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I don't think Apple can keep up while still staying as profitable.

As big as they are, they aren't as big (nor as talented) a software company as Google and they aren't as big (nor as talented) a hardware manufacturer as Samsung, Motorola, HTC, etc...either combined or apart.

As such, I think Apple is limited in what they can offer. Look at how long tethering and copy and paste took? The main new feature in iOS4 was facetime video chat. They don't have many other places to go unless they start offering the same options already found on other platforms like widgets, etc.

You honestly think Google is a better software company than Apple? Really?
 
Dude, verizon and sprint are just 2 wireless companies in the u.s., you really think they sell that many android handsets to positively affect worldwide market share? Sure, selling a CDMA iPhone on those carriers will take away some sales on those carriers, but worldwide won't effect much android market share over iOS. In other countries there isn't this whole network superiority thing like here where verizon "is the best" and stick with it. In other countries the gsm networks are more mature than the CDMA counterparts and provide similar if not superior coverage. Over there the battle is more with the plans and pricing and handsets available, adding an iPhone to those CDMA carriers won't do much to swing market over to iOS. And people need to stop saying the iPhone is only available on one carrier, it's available in most countries on multiple carriers, just like android devices.
 
Dude, verizon and sprint are just 2 wireless companies in the u.s., you really think they sell that many android handsets to positively affect worldwide market share? Sure, selling a CDMA iPhone on those carriers will take away some sales on those carriers, but worldwide won't effect much android market share over iOS. In other countries there isn't this whole network superiority thing like here where verizon "is the best" and stick with it. In other countries the gsm networks are more mature than the CDMA counterparts and provide similar if not superior coverage. Over there the battle is more with the plans and pricing and handsets available, adding an iPhone to those CDMA carriers won't do much to swing market over to iOS. And people need to stop saying the iPhone is only available on one carrier, it's available in most countries on multiple carriers, just like android devices.

you're missing the point. Leaving Android unchecked on Verizon allows it to grow and develop with absolutely nothing stopping it. It's not a matter of how many phones they manage to sell but rather that it increases the Android brand mindshare among the public. Before Android was on Verizon, most of the public was like Android what?, now a good chunk of the public has some idea of what Android is. It's like allowing mold to grow unchecked in your fridge. At first it only spoils one or two food items but soon enough it might be all over your fridge.

As for the importance of the US cellphone market in the global environment, it is debatable. But remember that the US has the largest proportion of richer customers (compared to other countries around the world) who are more than willing to shell out for $30/month data plans so one way or another, we will play a big role in smartphone development in the future. That's why the US market is still more important than China's or India's market because we have a much larger number of customers who will pay for expensive smartphones and data plans even though the latter countries have much larger populations. That's why it is important to appreciate the dynamics of the US carriers in terms of what phones they carry.
 
People arguing against the success of a Verizon iPhone are seriously short sighted.

1) Verizon has 90 million customers, a good chunk who will gladly purchase the iPhone during the first week of release (2-3 million guaranteed during the first week). Remember, 50% of worldwide iPhone sales are in the US. Now imagine that number carry over to a new iPhone release=$$$.

2) there is a huge ancillary benefit to releasing a Verizon iPhone and that is the ability for Apple to put a stop to the Android machine. In fact, I believe that the reason Android had any growth over the past few years is solely due to the fact that the iPhone is not available on Verizon. I can guarantee you that once we have the iPhone on Verizon, the Droid is going to be like a forgotten stepchild from a previous marriage.

People arguing against the success of a Verizon iPhone just want something to argue about. Verizon itself has posted numbers that would switch to an iPhone if made available. If even 1/4 of them did that, it would be successful. Per Jobs' poor little ego being bruised by Verizon's pushing Android so hard, so what? Money talks, bulls**t walks, period. I'm not sure you could kick me hard enough to create a bruise that couldn't be smoothed over by a few hundred million dollars.

I also don't think there's any chance of Apple stopping Android at this point. Android is available on (almost) every carrier, usually there are several variants available with all kinds of price points and it's as good a phone as the iPhone, it's just different. What's Apple have? One phone at one price on one carrier. If Apple gets it's act together and stops acting like something it's not and now never will be, it may be able to effectively compete against Android. But stop it? Zero chance. Zero.
 
Yeah search and ad software.
They're nowhere near up to Apples level.

The only software that apple makes that doesn't suck is MacOS and Garage band.

Google has:
Gmail (revolutionary)
Google Maps (revolutionary)
Google Earth (revolutionary)
Android (revolutionary)
Google Voice (awesome)
Google Search (rules the entire internet)
Google Apps (free web apps that actually work well)
Google Chat (video chat, voice chat, sms and even phone chat)
Chrome, etc.....

Apple on the other hand?
Quicktime - old and buggy. The last thing they did correctly was adopt the H.264 codec
Itunes - Sucks. Nuff
iOS - would be great if it weren't completely locked down

There is no contest. Apple changed computing (years after Microsoft revolutionized it) with their software.... Google changed the entire world with theirs.
 
The only software that apple makes that doesn't suck is MacOS and Garage band.

Google has:
Gmail (revolutionary)
Google Maps (revolutionary)
Google Earth (revolutionary)
Android (revolutionary)
Google Voice (awesome)
Google Search (rules the entire internet)
Google Apps (free web apps that actually work well)
Google Chat (video chat, voice chat, sms and even phone chat)
Chrome, etc.....

Apple on the other hand?
Quicktime - old and buggy. The last thing they did correctly was adopt the H.264 codec
Itunes - Sucks. Nuff
iOS - would be great if it weren't completely locked down

There is no contest. Apple changed computing (years after Microsoft revolutionized it) with their software.... Google changed the entire world with theirs.

Google's great with webapps and web interfaces. But frankly, they've never built an OS from the ground up which is a completely different ball game. Apple has them beat on that by a mile. Compare the user experience of Android phones and an iPhone and you'll immediately recognize how much smoother and cohesive the experience is on the iPhone. Apps are much more uniform and pleasing and the OS never skips a beat. Android on the other hand still feels like a beta product with each skin and variation that OEMs chose to add making it feel even more beta. Now that isn't to say that Android is all bad (I'm using the Droid X right now) but it still isn't up to the standard set by the iPhone.
 
The iphone ships 1 model in the premium price range.

There are hundreds of droids across different production companies across different carriers at different price points. Dont expect the iphone to be able to keep up market share wise over the next few years, it will still be immensely popular, but android is too vast.
 
Google's great with webapps and web interfaces. But frankly, they've never built an OS from the ground up which is a completely different ball game. Apple has them beat on that by a mile. Compare the user experience of Android phones and an iPhone and you'll immediately recognize how much smoother and cohesive the experience is on the iPhone. Apps are much more uniform and pleasing and the OS never skips a beat. Android on the other hand still feels like a beta product with each skin and variation that OEMs chose to add making it feel even more beta. Now that isn't to say that Android is all bad (I'm using the Droid X right now) but it still isn't up to the standard set by the iPhone.


Well said.
Google can't even come close to the software quality or game changing experience that Apple has in that field.
Webapps, searching and toolbars don't even compare.
 
Well said.
Google can't even come close to the software quality or game changing experience that Apple has in that field.
Webapps, searching and toolbars don't even compare.

Agreed. Thing is, Android is becoming the Windows of mobile devices, big specs on paper to impress people but with lackluster performance that leaves so much to be desired. I am seriously impressed that the iPhone 4 can compete against phones with 1GB of RAM and 1GHz or more CPU... the iPhone barely has 800MHz and 512MB and it squashes the competition over and over.

Not only that, but the OS is much much responsive as stated by the above poster.
 
Google's great with webapps and web interfaces. But frankly, they've never built an OS from the ground up which is a completely different ball game.

Why are fanboys so blind, uninformed, or have a selective memory?

Android is an operating system. A young one. Chrome is an operating system, a young one. So your statement is wrong. Operating systems are among the many software products that google makes.

Apple has them beat on that by a mile. Compare the user experience of Android phones and an iPhone and you'll immediately recognize how much smoother and cohesive the experience is on the iPhone.

Apparently, most people purchasing smartphones disagree with you.... or have you forgotten that iOS now trails Android in activations and growth? Either way, your comment is a subjective opinion.

Apps are much more uniform and pleasing and the OS never skips a beat.
Lol, um no. This forum, like all forums, is filled with people who have complaints and problems with the iPhone. Another factually incorrect statement.
Android on the other hand still feels like a beta product with each skin and variation that OEMs chose to add making it feel even more beta. Now that isn't to say that Android is all bad (I'm using the Droid X right now) but it still isn't up to the standard set by the iPhone.

The merits of the iOS interface vs Android's interface are in the eye of the beholder. For example, there are a lot of people on this forum who wish iOS would adopt Android's notification system, and even more who wish Apple would add widgets. Your opinion is just that, your own opinion.

The discussion at hand is which company makes better software. I listed several google products which are the best pieces of software in the world at what they do. Apple doesn't even have one piece of software which is the best in the world at what it does.

• Android has better/more features than iOS (and always will as long as Uncle Steve is running Apple)
• MacOS has been eclipsed by Linux and even Windows 7
• Garage Band (which I mentioned earlier) cannot hold a candle to Pro-tools or even Adobe's music software.

There is no contest. Google is WAY better at software than Apple, who even struggle with making iOS multi-task appropriately. The best apps for iOS/MacOS are made by companies other than Apple. That is how it always has been. Even the best app on iPhone is made by google (google maps).

Sorry man, face facts.
 
Sorry man, face facts.

Dont get me wrong Google has done some nice work with Android, dont know how well Chrome OS will hold up or if it will take off but we will see.
But Gmail, Google maps and other webapps you listed are nowhere near revolutionary and cant touch the legacy or software capabilities of Apple in general.
But again if Android, the droid phones and such that you saying were really that great you wouldnt be here browsing an iphone section:D
 
Why are fanboys so blind, uninformed, or have a selective memory?

Android is an operating system. A young one. Chrome is an operating system, a young one. So your statement is wrong. Operating systems are among the many software products that google makes...

I find it comical that someone who calls others fanboys doesn't realize how huge a Google fanboy he/she is. I mean just look at the way you talk/make arguments. Its freaking hilarious.

Google didn't even develop Android, they bought it along with it's developers from small startup called Android inc and whereas Apple built iOS/MacOS from the ground up.

Also, you're gonna claim that Google is a better software dev than Apple based on an OS that doesnt even really exist yet?

and issue statements like
"• MacOS has been eclipsed by Linux and even Windows 7". "Even the best app on iPhone is made by google (google maps)."

lol, thanks i needed a good laugh today.

Come on man. If you're gonna accuse others of being fanboys at least be self aware enough to call yourself one too.

The only software that apple makes that doesn't suck is MacOS and Garage band.

Google has:
Gmail (revolutionary)
Google Maps (revolutionary)
Google Earth (revolutionary)
Android (revolutionary)
Google Voice (awesome)
Google Search (rules the entire internet)
Google Apps (free web apps that actually work well)
Google Chat (video chat, voice chat, sms and even phone chat)
Chrome, etc.....

Apple on the other hand?
Quicktime - old and buggy. The last thing they did correctly was adopt the H.264 codec
Itunes - Sucks. Nuff
iOS - would be great if it weren't completely locked down

There is no contest. Apple changed computing (years after Microsoft revolutionized it) with their software.... Google changed the entire world with theirs.

You sound like you're under Google's payroll!

Either way, your comment is a subjective opinion.

Pot, meet kettle.
 
I see. The small portion of CDMA subscribers in India have the cash to pay $700 bucks for a phone.

Can they swap a SIM as easily as they could with a GSM phone?

Because this is common practice out here.

I love how you assume that only the US, Thailand and India have CDMA networks.

Japan? AU by KDDI is the second largest carrier in Japan- 20+ million subscribers. China? 570 million people currently subscribe to China Mobile, which started its CDMA 3G network last year. Even if only a tenth of its current user base lives in a covered area and switches over to the 3G network, plenty of potential customers.

There are rich and poor people in all countries. Some people in India and China are poor, yes. There are however many middle class/rich people as well, who can afford iPhones on contract. Not everybody buys them off contract :rolleyes:

Yes, they can swap SIMs. They're called R-UIMs. I had one in Japan (au) and swapped em round when I bought a new phone.
 
What legacy software are you talking about? Name names (which you cannot, as apple hasn't ever put out anything truly amazing)

Dont get me wrong Google has done some nice work with Android, dont know how well Chrome OS will hold up or if it will take off but we will see.
But Gmail, Google maps and other webapps you listed are nowhere near revolutionary and cant touch the legacy or software capabilities of Apple in general.
Um, yes they are. Ask anyone. Google maps alone is a marvel of software engineering. Apple has never in its history put out any software nearly as revolutionary.

I would guess that maybe 97 out of 100 people on this forum use google maps.

But again if Android, the droid phones and such that you saying were really that great you wouldnt be here browsing an iphone section:D

Is there a point here? I don't have an iPhone, I do have a Vibrant and I browse those forums as well (a lot less whining over there). Its a free internet.

Google didn't even develop Android, they bought it along with it's developers from small startup called Android inc and whereas Apple built iOS/MacOS from the ground up.
You're splitting hairs. MacOS is currently built over Unix (it isn't as nearly 'ground up' as you claim). Android was a simple phone handset OS (a la early Symbian) until google bought it. You're not going to sit there and suggest to me that Android, Inc had push notification and google apps back in 2005 before google bought them, are you?
Either way it is a moot issue. It is still Google software, and so my point stands.

Also, you're gonna claim that Google is a better software dev than Apple based on an OS that doesnt even really exist yet?
Uh, Chrome exists, and there are already people running it. Get your facts straight.

and issue statements like
lol, thanks i needed a good laugh today.
Come on man. If you're gonna accuse others of being fanboys at least be self aware enough to call yourself one too.

You sound like you're under Google's payroll!

Pot, meet kettle.

I'm sure it seems like that to people who think that Apple can do no wrong. Again... either way, my point still stands. Google is definitively a better, more talented software company than Apple ever has been.

I'm still waiting for someone to chime in with names or titles of Apple software that is 'amazing'.

I'm all ears. If Apple really puts out Google-level software then I legitimately want to learn what it is.
 
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I'm still waiting for someone to chime in with names or titles of Apple software that is 'amazing'.

I'm all ears. If Apple really puts out Google-level software then I legitimately want to learn what it is.

They both put out great products. There is a reason both companies have fan boys. Does it really warrant an argument that has lasted this long? nah
 
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Hey, Tarzanman, guess what? Android is based on Linux. As is Chrome OS. Not only that, but much of Android's UI is derived from iOS. You know, the UI that was designed by The Astonishing Tribe. How about that sweet Android browser? It's based on WebKit, made by Apple. If you truly think Android would exist in the same form you see today without the iPhone or iOS, you're delusional.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't hate Android or Google and they do make some amazing products, but enough with the broad, sweeping statements that don't make much sense. To say that Apple has never truly created anything amazing is disingenuous when you use a phone that borrows so heavily from the iPhone.
 
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Hey, Tarzanman, guess what? Android is based on Linux. As is Chrome OS. Not only that, but much of Android's UI is derived from iOS. You know, the UI that was designed by The Astonishing Tribe. How about that sweet Android browser? It's based on WebKit, made by Apple. If you truly think Android would exist in the same form you see today without the iPhone or iOS, you're delusional.

Stop trying to changing the argument. The argument was whether Google or Apple is the better software company. Even if you take away Android or webkit (which was a simple rendering engine before RIM, Nokia and yes, Google got their hands on it), or even Chrome then that leaves Google Maps, Gmail, Google Apps, Google Earth etc. Its not even a contest.

Now, don't get me wrong, I don't hate Android or Google and they do make some amazing products, but enough with the broad, sweeping statements that don't make much sense. To say that Apple has never truly created anything amazing is disingenuous when you use a phone that borrows so heavily from the iPhone.

Again, you're putting words into my mouth. I already said that Garage Band was good and that MacOS is very decent. That is two programs that compared to a dozen that Google makes.

If you don't want the argument to continue, then stop trying to defend a position that is clearly incorrect. Apple is (demonstrably) less talented at software than Google is. You have my examples already... I keep asking for your examples, but curiously, no one is stepping up and offering any.

Put up, or face facts.
 
Mac OS, Webkit, Garageband, iOS, Logic, Final Cut, Pages, Keynote...

I could go on, but it's pointless. You were the one to claim that since OS X wasn't built from the ground up by Apple, that it was a point of inferiority to Google. I wasn't changing the argument at all, you did that.
 
Mac OS, Webkit, Garageband, iOS, Logic, Final Cut, Pages, Keynote...

I could go on, but it's pointless. You were the one to claim that since OS X wasn't built from the ground up by Apple, that it was a point of inferiority to Google. I wasn't changing the argument at all, you did that.

i like this guy! :)
 
Blah, blah, blah ... Apple is (demonstrably) less talented at software than Google is. You have my examples already... I keep asking for your examples, but curiously, no one is stepping up and offering any.

Put up, or face facts.

You're joking, right? Google has created some amazing software, but so far as I can tell Google's vision now is to replicate Apple's and Microsoft's existing software on the cloud, where Google can mercilessly invade our privacy. That's not innovation. It's derivation.
 
Is there a point here? I don't have an iPhone, I do have a Vibrant and I browse those forums as well (a lot less whining over there). Its a free internet.

Point is you're obviously interested in the iPhone or you wouldn't be here. Don't lie to yourself:D
You won't see me registering or posting at a blackberry or droid forum.
Seems like you're trying to convince yourself that android and google is better than the Apple iPhone.
 
Fragmentation is the biggest concern. It's easy to say that androids os is growing because it is on so many devices. However you run into the problem of fragmentation of the os. So many phones with different features and different os versions creates a huge problem for developers. Ultimately a developer wants to hit as much of the market as possible. With the iPhone you have an update phone and a standard os for people to update to. Half of the phone is the marketplace it sits on.

It's hilarious when Apple sheep keep regurgitating Steve Jobs BS in an attempt to sound like they know what they're talking about. Fragmentation is the most overblown BS in the mobile phone industry. Steve Jobs is shaking like a French soldier as Android is growing faster than anyone thought possible. It's a really weak argument on Apple's part. Hey we only have one model of phone so we're better.
 
Wow, such truthiness and laughable hyperbole from all sides! May as well state how they can make coffee, drive your car and turn straw into gold given all the rest of the abject crap floating around in this bowl. :D
 
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