Samsung and Google Delay Android Handset Launch in Wake of Steve Jobs' Death

[samcraig]

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Downvote this all you want. But those thinking that google and sanding are delaying because of how great the 4s is are being silly. Because the fact is. While the 4s is a GREAT phone - it was not considered by many a EXCITiNG. It will sell millions. And it might even be the best phone in the market subjectively. But it did little to create actual excitement.

Some of the competitors phones will probaly create more excitement regardless of whether you love them or not.

You're kidding, right?

Every Apple release and announcement is a media circus. Any Google or Samsung announcement only gets Fandroids and tech nerds to beat off while the media and the vast majority of the world shrugs and gives a collective "meh".

Dead serious. The iPhobe 4s keynote created a lot of buzz and was heavily watched. But don't confuse that with EXCITEMENT

 

[hchung]

Well since Samsung made half the displays in the 4s, I guess you won't be buying one. Even Steve was doing business with Samsung. It's just business and competition.
*snip*
I notice on my wife's android that some things are the same as iPhone but others like swiping between photos or pinch to zoom aren't always there. The Facebook app for example doesn't swipe between photos on android. I'm guessing that's a battle Apple won. I don't know.

Actually, the Retina Displays are produced via exclusive contract with LG, according to Wikipedia.

The reason swipe between photos isn't on the Android Facebook app is because Facebook didn't implement it manually. On iOS, the behavior is an optional part of the SDK. On Android, the UI libraries in the SDK don't give you much for free, so you have to build everything yourself. It's the main reason apps most apps available on both iOS and Android suck more on Android.

 

[Savor]

Google's presentation in iPhone Keynote in 2007 (btw, greatest keynote ever)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=TBxua7EDRdo

And of course, we know some of the ties Jobs had with Samsung for over three decades. We can't just assume Samsung and Google are delaying their announcement because they don't want the Jobs' funeral to overshadow it. We don't know really know what goes behind the scenes and the relationships they had with Steve.

This is seems personal to alot of people. Rivalries? In tech, that usually just happens in business. Personal and business always needs to be separated.

 

[cult hero]

I hate to belittle the possibility of these companies doing something "nice" but to me it all sounds like, "this is a great excuse for delaying our release while we work like crazy to "catch-up" or put together a better product to actually compete with Apple's new phone. All the while making ourselves look good."

This is not respect - it's politics and PR.

Well, politics and PR, and respect aren't mutually exclusive in this context. Just because making the right move is beneficial doesn't mean it's the only reason you're doing it.

I kinda laughed and looked at it the other way. Even from the grave, Jobs is messing with them.

 

[jdogg836]

LOL how much catching up do you think they can do in a week?

Exactly, it's not like these things aren't already in production. In fact, I've seen video of this in action.

Somebody else already said it, but it was a few pages back...... A lot of Google employees worked for Apple, I am sure that anyone touched by Steve in their lifetimes would find ANY method necessary to attend his funeral.

The fanboyism on this site is overwhelming sometimes. This thread started off right, everyone saying how classy a move it was.... Then it turned sour.

I have a Macbook Pro, a Macbook Air, an iPod Classic, and an iPod Touch. Honestly, the uncompromising nature of iOS in terms of customizability and the fact that they are always behind the curve on Phone tech is the reason I will not be purchasing an iPhone.

A great man once said "Think Different", it was adopted by a Great Company as well as the enthusiasts who supported it. I'm going to reiterate it here now. Don't be a sheep, think differently. Form your own opinions based on fact. Don't accept inferiority. You are allowed to point out when the new "product" a company puts out is NOT up to par. Just because you love Apple doesn't mean you have to love everything they put out.

 

[KnightWRX]

Again, the tech world. That's a very very very very small portion of the world at large. And there's a portion of the tech world that doesn't care either. So basically, Google and Samsung have a captive audience with a percentage of a group that makes up a minute percentage of the world as a whole.

Their announcements will matter when they become one of the top stories of national news outlets like Apple's announcements are.

With 5 million Samsung Galaxy S II handsets getting sold in 85 days, PRIOR to it being available in the United States (one of the big markets), I think Google/Samsung have quite the captive audience.

 

[slavey]

Corporations

I guess all corporations aren't evil and greedy.

 

[guch20]

If I weren't super excited about Nokia+WP7 I'd go out and get a 4S right now. Bottom line is it's not just about the specs. It's about:

* beautiful fluid UI
* stable OS
* beautiful handset with rounded corners
* Retina Display - the best smartphone display ever created
* full retail experience with Apple Stores
* in-person tech support at Genius Bar
* 500K apps
* iCloud & Music Match

that's a hell of a compelling story!

Steve Jobs had said at a few of his last announcements that for Apple, it has never been about numbers. Numbers don't mean jack if the end user experience is difficult, confusing, and distracts from the technology itself.

What I love about my Apple stuff is that, while i'm using it, I totally forget that it's there. It's like it's an extension of me. Meanwhile, my wife is on her Nexus S, complaining because it's sending texts to the wrong people or (no joke) because her Gmail account got hacked through one of her apps. I love not having to worry about that stuff. I can just experience the beauty of the web without the hassles.

 

[cult hero]

It's the main reason apps most apps available on both iOS and Android suck more on Android.

Well that and the Android apps are written in Java. *ducks*

 

[ipoddin]

They said launch plans have not changed, just the announcement out of respect for Jobs. I think that's partially true. But more importantly, next week will be the funeral, and why would you go ahead an announce a major product launch when the media will be focused on Jobs' funeral?

 

[Digipimp]

can't seem to find my post, am i getting moderated after being on here for 8 years really? ****ing android trolls.

 

[guch20]

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Dead serious. The iPhobe 4s keynote created a lot of buzz and was heavily watched. But don't confuse that with EXCITEMENT

Don't worry, I'm not. I'll take the huge number of preorders and the (soon to be) record sales as EXCITEMENT.

 

[organerito]

I hate to belittle the possibility of these companies doing something "nice" but to me it all sounds like, "this is a great excuse for delaying our release while we work like crazy to "catch-up" or put together a better product to actually compete with Apple's new phone. All the while making ourselves look good."

This is not respect - it's politics and PR.

If you see things as dark, I might as well wonder if Jobs would have done the same as Samsung and Google. Maybe not!

 

[KingCrimson]

I have a Macbook Pro, a Macbook Air, an iPod Classic, and an iPod Touch. Honestly, the uncompromising nature of iOS in terms of customizability and the fact that they are always behind the curve on Phone tech is the reason I will not be purchasing an iPhone.

Except on Android you pay a large price for the customizability with having to navigate the malware-fest that is Android Market. With iOS, you're in a tightly-controlled walled-garden where you never have to worry about that stuff. That's a big reason I'm going to get a Windows Phone - MSFT will have very stringently control the Windows Marketplace.

 

[samcraig]

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Dead serious. The iPhobe 4s keynote created a lot of buzz and was heavily watched. But don't confuse that with EXCITEMENT

Don't worry, I'm not. I'll take the huge number of preorders and the (soon to be) record sales as EXCITEMENT.

You're entitled of course. But again I think you're still confusing sales and excitement. They aren't always the same.

 

[guch20]

With 5 million Samsung Galaxy S II handsets getting sold in 85 days, PRIOR to it being available in the United States (one of the big markets), I think Google/Samsung have quite the captive audience.

And the iPhone 4 sold almost 2 million in two days and was only available in 5 countries at launch. What of it?

 

[Tarzanman]

The simple answer is that most of the head honchos at many of the companies who want/need to be present at the Nexus Prime announcement will probably be going to Steve's funeral.

 

[iSheahan]

Very impressed. Class and intelligence on behalf of Samsung and Google. Bravo.

 

[inkswamp]

Nice, but I don't think etiquette required that. Maybe there was a lot of anti-Apple marketing / rhetoric involved in the original plans?

I was wondering if anyone else thought that. Given that Google doesn't seem to be able to go 5 minutes at one of their GoogleI/O presentations without knocking Apple (and occasionally Steve himself) I think it's very likely the presentation included a lot of slams that would backfire at this point.

Still, kudos to them both for realizing that and re-scheduling, regardless of whether their stated reasons are accurate or not.

 

[cliveren13]

Me

Well i for 1 had put down my 32gig Iph4 for a sensation 4g but out of respect i put down my sensation 4g and will continue to use my Iph4 i have returned my sensation 4g and i am waiting on the Iph4s 64 gig unlocked version he was to all of us a VISIONARY man and he should always stay in our minds and devices forever GOD BLESS STEVE JOBS AND APPLE.

 

[notabadname]

Respect?

I think this was more about knowing a product launch would be totally overlooked in the media. So yes, a schedule change due to Steve's passing, but I don't think it was really respect. More of an understanding of the current business environment. A product launch would have been so "back page" of the tech section this week.

 

[gkpm]

Was it sold or not?

And no, it wasn't branded by Vodafone.

You're right, it wasn't branded. Just locked and exclusive.

Actually it was completely dropped by Vodafone UK and never even sold there, not sure about the other 4-5 countries you mentioned. Think Vodafone briefly had them in Denmark.

After that comment by Samsung's VP it just wasn't meant to be anymore.

Anyway this is nitpicking and immaterial to the original discussion, hope we can agree that Samsung did delay their main tablet release in response to Apple's iPad 2 announcement.

If we still can't agree I suggest we give it a rest anyway.

Ps. Don't you remember an essential patents lawsuit between Nokia and Apple that would make pay more all Android manufacturers?

Ahh those. Well then it's still all under wraps isn't it? Early days and all.

Apple wasn't even telling SEC about that deal in their recent submission, only did so after asked "politely" and even then only in a closed submission.

Why all the secrecy if it was just a licensing deal.. surely the purpose is to keep it secret from the other manufacturers. But think Microsoft still has some other homework to do before acting on that.

 

[Moof1904]

I'm not spending too much bandwidth speculating about whether this was a personal decision or a business one because I think the two coincide in this instance.

I respect them for doing what benefits their business and applaud them for the class that it displays.

I wish that what was right for a company and what was 'just the right thing to do' overlapped more often in today's world.

 

[KnightWRX]

Steve Jobs had said at a few of his last announcements that for Apple, it has never been about numbers. Numbers don't mean jack if the end user experience is difficult, confusing, and distracts from the technology itself.

What I love about my Apple stuff is that, while i'm using it, I totally forget that it's there.

Really ? I have a really hard time forgetting when :

- A damn notification pops up in my face while I'm doing something else entirely and might not want to respond immediately to whatever decided it was time to bug me (voicemail, e-mail, SMS, IM message, etc..)

- When to know the weather forecast for the day, I have to unlock the phone, click a folder, launch an app, wait for it to load, scroll to the city I need and finally see the forecast.

- When I want to close an app (yes, it happens!), I have to double tap the home button then proceed to sort through 3-4 pages of "recently" (ie, all the apps I opened since last time I cleaned this "task manager" or like I like to call it "the useless list of all the apps I have opened since I last cleaned it manager") opened apps to find and remove the proper one, then spend 2 minutes realising I need to clean out this damn list again (that app I opened 1 week ago, why is it listed here ? It's not running anymore!)

- When I want to move to 3G to consult my carrier account, I need to first go into settings and then down another menu to disable Wi-Fi when I'm anywhere... with Wi-Fi (my carrier detects accounts by the source in the 3G connection).

- Constant zooming in Safari. Screen is too small for my taste.

- Why did they break installing updates with 4.3 ? I haven't had to reboot as often as since I updated to 4.3. Now it seems 1 in 2 update breaks and leaves app unusable until a reboot is done. And then it manages to remove the app from the folder it's stored in... Gah...

No, seriously, to claim iOS is this perfect OS while everything else sucks is downright ludicrous. iOS is far from perfect.

Meanwhile, my wife is on her Nexus S, complaining because it's sending texts to the wrong people or (no joke) because her Gmail account got hacked through one of her apps. I love not having to worry about that stuff. I can just experience the beauty of the web without the hassles.

Because iTune accounts have never been hacked... oh wait.

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And the iPhone 4 sold almost 2 million in two days and was only available in 5 countries at launch. What of it?

3 million after 21 days. Don't exagerate. Also, the iPhone doesn't compete with 30 other models for people that like iOS. You either get the iPhone or switch platforms. Google Android being on a lot of manufacturers means that there is more consumer choice. It's pretty impressive that the SGS II managed to grab that big a portion of the Android pie on its own.

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I was wondering if anyone else thought that. Given that Google doesn't seem to be able to go 5 minutes at one of their GoogleI/O presentations without knocking Apple (and occasionally Steve himself) I think it's very likely the presentation included a lot of slams that would backfire at this point.

Considering Apple presentations are full of the same, are you surprised ? You reap what you sow...

 

[miggitymac]

And the iPhone 4 sold almost 2 million in two days and was only available in 5 countries at launch. What of it?

Your original argument was "the vast majority of the world shrugs and gives a collective "meh"."

Now you're turning it into a popularity contest...while their sales may not match Apple's, they're certainly not a "meh".

Maybe if you stepped outside your Apple bubble you'd see that.