Google, Apple Face Off

[RegGuheert]

Google, Apple Face Off video.

[LazyGenius]

lets have this face off again next year when more android devices drop and android has had some time to develop....

[ministersin]

So much for accurate journalism. They say iPhone has sold 20 million units, while G1 has only sold a million.

Hmmm. Well that's correct. If you count every iPhone sold since 2007 when it came out. Let's remember that the first time out (original iPhone) they only sold just over 6 million units TOTAL. Over the life of the phone. TOTAL.

We'll see how many Android phones have been sold 2 years from now. Then we'll talk.

[JaceMan]

Where would things stand if the Android and iPhone had landed at the same time? Or where would things stand if Android had enjoyed a long, successful run as the top consumer electronics (mp3 player) device and decided to go ahead and package it as a phone?

What is clear is that we're comparing apples to oranges. On the flip side, "ifs" and "buts" don't turn oranges into apples either. From my seat, I'm watching and waiting. I think it's too early to declare a winner, and in all honesty -- I hope that we NEVER declare one. Competition is a pretty good thing for the consumer.

[NPS_CA]

It's a lame argument;

Apple is the sole provider of iPhone, whereas the Android ecosystem is multiple partners; right now really HTC, but also Samsung, Motorola and others not far behind.

Android is what Symbian and other OS's was to be; a neutral OS that any mfr could adopt. That alone and the ability to modify the source fully while not really having to pay for the OS will ensure Android over time will clearly outsell iPhone. Symbian's issue was too much cohesion with Nokia and some other stakeholders.

From a specific device point of view iPhone *WILL* always be a large volume device; but it won't be able to compete against a dozen Android devices by Q1 next year.

If anything Apple set the stage for carriers to wake up and realize that crummy SMS, terrible web browsing and limited applications weren't going to move the market forward. What Apple has done is what MANY in the mobile phone industry wanted to do; bring PC/Mac style use cases to the phone market. You have to give credit to Apple for taking their success in the desktop space and pushing a device out that was VERY close to the offering they provided on the desktop - something MS failed to do for years. WinMo was capable but poorly executed from a marketing point of view.

Apple basically hit reset on the cell phone/smartphone market that usability not just functionality was key... Get that right then functionality will follow. Android rides off those same notions; all the handset guys know it and are either in the Android camp or doing similar aligned work. The carriers balked at this 5 years ago ; trust me I was calling on them. They were arrogant, greedy and just in plain denial what the customer base wanted. Things have changed and Android will be a big part of it along with iPhone, Pre and the newer BB devices.

[OKC-G1]

LOL, iphone has sold over 20 million...

who cares, its been out for MORE THAN A 7 Months! apples to oranges..dumb lady

[ole_rascal]

...I think it's too early to declare a winner, and in all honesty -- I hope that we NEVER declare one. Competition is a pretty good thing for the consumer.

agreed. competition drives innovation.

[DaYuMu6ft7]

I just want to say....


Bleh!


(I also liked what Jace & NPS_CA had to say)

[xdavidn88]

Damn, we got owned.

[Crashdamage]

This Apple/Google-Android thing is gonna play out much like Mac/Windows did. Apple does the initial innovation and gains a big early advantage with cool features and hardware. But their OS system is tightly controlled and available on Apple hardware only. Then Windows (Android) comes along with something similar but that can be installed on hardware from any manufacturer, resulting in a lower total cost and almost unlimited choices.

Poof! - Apple's early advantage evaporates as quickly as a cup of ether in the hot sun. It's happening all over again to Apple. Trying to control the OS and hardware too tightly will eventually cost 'em. Also reminds me of the old Beta vs VHS battle, lost by Sony/Beta for the same reasons.

In all applications - mobile OS, desktops, servers, you name it - Linux in one form or another is slowly but surely doing to both M$ and Apple what M$ did to Apple all those years ago. Lower cost on a wider variety of hardware will result in a bigger market.

I guess no matter how good Steve Jobs is at looking forward at future products, he'll never learn from the past. Too bad, 'cause NPS_CA is right that no doubt, Apple's iPhone was the driving force in the creation of Android, the G1 and all the similar smartphones yet to come. We should give a solemn nod of respect to the iPhone for that, at least.

Not that I'd ever buy one...