, however the success of a product will rest in the hands of the general population, and they on the whole are more interested in Apps. I personally find the Android system glitchy even on a powerful machine like the HTC Desire HD, it's just not as slick as Apple stuff period

Than why ist it most of the apps arent tailore made for ipad but taken from iphone apps? Look at all the tv appa. You can get all of t,hem alsofor the ipod or iphone. You can even get most magazines as well. What is exclusive to the ipad in teems of apps and custom amde for it without the other idevcies in mind outside iworks whichxould easily be ported if apple wishes. Heck there was even talk od dlipboaed being ported i remember googling it i read by the makers. Most games dont even xome out for it in universal app format or are just sold for more as the hd version with no new features. And the ipad is the most popular platform to hate by gamers on every gaminf site from ign to kotaku. Even ascendancy, isuniversal when it clearly sucks on a small screen but they still didnt make it ipad exclusive. on what does that tell you? To me it says that making ipad cenetred app isnt profitable.