Microsoft Microscope on Android and Apple

[Chris Davies]

The "concern" of open-source mobile operating system Android is not far from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's mind. Ramping up investments into a client operating system, Ballmer says the line between a phone and PC operating system is changing.
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[whtdrgn101]

Be afraid Steve... Be very afraid...

Seriously, my hope is that more device manufactures release Android devices and it can become a serious competitor. I'd love to see a big three (Apple, Google, and Microsoft). Blackberry jumping to Android themselves would be great but I'll settle for a big four (Apple, Blackberry, Google, and Microsoft).

Anyone have any predictions?

[jrdulog]

Android on a touchscreen BlackBerry with a qwerty? I want!

[jonulf]

My predictions are that within the next year or so, Android phones will take over the market as the big contender. Why? Because the iPhone, which is ONE device from ONE service provider is a wonderful phone, with great features. One of the nicest things about it, the OS. The only reason *I* never got an iPhone, was due to the limitation of only having a VK. Enter Android. Wonderful OS, same basic concept of apps. In the future it will be on MULTIPLE devices and MULTIPLE carriers. That's a fact, and though we just may be a 'blip' on the radar right now, I have full faith that Google and the OHA will take over the radar screen. Android will take over the mobile device market.

Second prediction. Android powered PCs and laptops. When this OS makes the leap, it will happen similar to mobile devices. It won't be limited to one device though. The only issue will be software compatibility, which will fall like Goliath with the amazing marketing strategies Google has. They'll line up several big name software companies and products behind them before they launch Android on computers (ie OHA). It'll happen, it's just a mater of time.

[Derrick]

Interesting... I agree with Jonulf about most of what he said. I would love to see an Android OS on PC. I would get that in a heartbeat.

[webrun]

That quirky green robot getting larger in your rearview mirror, eh Mr. Balmer?

You betcha!

[happyandyv]

Be afraid Steve... Be very afraid...

Seriously, my hope is that more device manufactures release Android devices and it can become a serious competitor. I'd love to see a big three (Apple, Google, and Microsoft). Blackberry jumping to Android themselves would be great but I'll settle for a big four (Apple, Blackberry, Google, and Microsoft).

Anyone have any predictions?

Ballmer has gone back and forth on this since google started pushing late summer last year..

Obviously with all of the hardware planned for Android and all of the devices with this firmware hacked onto it just for fun - it's well more than a blip. I meet people al the time now who are going to buy a G1 - We are just leaving the early adopter phase for the phone and the OS is only going to get stronger and more dynamic to the needs of the mobile world..

Anything Ballmer can say to give bump to winMo 6.5 and the recent hinting at winMo 7 in 2010, will be said.

[agentaaron]

Plain and simple...

i read awhile back that there are several large call centers that recently switched all their computers over to Linux to get away from the Microsoft licensing fee.

Im not sure if its the same for WinMo...but I would assume that the manufacturer probably pays a small licensing fee to sell phone with their OS...especially with our sorry economy right now. If you were a manufacturer, which would you take...especially now that Android is starting to mature and will most likely have full MS client access and everything else that WinMo/Apple offer for corporate use.

[gpo1]

I want more devices using andriod o/s on the market...

[bugmenot1]

it seems only like yesterday that Steve said that hes not worried about android in an interview, i give it another year and his going to be sh_ting Bricks.