Android Chokes Out the Competition

[mrengine]

Android is growing, no doubt about that. But just how much and how fast can still sometimes be quite surprising. The latest numbers coming from IDC reveal that Android smartphone shipments comprise almost 85 percent of the world's output, not an insignificant 33 percent increase from almost 80 percent from the same period last year.

While we rejoice at Android's dominance in the smartphone market, we should also pause to think about possible scenarios that the future might hold. With a practical stranglehold on the market, Google is in the position to be the Microsoft/Windows of smartphones.

[androidcommunity.com...]

[martinibuster]

Comparison to Microsoft/Windows is out of line. There is no comparison. Android is open source and an open community. Anyone can modify it any way they choose. That freedom and the fact that it's well engineered are reasons to account for its popularity with handset makers. Microsoft is not open source but they're fairly developer friendly when compared to Apple. Apple keeps a tight lid on everything associated with its products with more restrictions than Microsoft.

I believe Android is the least restrictive system. That's better for developers, better for hardware manufacturers, better for progress and ultimately better for consumers.

Apple offers niche lifestyle products. That's the role Apple chooses for themselves in all of their products from day one. That's what accounts for their inevitable marginalization. It's the corner they paint themselves into.

[ronin]

We should not forget about - nor be too quick to write off - little Firefox OS...

[dstiles]

It is also no coincidence that android is the most-hacked and iphone the most secure.

[martinibuster]

The most secure? Is being insecure how Android is choking out the competition?

There's nothing about Apple engineering that makes Apple more secure than any other device. Their popularity has made them a target for hackers now.

My devices have been hacked. What do I do?
http://discussions.apple.com/thread/6270410 [discussions.apple.com]

iPhone hacker uncovers undocumented iOS backdoors
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/390148,iphone-hacker-uncovers-undocumented-ios-backdoors.aspx [itnews.com.au]

The point is that the comparison of Android to Windows doesn't work. If anything Apple is more like Windows. Android is more attractive to manufacturers, consumers love it and Apple is helping Android gain market share by marginalizing itself in the marketplace. It's a popular product but Apple is losing popularity and marginalizing itself. I'm not crapping on Apple products. They're fine and innovative products. I just happen to think their marketing works great for creating an emotional attachment to hardware. Until the competition catches up. Then the strategy begins to suck in the long run.

[dstiles]

It is a fact that iphones are subject to fewer successful attacks UNLESS jailbroken. Androids are well known for collecting any odd virus or compromise going. My observation was in reply to your comment "Android is the least restrictive system..." etc.

[turbocharged]

With a practical stranglehold on the market, Google is in the position to be the Microsoft/Windows of smartphones.

I always find these references to Google as possibly becoming something like Microsoft was years ago quite amusing. If I recall correctly, there was a lot of press about Microsoft bundling their web browser with Windows. That landed them in court on antitrust charges because they were giving away their browser for free. Fast forward to today where Google not only controls much of the smartphone market, but also online video, online E-mail, search and their web browser is dominant as well.

If the author is only worried about Google becoming the Microsoft of the smartphone market, he has very narrow vision. Instead he should be more concerned how Google is using its dominance in many different areas to manipulate the entire digital economy.