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Android invasion: How much of it is hype?
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Google just announced it wants to make its Android mobile operating system more accessible and functional for enterprise users. And that news comes just days after San Francisco-based startup Touch Revolution claimed that some well-known companies will release Android-powered household devices this year.
On the handset side, T-Mobile USA just launched its second Android phone, the myTouch 3G--one of at least 18 phones running on Android that Google has promised will be in the market by the end of the year. But while Cellular South, Sprint Nextel and Verizon Wireless have said they will launch Android phones, T-Mobile so far remains the only U.S. carrier currently offering the platform.
All of this begs the question: How much of the Android invasion is hype?
Right now, the platform's potential remains untapped. Indeed, I think that there has been a lot of unjustified noise around Android of late. But all of the buildup and attention may well be worth it--if handset makers can produce Android phones that have unique and compelling user experiences.
In a recent interview with FierceWireless, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse said the carrier's decision to hop on the Android bandwagon was prompted by advances in the platform and applications as well as the maturity of the hardware. "We didn't want to launch a new platform with its brand before it was really ready for primetime," he said. "We thought a year ago it was premature, and we don't any more."
Handset makers are beginning to craft Android in unique ways. HTC, which is currently the most active handset maker in the Android market, took a big step forward with its Sense software. The software, which will be available on the Hero--its latest Android phone--as well as all HTC Android devices going forward, will allow users to, among other things, put a contact's photo alongside their text messages, emails and call history in a single view, and to have customizable, push-based widgets like weather, Twitter and email. And there are indications Motorola too is going to differentiate its Android phones by adding push software.
The upside to having so many handset makers rushing into the Android market is that the odds go up that the offerings will be differentiated enough to stand out. By the end of the year, I'd like to see the handset makers that are producing Android phones bring the platform up to par with that of Windows Mobile, Symbian and other smartphone operating systems in terms of variety on form factors and features. They should take a page from HTC's playbook and come up with software that gives their Android phones both flare and value to users.
Google obviously has to beat the drum for Android, and clearly has high hopes for the platform. And handset makers have an incentive to avoid "me-too" phones that offer the same user experience as the G1. I'll be watching to see how it plays out. --Phil
More stories about T-Mobile USA Sprint Sony Ericsson Smartphones samsung Motorola lg electronics HTC Google Dan Hesse Cellular South Verizon Wireless
Comments
Posted by Fred Stein | August 5, 2009 - 1:58pm
Invasion? Ah, we love military metaphors, do or die struggles, or "who will 'kill' the iPhone. That said, the RIM has a very strong franchise in the enterprise because 1) They've been around longer with a solution for busy, traveling, executives, CEO's and heads of state; And 2) They've been actively courting enterprise ISVs and SaaS providers to expand that business. Apple is in a strong position because higher income people love their iPhones and will use them for their business or government communication. ISVs love iPhone beacause your 40M devices and one cool SDK - great ROI. So IT will have to support iPhones.
After that, we have many platforms. Android is just one. Oops, Android is many flavors of one. Thus creates an ROI problems for ISVs and SaaS suppliers to test on many platforms. It creates a similar burden on IT departments, who will resist.
Android will do very well despite the above. I predict it will follow a similar pattern as UNIX, which grew steadily with many variants for decades. Now with Linux and LAMP UNIX has achieved the high volume standard to make it a major force in the industry. I would not hazard a prediction for when Android will achieve that level of industry power.
Posted by Christopher Dean | August 5, 2009 - 8:58pm
I truly believe most of the hype of Android is provided by Google. Hardware designers and manufactures enjoy the low cost involved with Android, but the consumer looses out in the end. Because Google is in the business to push technology further, and not just to make money; I applaud their efforts. However, what the common user doesn't understand is that from a programmers point of view, Android is a barrier. Many programmers that write in native code such as c/or c++ (like for Windows Mobile and the Iphone), lose interest when they learn that they have no way to program naively with Android. Currently only supporting the Java programming language, is hurting the programmers ability to use the potential stored within the underlying hardware running Android. I'm not saying that you won't see great phones running Android, with great applications. But I am saying you won't see innovation come to the platform as quickly as it reaches other devices that can run native code. Programmers will have to wait for google to periodically update its' OS with new features. One Day Android may be the best, but for now, it is still like riding a bike with training wheels, when you're 25. I just am looking forward to seeing what all this competition in the mobile market will do to mobile devices in general. I can already run a partial google android on my windows mobile phone from almost two years ago. I think google should stick to the Web! As a programmer who has a large database of c++ code that will port to the Iphone and Windows Mobile, but not to Android; I don't plan to get carried away by google's attempt at an invasion.
P.S. If Android would have supported native code we wouldn't have had to wait for the HTC Hero to see HTC's SenseUI! lol they would have been able to just port TouchFlo3D. Or could have Built Something even better from the pre-existing code. Like I said Android will be playing catch-up for a very long time....)
Posted by ants prokop | August 6, 2009 - 4:16am
With regard to Christopher's comments on c/c++ code, there is now an Android 1.5 NDK available that goes some way to addressing this issue. 'The NDK allows developers to implement parts of their applications using native-code languages such as C and C++.' See the developer android site for details.
I agree with Fred, Android will be a force that needs to be taken seriously, it's just a matter of when.
Posted by no one | August 7, 2009 - 1:09pm
google is playing it smart, they are modeling there distribution after MS. they build the OS and OEM's put it on there hardware. For free no less. its a matter of time before android the open source OS not the closed iPhone will dominate the worlds phones and other devices.
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