Android Fragmentation
So, it is unfortunately obvious that Google doesn't think there's an Android fragmentation problem. That's a crying shame, but I was thinking about how to fix the problem and I came up with an idea.
Frankly, there is no real incentive for a manufacturer to update OS versions rapidly, especially for phones that are end-of-life on the production scale. The handset makers have already collected all their money on those phones, so what's the incentive to improve the experience for existing users when you could simply try and sell them a new phone? Really, what's the point? Where's the incentive.
So, I have a thought, what if Google took some of their 30% commission on Android Marketplace sales (the software developers keep the other 70...
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Frankly, there is no real incentive for a manufacturer to update OS versions rapidly, especially for phones that are end-of-life on the production scale. The handset makers have already collected all their money on those phones, so what's the incentive to improve the experience for existing users when you could simply try and sell them a new phone? Really, what's the point? Where's the incentive.
So, I have a thought, what if Google took some of their 30% commission on Android Marketplace sales (the software developers keep the other 70...
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Fragmentation is something that needs to be addressed, but it's not the game breaking issue that some people make it out to be.
For the average consumer, they don't know, much less care, what version of android they're running, or what benefits the newer versions bring. All they cared about is when they bought the phone it did a lot of cool stuff that they found useful. Sure, they might get angry that they can't do live wallpapers, but if engadget and various newspapers stopped running articles about fragmentation every other week.. the number of people who "care" would be significantly lower.
I think a large part of the people complaining about fragmentation don't even KNOW what the next version of the software brings, they have n...
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For the average consumer, they don't know, much less care, what version of android they're running, or what benefits the newer versions bring. All they cared about is when they bought the phone it did a lot of cool stuff that they found useful. Sure, they might get angry that they can't do live wallpapers, but if engadget and various newspapers stopped running articles about fragmentation every other week.. the number of people who "care" would be significantly lower.
I think a large part of the people complaining about fragmentation don't even KNOW what the next version of the software brings, they have n...
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I agree with you about the number envy thing. It's the same with BB's; when you go over to Crackberry/BBforums everyone is obsessed with what number their software is when the truth is their phones run perfectly fine just the way they are. It was great when they bought it but all of a sudden it isn't? What the hell is that?
On another note I think it's great, maybe even "magical" that Google releases updates as fast as they do, especially compared to crApple. It shows the platform is healthy and evolving at a rapid clip. The IPHONE better start watching it's back
'cuz Android is coming fast.
On another note I think it's great, maybe even "magical" that Google releases updates as fast as they do, especially compared to crApple. It shows the platform is healthy and evolving at a rapid clip. The IPHONE better start watching it's back
'cuz Android is coming fast.
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iamajim said:
I agree with you about the number envy thing. It's the same with BB's; when you go over to Crackberry/BBforums everyone is obsessed with what number their software is when the truth is their phones run perfectly fine just the way they are. It was great when they bought it but all of a sudden it isn't? What the hell is that?
On another note I think it's great, maybe even "magical" that Google releases updates as fast as they do, especially compared to crApple. It shows the platform is healthy and evolving at a rapid clip. The IPHONE better start watching it's back
'cuz Android is coming fast.
It's not that Apple can't make releases to match features of the Android platform. It's that...
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I understand your points, it's just that I'd prefer to deal with the open source Android than the closed Apple OS. This isn't a knock on the OS which by all accounts is quite elegant and easy to use, it's a reflection on the business model Apple chooses to follow, most likely driven top down my the megalomaniac in charge over there. I've worked in environments like that and it's not pretty imo.
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I agree with you on the numbers game and that tech blogger folks make it TOO big of an issue right now, but it's hard to claim that consumers won't notice a difference in the marketplace if their phones don't get upgraded. While there are only minor differences from one Android version to the next, the functionality differences when jumping two generations are very, very significant. Compare 1.5 to 2.0 or 2.0 to 2.2 and tell me Joe Schmuck in West Virginia can't tell the difference! It's huge.
Your idea about building hype around a "Google Experience" brand has some value, but in a $97 iPhone 3GS world (Walmart) there really isn't anything a marketing scheme could do to add a perceived $50 value increase to the purchase price of an And...
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Your idea about building hype around a "Google Experience" brand has some value, but in a $97 iPhone 3GS world (Walmart) there really isn't anything a marketing scheme could do to add a perceived $50 value increase to the purchase price of an And...
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What I meant by premium is basically non google experience devices would be something like 99 or 149 while google experience devices would be the 199 price point.
And I can tell you that the dozen or so people I know with the Eris, very few of them knew what 2.1 brought them until I showed it to them. Heck, half didn't even know Google had gps built in on ANY phones.
And I can tell you that the dozen or so people I know with the Eris, very few of them knew what 2.1 brought them until I showed it to them. Heck, half didn't even know Google had gps built in on ANY phones.
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You think the avg consumer doesn't care about the latest version Android, which is probably true, *until* they come across somebody like you or me who *does* have the latest version, and they see what we can do that they can't, such as multitouch, or in 2.2 wifi tethering.
This stuff about carriers *approving* software updates really pisses me off, the carrier didn't make the phone, and most carriers, especially those in the U.S. aren't innovative, so I say LEAVE the innovation to the handset & software makers. And let the carriers concentrate on one single thing: the network.
This stuff about carriers *approving* software updates really pisses me off, the carrier didn't make the phone, and most carriers, especially those in the U.S. aren't innovative, so I say LEAVE the innovation to the handset & software makers. And let the carriers concentrate on one single thing: the network.
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Speak of the devil.. I just got a very upset customer because he is sure that we have the 2.2 OS and are just not letting HIM personally use it on his phone.. He told me that VZW was giving 2.2 to others but not him.
I asked him why he wanted the 2.2 so bad and he really had no idea why he wanted it except "to have the most updated two point whatever thinggy"
Sad it has started already. :-/
I asked him why he wanted the 2.2 so bad and he really had no idea why he wanted it except "to have the most updated two point whatever thinggy"
Sad it has started already. :-/
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