“There’s something wrong in Android land,” Glyn Williams writes for Quora. “The idea behind Android was simple. Google would make its own software version of Blackberry, encourage everyone to sign up to the free software. This would suck mobile eyeballs into the Googleverse, like a super-massive black-hole pulling in every star in the Galaxy. Google would get all the views. And it would screw over Microsoft and RIM. Later on, Google, switched the Blackberry goal for iPhone and things really took off! Flash-forward by half a decade and things got both incredibly good and incredibly bad at the same time.”
“Something funny happened with the business. It split in a weird way. The wealthy eyeballs all got Apple phones. So the really big profits all vanished from the market. But then at the low-end of the market, there was competition. Really really serious competition.
“The top end of the market lost ground to Apple, the bottom end lost ground to low-cost local manufacturers like Xiaomi and MicroMax. This year it looks like Samsung will have it even tougher. Peak Samsung has happened. It too is going into free fall,” Williams writes. “I don’t think Android will die anytime soon, but if this continues it will become a toxic brand which consumers will associate with cut price hardware and poor experience… Google may not wait around for Android to go toxic. Google are clever, and sometimes ruthless. They may see a better solution.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Yup, told ya so. 🙂
Android is pushed to users who are, in general:
a) confused about why they should be choosing an iPhone over an inferior knockoff and therefore might be less prone to understand/explore their devices’ capabilities or trust their devices with credit card info for shopping; and/or
b) enticed with “Buy One Get One Free,” “Buy One, Get Two or More Free,” or similar offers.Neither type of customer is the cream of the crop when it comes to successful engagement or coveted demographics; closer to the bottom of the barrel than the top, in fact. Android can be widespread and still demographically inferior precisely because of the way in which and to whom Android devices are marketed. Unending BOGO promos attract a seemingly unending stream of cheapskate freetards just as inane, pointless TV commercials about robots or blasting holes in concrete walls attract meatheads and dullards, not exactly the best demographics unless you’re peddling muscle-building powders or grease monkey overalls.
Google made a crucial mistake: They gave away Android to “partners” who pushed and continue to push the product into the hands of the exact opposite type of user that Google needs for Android to truly thrive. Hence, Android is a backwater of second-rate, or worse, app versions that are only downloaded when free or ad-supported – but the Android user is notoriously cheap, so the ads don’t sell for much because they don’t work very well. You’d have guessed that Google would have understood this, but you’d have guessed wrong.
Google built a platform that depends heavily on advertising support, but sold it to the very type of customer who’s the least likely to patronize ads.
iOS users are the ones who buy apps, so developers focus on iOS users. iOS users buy products, so accessory makers focus on iOS users. iOS users have money and the proven will to spend it, so vehicle makers focus on iOS users. Etcetera. Android can have the “Hee Haw” demographic. Apple doesn’t want it or need it; it’s far more trouble than it’s worth. – MacDailyNews, November 26, 2012
Google’s going to rue the day they got greedy by deciding to try to work against Apple instead of with them. – MacDailyNews, March 9, 2010
Related articles:
Apple posts new how-to guide: Switching from Android phone to iPhone – September 16, 2014
iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus tested at Disneyland: ‘So badass’ – September 17, 2014
Re/code reviews Apple’s 64-bit iPhone 6 Plus: ‘A statement phone,’ not a ‘plastic toy’ – September 17, 2014
Megapixels mean nothing: Apple iPhone 6 trounces Samsung Galaxy S5 in camera shootout – September 17, 2014
The Telegraph reviews Apple’s 64-bit iPhone 6 Plus: ‘It’s peerless’ – September 17, 2014
TechCrunch reviews Apple’s 64-bit iPhone 6: ‘The best smartphone available’ – September 17, 2014
USA Today’s Baig reviews Apple’s 64-bit iPhone 6/Plus: ‘Smartphone stars’ – September 17, 2014
Walt Mossberg reviews Apple’s 64-bit iPhone 6: ‘The best smartphone on the market’ – September 16, 2014
The Wall Street Journal reviews Apple’s 64-bit iPhone 6: ‘The best smartphone you can buy’ – September 16, 2014
Macworld reviews 64-bit iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus: Bigger is better (in the right hands) – September 16, 2014
Let Em Rot In Their Cesspool.
No argument there…
When MDN says that Google made a crucial mistake, it is correct. But the actual mistake was in stabbing Steve Jobs and Apple in the back and attempting to duplicate the iOS hardware, software, and ecosystem. If Google had maintained a close relationship with Apple, its costs would be lower, its profits higher, and its future brighter. If people take an honest look at Google, it rapidly becomes clear that the company is still a search, maps, and advertising play. None of its alpha or beta grade “innovative” products have become as successful as the AppleTV, much less the iPod, iPad, or iPhone. Google is perceived to be innovative by the ignorant and the media (redundant terms these days) because it throws money at a lot of different things and hopes something will stick. It also trumpets its prototype gadgets like they were finished, marketable products. Google may hit a home run one of the days, but just through sheer luck by firing the shotgun in a favorable direction.
Right now, Google still makes all of its profits off of your data. And people are finally beginning to realize that.
in fact, the iphone is the inferior phone to the high end android. They are just masters of marketing and financial engneering to make sheeple buy into the Iphone philosophy which is “pay more for much less”. Apple’s idea of innovation is to copy outdated existing ideas and label them as new. Along with faulty hardware comes the most flawed and broken OS what a great experience Apple has to offer… If you enjoy using something broken.
Wow just wow. I am now dumber for having read your post.
I feel like I’m having a brain aneurysm after reading that.
… how much did you get paid for your post?
Let’s hope he did get paid, because I just cannot wrap my head around how someone would get their jollies by posting such drivel — stuff that is so bad and stupid that it’s “not even wrong”.
Nobody would pay such idiot.
Not only are you a troll, you’re a poor one at best.
OMG you’ve convinced me. I just smashed my iPhone with a hammer and now Im on my way to Walmart to get an Android phone so i can be cool like you.
It’s Android, so you’ll be getting getting two phones… Just like toilet paper, it’s buy one, get one free!
And that’s all Android is good for – wiping your butt.
(It was hard to post this under my normal name – I try to not be so crude, but couldn’t resist this one.)
Why use a hammer?
According to fandroids, you could have gripped it with your bare hands, and it would have bent in half AND lost all cell signal at the same time.
Ahh a phandroid!
Just because Apple is putting out a larger phone these days doesn’t even come close to Apple copying Android. Android itself is a copy of iOS and always will be no matter what generation its in. Apple has led the way and on paper some Android phones look better, but real use the iPhone always wins! No faulty hardware or broken OS’s here, some Phandroids want to believe that!….lol Does any Android’s have a reliable fingerprint scanner, 64bit processor and OS yet, funny seeing samsung bring back the 90s stylus with its innovation, iPhone 6 has the best screen so far, etc, etc. Go dream with your Phandroids some more!
Remember when everyone said the iPad was just a big iPhone?
That’s right, Apple made really big ass 9.7″ smartphones first!
You’re right, it’s amazing Google and its Android partners can’t figure this out and hire Apple’s Ad Agency and a couple of their financial gurus–then they could finally turn all that marketshare into actual profits.
Why I’m surprised Google hasn’t offered you a job already with that incisive appraisal of Apple’s real strategy. You should be a consultant. Nobody else GETS IT!
Brilliant!
Have you considered leafleting for Jehovahs witnesses’s instead? I’m sure they’ll pay a lot more than the 10 cents per comment that samsung offers.
I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt and credit you with being a clever PR crony, instead of a complete idiot.
Clever?
Did you just have an Enema? I think part of your brain may have leaked out.
There is a third(and maybe a fourth type or Android user.) Tech nerds who want to tinker with the phone. Android is truly the Linux of phone platforms. The people that like to get into the guts of the machine and tweek it to their hearts delight.
(The fourth type of Android user might be considered a subset of the third, and that is a user who needs an App that Apple will not allow on the iPhone. I am still upset that Apple won’t allow Apps like Wififofum.)
While I consider myself a tech nerd, my life’s too full to have the time to continually tinker with my phone. I need a phone that just works. With a few minor exceptions, that’s still the iPhone. (And I consider my time valuable… too valuable to waste on Android.)
Wow Matt! You totally changed my mind about iPhone. Have you ever tried using Android. There’s like a 3 second delay everytime I touch it. Such a poor User experience. Doesn’t have any user satisfaction at all. LOL what a crap system for dummies
DB,
The 3 second delay doesn’t register with him, or other fandroids! They never even noticed! 😉 😀
I enjoy the fact that anonymous paid Samsung trolls all use the same syntax and always make the same little jabs, like typing iPhone iphone. It must be in the manual they get when they start posting for Samsung.
That because there’s no upper/lower case in the Korean alphabet.
Matt, you might well be the first known case of an Android-to-human malware infection.
Were you trying out that ripped off Android version of HealthKit by any chance?
Fantastic display of the wishful thinking Fandroid delusional missing-the-boat mantra.
Someone send for the men in white uniforms to get this Android freak.
120 or so words x $0.10 a word. Wow- you made about $10-12 from Scamdung/Gaggle for your craptastic post!
Now, get the fsck out of here.
Thanks for your valuable insight, Matt.
I was almost fooled by the 20 million happy customers in the last few days. But now I see the truth.
You guys really don’t even try to be intelligent any more do you, the precise mimic of your OS in fact.
“They are just masters of marketing”
Apple spends about a billion plus a year on marketing.
Samsung spent 14 Billion in 2013
and then you got to add spend by HTC, Lenovo, Xiaomi etc AND GOOGLE!
Msft spends 3 times more money than Apple. The amount spent by Msft on the surface for NFL is near half Apple’s total ad budget.
etc
with that relative minuscule marketing spend its unlikely they are selling so much (and getting 60% of the cell profits of the world) that just due to marketing….
Seriously Man why do you waste your breath with absolute and utter garbage. You must be one of those people that just like to hear themselves talk. I don’t think I have seen a more stupid post on any site I visit.
Matt, I think you’ve set an MDN record. The most single star votes. EVER. I SEE NO SIGNS OF ANY VOTES HIGHER THAN ONE STAR. Simply astounding. We knew you could do it. Though job, but you did it. Now, try something harder. Find a clue.
Surprised it took him so long to make this realisation this but then again it’s always been like this. The war between Humans vs. zombies simply never ends.
I disagree, I think Android is simply becoming Samsungs market. Its between iPhone and Samsung it seems anymore and Samsung is profitable by copying Apple.
Now if Samsung stops using Android and only uses Tizan, that would be interesting!
Samsung is being squeezed to death by Apple on the high end and the cheapo Android on the low. Samsung itself has given profit warnings. Apple’s so called flop the 5C outsold Samsung’s top of the line S4 and S5 for months.
Apple takes 60% of the cell phone profits of the world, i.e makes more than Samsung, Xiaomi, Sony, HTC, Lenovo etc COMBINED.
Zdnet July 2014
‘Samsung has announced an overall 15 percent fall in operating profit to 7.19 trillion won (US$6.97 billion) in its official earnings report for the second quarter of this year.”
Techtimes aug 2014:
“Samsung’s quarter two results revealed that revenue was down by almost 10 percent over second quarter 2013, profit down by almost $2 billion. The company had issued warnings that this report would reflect the impact of increased competition in the Asian and European smartphone markets as well as increased production costs on its Galaxy S5 Android phone. The outlook for a recovery in the remainder of 2014 is not optimistic, due the same factors.”
The above numbers are BEFORE apple’s Big Phones. Without big phone advantage Samsung is going to lose more of the high end where virtually all the profits are.
True true!….lol
I thought I had read that, while Samsung as a whole is profitable, the mobile phone division is actually losing money..
It’s certainly headed in that direction, it’s in a no win position , it’s apparently strong position to the idiots among society is based on feet of sand. It is desperate to beat Apple simply because if it doesn’t it loses everything down the line which is why it’s so vehement in its hated campaigns which the sheep follow so loyalty. It’s lower to middle markets segments are being eaten by cheaper competitors while its high end lines are after initial success hit the buffers and increasingly failing where it matters most especially in the important American market where it’s losing share and the profits that go with it. It can’t compete in the Eco system that the top end is increasingly being tied into so it can never mi if Microsofts success in computers and us such its decline will be all the quicker its just that many just don’t see the obvious signs yet. But then done still take Microsoft seriously when it now has only 14% of the OS market in cone red devices. Fa t is neither will be missed by discerning customers.
Many will be pleased when Google & Samsung rue the day they decided to rip-off Apple. It could not happen to a nicer group of guys!
matt is so bent he spans two seats on public transport so has to buy two tickets to get anywhere.
It’s time to update your references MDN. Nobody under 40 ever saw Hee Haw. The “Maury Povich” demographic would be a better name for it.
Under 40 (barely)
watched Hee Haw as a child (parents watched it, thus I had too)
Heard of Maury Povich, never watched him..
Geez people!
Feed the troll much?
I had to bite my tongue to not respond to his incredibly stupid comment. and in the short time it took me to write a comment pointing out the android also appealed to nerds with time to waste and company drones, fifteen comments were posted to slam the troll. Its a a disease people.. avert your eyes as you pass by. No good comes of paying any attention to trolls.
Good idea. I tried to get everyone to do that, a couple of times in the past. Would be great – but not really meaningful or effective unless everyone joins in.
What I got out of the article:
Apple = Neiman Marcus
Android = WalMart
Actually, it’s Android (in mobile) = Windows (in PCs).
The author probably took an article from five years ago, about the PC market and Windows, did some simple search and replace, and re-published it.
Actually more like:
Apple = Neiman Marcus, Macey’s, L&T, Target, Nordstrom’s, Whole Foods, Fresh Market & Trader Joe’s
Android = Piggy Wiggly & BillyBob’s gas station souvenir shop
Amazon = Walmart
I hope at least some of these phone makers can stay in business. Without them, who would I hate? Aside from about five huge a-holes, I like everybody here on MDN and I don’t wish to be turned against someone because they chose a different color or model. We need those rats.
Microsoft, OTOH, can burn in hell, and none too soon.
Eventually, perhaps, but they are needed in the battle against Google. Just as all of Earth’s nationalities and tribes come together to fight a tentacled alien menace, IBM, Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, and the rest must cooperate in stopping the slavers attempting to control all of us from their headquarters at the Googleplex. Tim Cook said it himself in the Charlie Rose interview—Google is Apple’s only competition; he might have used the word nemesis without raising an eyebrow.
It wouldn’t take an alliance with anybody. If Apple users simply cease using google products, Google would just dry up and blow away. No, check that: they’d more likely build some weird device in their lab in a panic move and blow themselves up.
Well, at least grant that we’d need alliances to to stop the Choggoth or the Venusians
Oh, well that, for sure. I mean, that’s obvious. Pfff. Although somebody said Venusians might be hot chicks so I’m gonna hafta check it out first.
You must resist the temptation, baldheadedjohn. Venusians are the source of all venereal disease; indeed both words share the same etymology, to the Latinvenereus.
I tell you this for your own good.
Aww, man! Can’t they be tested first or something? Pleeeease?
Well, I am hardly your mother, so I can’t prevent your indiscretions. However, whoever told you that Venusians were hot was not referring to their desirability so much as to their climate: the average surface temperature of Venus is a uniform 460 degrees Celsius, compared to an Earth average of 14 degrees Celsius. Party with them if you must, but expect to get burnt.
Williams has does not see the big changes about to happen in the smartphone world. Google One and IBM’s deal with Apple. Feature phones still outsell smartphones. Even in the few markets where the smartphone outsell them, like the US, feature phones still make up over 40%. Google has now given free hardware specks with Google One, taking away the need for R&D to make a smartphone. Smartphones will now be so cheep that they can take over the feature phone market. However it will be a big race to the bottom. As much as we like to make fun of Blackberry they still have the sweet spot in the market. Very large institutions (government and Fortune 500) that are loyal because they need a lot of control and big rollouts are expensive. Even with BYOD Apple and Samsung (the only Android maker to really try) have not made big inroads in this market. IBM can change that. They already have relationships with these institutions and can give them the back end support they need. Along with a wider range of hardware choices from Apple. One of the main reasons Windows became so big was when the internet made computers a consumer product people bought Windows because it was what they used at work. Small business got Win because big business had Win. Apple will now be seen as the phone of the pros, the ones people use to do work with. The smartphone market is about to take a huge leap and become the mobile phone. The bottom will be Android. Who will take the middle is a big question.
The iPhone can’t run flash!! wait… that was fandorid mantra some years ago
And now Android must run an outdated version of Flash… Cause Adobe killed Mobile Flash.
Apple won that fight.
Another type of Android user are the ones that waited for the iPhone to come to their carrier, but finally gave up – in my case, about 6 months before Apple announced they were finally coming to Verizon :(.
nytes – Android victim since 2010, upgrading to iPhone when budget allows.
lol victim is spot on:)
Peak Samsung has happened. It too is going into free fall
A joy to behold.
Soooo screwed.
I don’t think Android will die anytime soon, but if this continues it will become a toxic brand which consumers will associate with cut price hardware and poor experience…
…Like exponentially increasing MALWARE. It’s now a more dangerous OS than Windows. Great job Google!
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