MacDailyNews Take: Hopefully, Cody hasn’t failed to factor in what an iPhone on Verizon would do to Google. Alas, from reading ahead, it sounds like he has. Look at markets where Apple has gone from a single exclusive carrier to multiple carriers, Cody. It ain’t pretty for Google’s Android. In fact, it’s a bloodbath.
Willard continues, “Those passionate fan base are creating the self-sustaining virtuous cycle called the ‘network effect’ which means that as more people spend more time on a network (in this case, an iPhone or an Android), the more developers will focus on that network and create more and better products for that network which drives more people to that network.”
MacDailyNews Take: Android’s big toe hold is in the U.S. on Verizon. Why is that? Because Verizon doesn’t yet have Apple’s iPhone. When iPhone goes to multiple carriers in the U.S., Google’s Android will feel the pain.
Willard continues, “In this case we’re talking about a platform instead of an outright network, but the concept remains the same — you gotta get to critical mass and only Nokia, Apple and Google have reached critical mass in the smartphone wars. Stick with Google and Apple as they take marketshare from everybody else and are the de facto standards already in the next phase of networking.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Be careful not to ascribe Google Android’s “success” to much more than the absence of Apple’s iPhone. Apple can (and likely will), in one fell swoop, cut Android off at the knees. Google possesses no such capability. People covet iPhones. They only settle for Android phones when no iPhone is available.
Please see:
• Bloomberg: Verizon Wireless to get Apple iPhone in January 2011 – June 29, 2010
• Survey shows significant number of Verizon customers covet Apple iPhones – May 24, 2010
• Survey: Verizon customers suffer from iPhone jealousy – May 10, 2010
• ChangeWave: Majority of Verizon customers want iPhones – May 05, 2010
• Verizon CEO asks Steve Jobs for right to carry Apple’s revolutionary iPhone – April 06, 2010
• Verizon CEO: We’re interested in iPhone, ball entirely in Apple’s court – October 26, 2009
