Related
Hey guys, with the Netflix streaming app being released for the iPod Touch/iPhone (it launched with the iPad), I was happy to see that our buddy Andy wasn't being left out (according to this article at least)...
http://mashable.com/2010/08/07/netflix-android-app/
The newly released application allows for streaming over Wi-Fi as well as 3G, so I don't any reason why we wouldn't receive the same treatment. It looks like coding it just underway (if it has even started yet), so I wouldn't expect this anytime in Q3, but it should be out by year's end (unless Netflix really drags their collective rear-ends).
I was wondering when they would finally get around to letting people stream netflix on there phones. I would like it!
i am sooo looking forward to this app on my vibrant.
I've been waiting since the news flash that Android was the number one mobile OS in the world. About 6 hours later was the announcement on the job market that Netflix was hiring Android programmers. LOL!
I can imagine the poop that hit the fan when they realized that they had put all their eggs in the apple basket and none in the droid basket.
I thought it might be good to have a central place to post information about Gingerbread for the Dinc. I am thinking we can use this thread primarily as a clearinghouse for "news", speculation, rumors, etc.
I remember the way Verizon and HTC left us twisting in the wind for months with Froyo, forcing users into wild speculation and a lot of useless "inside information". Use this thread as you see fit. I would ask, however, that you do your best to include a citation and/or weblink for information you provide here to help users decide the value of your information.
I imagine the devs will have their own ROM/Theme/Kernel-specific information regarding Gingerbread in those threads so obviously check there also.
Senior Member "DS36" posted some information this morning regarding Gingerbread in a thread I started yesterday asking if we should start a Gingerbread. Here is his comment from that other thread:
"Yes start the thread
The .32 source codes for has just been released"
Thank you, DS36, for providing this information. Apologies in advance for cutting and pasting from your original post.
ptgay49 said:
Senior Member "DS36" posted some information this morning regarding Gingerbread in a thread I started yesterday asking if we should start a Gingerbread. Here is his comment from that other thread:
"Yes start the thread
The .32 source codes for has just been released"
Thank you, DS36, for providing this information. Apologies in advance for cutting and pasting from your original post.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not a problem thanks for the new thread
lets all get excited and hungry mmm mmm gingerbread
DS36 said:
not a problem thanks for the new thread
lets all get excited and hungry mmm mmm gingerbread
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
drooling already
Posted on Android Community Website on 11-15-2010
Eric Schmidt Demos Nexus S Running Gingerbread
15 November 2010 by Dylan Bailey
Google CEO Eric Schmidt was on stage at the Web 2.0 Summit and then all of the sudden he pulled out one of the most talked about phones of the last few weeks: The Nexus S. He didn’t go into much detail, he even left out which manufacturer is making the Nexus S, even though it’s very obvious.
While he was on stage he also mentioned that Android 2.3 should be out in the “next few weeks” and Google TV integration with major networks is going well.
I believe I'm excited
ptgay49 said:
Eric Schmidt Demos Nexus S Running Gingerbread
15 November 2010 by Dylan Bailey
Google CEO Eric Schmidt was on stage at the Web 2.0 Summit and then all of the sudden he pulled out one of the most talked about phones of the last few weeks: The Nexus S. He didn’t go into much detail, he even left out which manufacturer is making the Nexus S, even though it’s very obvious.
While he was on stage he also mentioned that Android 2.3 should be out in the “next few weeks” and Google TV integration with major networks is going well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
I just realized the minimum requirements for gingerbread are what our phones have do you think this may mean well miss updates after 2.3?
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
Gahh Its Lee said:
I just realized the minimum requirements for gingerbread are what our phones have do you think this may mean well miss updates after 2.3?
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The hero and Eris have froyo....
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
@Lee Like any great phone, this one is becoming obsolete. Some time after 2.3, our contracts will start to be up for renewal and we will get the next latest, greatest phone just like this one once was. It's a vicious cycle that never ends. But with advances in operating systems, there will always be advances in hardware. Who knows, our next phone may have a quad core processor. Let's just hope battery technology advances lol.
sent from my Incredible running cyanogenmod 6.1 with a quadrant score of 1453.
^
Good point. Since the Dinc is my first smart phone, it seems like I'll want to use it "forever". But with electronic gadgets changing and, for the most part, improving so rapidly, I guess that is not realistic.
My goal is to brick my Dinc exactly 730 days after I bought it.
jbrowning37 said:
@Lee Like any great phone, this one is becoming obsolete. Some time after 2.3, our contracts will start to be up for renewal and we will get the next latest, greatest phone just like this one once was. It's a vicious cycle that never ends. But with advances in operating systems, there will always be advances in hardware. Who knows, our next phone may have a quad core processor. Let's just hope battery technology advances lol.
sent from my Incredible running cyanogenmod 6.1 with a quadrant score of 1453.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally, I believe the DINC will still be able to handle a couple more updates with ease. If you look at lower end phones like the G1, Hero, Eris, etc, there will always be those awesome devs tweaking the code to make certain phones work, even if the update wasn't specifically made for a particular model( i.e ERIS and the froyo uodate.)
I just love my dinc. I actually got mine rather recently and I doubt ill ever wanna give it up. Although I will throw it off the bridge if I can get a quad core lol.
Random extra thought... What is the word of dual core phones? I remember reading something about some phones possibly being made with dual core.
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
Gahh Its Lee said:
I just love my dinc. I actually got mine rather recently and I doubt ill ever wanna give it up. Although I will throw it off the bridge if I can get a quad core lol.
Random extra thought... What is the word of dual core phones? I remember reading something about some phones possibly being made with dual core.
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chips go on market in 2011
Dual 1.3 and 1.5s
Plus most high end phones should sports samoled in 2011
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
I want a new phone now...
Looks like Google won't be waiting for the Nexus S to debut GB..
Now that the Google Nexus S has been delayed, the reasons for which are still unknown, could Android 2.3 Gingerbread make its debut on the Google Nexus One instead — the handset that also intro’d Android 2.1 and 2.2?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think in the next couple weeks, Gingerbread droid should be dancing around on phones. Just in time for the holidays!
News Article from the Pop Herald dated 11-21-2010
Windows Phone 7 and Android (Gingerbread preparation) Marketplace updates
November 21, 2010 By Joan Lee
Android’s upcoming update with codename “gingerbread” still unavailable, but report says Android marketplace will get few tweaks before the launch. Plus, Windows Phone 7 catching up with new apps.
Google’s mobile OS, the Android 2.3 with codename “Gingerbread,” is just around the corner. And before its launch, reports say few changes on Android’s marketplace interface for developers were seen.
This only means one thing, more “cool” apps for Gingerbread are possible.
There were improvements last week called ”Recent changes” for applications. In this new section, users can now see the details of every changes made with the app. For example, if the developer creates one new feature like “share,” the update log made will be visible to the user who wants to download it.
In the Android developers interface, a 325 characters of space is now available, where app creators can mention bug fixes, support for additional languages, new options, and more.
Users can also feel the application “more” with the developer requirement of 1024×500-pixel graphic, plus a YouTube video link. With a bigger resolution, users can see a bigger screenshot of the app, plus developers can now add videos to give users more insights like how-to and preview. Perfect for game apps.
These updates are expected to give the Android apps more purchases, more profits and more fun (for the buyers).
News Article from slashgear.com 11-24-2010
Andy Rubin to release Android 2.3 Gingerbread on Dec 6?
By Chris Davies on Wed Nov 24th, 2010
Speculation is mounting that Google will launch Android 2.3 Gingerbread on December 6, when project mastermind Andy Rubin is expected to take the stage at the “D: Dive Into Mobile” show in San Francisco. The prediction, says IntoMobile, fits in with Google CEO’s Eric Schmidt’s suggestion that Gingerbread would see a release in the next few weeks; Rubin’s appearance will be three weeks from Schmidt’s confirmation earlier this month.
Android 2.3 Gingerbread will roll out to the Google Nexus One initially, and then it will be up to individual manufacturers to put their development money where their mouths have been and deliver updates to their handsets. As we’ve seen with previous Android updates, however, the timescale for that will likely vary from weeks through to months.
NOTE BY POSTER ptgay49: That last sentence is a buzz kill.
What new features are in 2.3?
Not much worried about it.. owning a incredible with the developers in xda 's forums it won't be long after release to having it running on my phone..super pumped about it though
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App
Gingerbread Features
dpwhitty11 said:
What new features are in 2.3?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Article found on androidandme.com dated 11-25-2010
Now Andy Rubin, the godfather of Android, is scheduled to speak at D: Dive Into Mobile on December 6th and everyone is speculating that might be the magic day for the Android 2.3 announcement.
We can’t say for sure what he will talk about or possibly announce, but as we get closer to the launch of Gingerbread more and more features are starting to leak out. Read on after the jump for 12 features that could be appearing in the next release of Android.
1. Tweaked UI
It doesn’t sound like the Android UI is getting a complete overhaul till Honeycomb, but Gingerbread will include some small tweaks. The notification bar at the top of the screen has gone from white to black, the launcher buttons are now green instead of translucent, and many of the native app icons have received a makeover.
Most of the existing native apps will also look slightly updated thanks to tweaks with the styling of menus, check boxes, and radio buttons as leaked in the last Google Maps update. Other small tweaks include new animations when you swipe across the desktop and when you power off the display (as reported by Phandroid).
2. Near Field Communications (NFC)
We first reported back in October that Samsung’s Google experience phone would support MasterCard PayPass, and then last week Eric Schmidt confirmed that Gingerbread would support Near Field Communication (NFC).
NFC is a short-range, high frequency wireless communication technology that only operates when two devices are about 4 inches apart. It is basically just another form of electronic identification except the ID is tied to a bank or credit card company. All the user needs to do is just setup their account then tap their phone to a wireless payment pad and complete the transaction.
Eric Schmidt said that in the future your phone could replace your credit card, so you can see how important this is to Google and their partners.
Opponents of NFC say it might fail because it is too complex and big companies will fight over who owns the point of control for the transaction, but if Google is going to make this a standard feature on all future Gingerbread phones then we think that ensures it will at least move the mobile payment standard forward.
MasterCard has not been confirmed as a NFC partner, but I think there is a good chance they are on board in addition to some other payment companies like PayPal.
3. New Motion Control APIs
True 1:1 motion processing is coming to Gingerbread thanks to InvenSense, the company behind the MEMS gyroscope sensor found in the Nintendo Wii MotionPlus controller.
Gyroscope sensors have already appeared in some phones like the Samsung Galaxy S, but Android 2.3 will add new sensor fusion APIs including quaternion, rotation matrix, linear acceleration and gravity. These new tools will open the door to all kinds of motion controls for augmented reality apps, games, navigation systems, and camera improvements like image stabilization.
See our previous post for a video with several real-world demos.
4. Native Video Chat
In his last interview, Andy Rubin hinted that native video chat was coming to the next version of Android. “We support video chat today, with Google Talk Video. It works on the desktop. Whether that can be repurposed and made appropriate for sipping bandwidth for mobile, it’s an exercise that’s underway.”
If Mr. Rubin is willing to admit that it’s underway, that tells me the project could be nearing completion and already in the testing phases.
It looks like all the high-end phones coming in the next few months will include front-facing cameras so this is another sign that Android is ready for a native video sharing app to connect all these devices.
5. New Android Market
Google has been telling us for awhile that a new Android Market was coming and recently said new features could appear in the next few weeks. The Android Market can be updated separately from the operating system, but the timing tells us the new Market could be tied to the release of Gingerbread.
Confirmed features for the new Android Market include YouTube video previews, parental controls, PayPal payments, and new high-res promotion graphics that sound like they will be used on the desktop browser version of the Market.
At the Google I/O Developer Conference we attended back in May, Vic Gundotra demonstrated the browser version of the Market that was being tested. See the video below for an idea of what to expect.
6. Google Music
As you can see from the video above, Google is also working on a music streaming service for Android. They launched a music search service earlier this year and hoped to get their music store opened before Christmas, but the latest reports say it might be delayed till 2011. Apparently the music labels are still negotiating with Google on how their “digital locker” will store purchased music, but maybe they come to an agreement this year.
This is coming sooner or later so if it doesn’t make it into Gingerbread then I expect we will see it early next year when Honeycomb tablets are revealed.
7. Support For More Large Screen Devices
On the Android Device Dashboard there is a report where Google displays the different screen sizes and densities of devices that access the Android Market. The Large category is currently blank, but look for more big screen devices like tablets to be officially supported in Android 2.3. This means we could see more 7-inch tablets like the Galaxy Tab (1024 x 600) get certified and maybe a few other resolutions for the new smartphone displays that are rumored to be coming.
We have also heard that Google might relax the rules of their Compatibility Definition Document and allow non-3G devices to be certified. No WiFi-only devices have been certified to use the Android Market yet, but Android 2.3 should hopefully change that.
In a somewhat related note, I believe this is the reason the WiFi-only Galaxy Tab was delayed till next year so that Samsung could make sure that Google allowed them to ship it with the Android Market.
8. Virtual Keyboard Enhancements
Google recently acquired hot startup BlindType to improve their virtual keyboard and we are hearing the enhancements might be coming as soon as Gingerbread. The old company website is now down, but you can still see a demo of their technology on YouTube.
What is BlindType? It is a revolutionary system that:
Eliminates touch typing frustrations
Allows for super sloppy typing
Helps you type easier and faster
Constantly adjusts to the user’s “perceived” keyboard and typing style
Just type the way you are used to – no gestures, nothing new to learn!
9. Support for WebM and VP8
We know that support for WebM and the VP8 video format are coming to Gingerbread because Google and the WebM team have told us this.
WebM is defined on the official project page as, “An open media file format designed for the web. WebM files consist of video streams compressed with the VP8 video codec and audio streams compressed with the Vorbis audio codec. The WebM file structure is based on the Matroska media container. Though video is also now core to the web experience, there is unfortunately no open and free video format that is on par with the leading commercial choices. To that end, we started the WebM project, a broadly-backed community effort to develop an open web media format.”
YouTube now offers WebM videos as part of its HTML5 player experiment. Logitech and Skype are also working with the format for future video calling services.
10. New YouTube With Broadcasting
As we get near the end of the list some of these possible features might be a stretch, but there are still hints that new YouTube features are coming. Phandroid reported that Gingerbread will have a new YouTube app and we know that they are also testing their new live broadcasting platform.
If you look at how important video will be to the upcoming Gingerbread experience, then it is not too hard to imagine that YouTube will allow live broadcasting from your phone similar to Qik or Ustream.
The next generation of superphones will include dual-core processors that support 1080p video streaming and also have speedy 4G connections, so the hardware is definitely going to be there to make it happen.
11. Google Me or Social Gaming Network
Google recently denied the reports they were working on a Facebook competitor called Google Me, but all the signs are there that Google is working on a way to bring together all their social services. TechCrunch reported that Google’s master pitchman Vic Gundotra was being placed in charge of the project, so we expect big things from him.
Andy Rubin hinted that Gingerbread would include improvements for gaming in a previous interview. “I think gaming is an area that I think is underserved right now. If we were to carefully look at what new features and functionalities in the platform that we would need to support all forms of gaming across the entire spectrum, I think that would probably be an interesting thing to pay attention to.”
A number of recent acquisitions and partner agreements might also play a role in this social gaming platform. In the last year Google acquired LabPixies for $25 million (an Israeli startup that made web games), Jambool for $70 million (makers of a virtual currenty platform), Slide for $182 million (Facebook games developer), and invested $100-200 million in Zynga (makers of Farmville).
Apple’s Game Center and platforms like Open Feint have really raised the bar for social gaming, so Google will have to release something soon if they want to catch up.
12. Flagship Phone – Nexus S
Finally, what good is a brand new operating system unless you have a flagship product that can show off all the new features. That device is the Samsung Nexus S which is widely expected to be released alongside Android 2.3. Google’s CEO recently demoed the phone to show off its NFC capabilities, so hopefully we see the device soon.
The Nexus S was originally planned to launch at Best Buy on November 11th, but then TechCrunch reported a serious hardware issue had caused a delay. One of our tipsters said the original Samsung Nexus S was scrapped for a newer dual-core version, which shocked many people because they did not expect Samsung to have a dual-core phone this year, but another trusted source also confirmed that Samsung had such a device in testing.
Conclusion
In the next few weeks we should hopefully get an official list of new Android 2.3 features from Google, but don’t be surprised if Andy Rubin doesn’t announce anything on December 6th.
Google and Samsung already missed the rumored launch date, so they could delay this project till next year in order to iron out all the launch details. Some would say that Samsung has rushed their recent Android products to market without properly testing them (aka GPS issues), so I have no problem with them taking as long as they need.
I would love a taste of Gingerbread for Christmas, but if waiting till next year gets me a fully functional dual-core Nexus S then I’m all for waiting.
How do you think Android 2.3 is shaping up so far? Does this sound like a worthy update, or do you hope that Google is packing in even more exciting features? What other types of improvements would you like to see included with Android 2.3?
Sailfish OS Maybe a true new rival for android? It looks promising.
Back in April Nokia decided to slash 4,00 jobs and become a Windows OS-focused mobile company going forward. While not many people saw that as a wholly positive move, it did have some positive fallout, notably the creation of Jolla.
Jolla was formed in July and consists of former members of the Nokia N9 MeeGo team. The goal of the company is to develop a new smartphone operating system that is based on MeeGo. We’ve since heard that Jolla’s new OS will also run Android apps, instantly making it a much more viable and open platform for app developers, phone manufacturers, and consumers.
The new OS Jolla is developing will be called Sailfish. It’s built on the Mer OS that was the heart of MeeGo, but the user interface that sits on top of that has been developed internally at Jolla and promises to be something quite different and unique.
The good news is, we don’t have to wait much longer to see how different it is. The Slush conference begins on Wednesday in Helsinki, Finland, and the conference schedule lists a Sailfish UI demo presentation on November 21. This will be joined by a media event and keynote speech on the same day. On November 22, the Jolla SDK will be presented, suggesting the OS has reached a stage where it’s usable on hardware.
Jolla already has investment money to work with and hardware partners on board to ship devices running Sailfish OS. If the presentation goes well next week, and consumers as well as developers like what they see, Android, iOS, and Windows Phone handsets could have a strong new competitor to deal with next year
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/tRZxM9rNyZ4
I'm excited! Is anyone else?
Yes if it can run android apps sounds great. Will check out the links when I get home
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D X515m using xda premium
Looks a lot like Windows Phone
any new news on this it looks really good especially for older phones
Buellar Buellar
sound great :victory:
let's not get too excited, remember when Nokia dropped support for Maemo and cancelled the Meego partnership they had with Intel? Ya, that went well.
This probably will never reach enough market share to be a big deal.
I remember before Linux and Freebsd, there was a bunch of projects in the closet, and no one expected them to go anywhere, yet here we are.
A completely open OS will be a magnet for developers. You watch.....
Refering to TheNextWeb
W’ve already seen leaks suggesting that Samsung is preparing a significant overhaul for TouchWiz, the user interface on its Android devices, and now the company has teased a set of new, streamlined and circular icons for it.
This teaser posted to Samsung’s blog and social media accounts shows a simplified set of icons which have been added to the media invitation for its Unpacked 5 event, where it seems likely the Galaxy S5 will be unveiled. The fitness and lifestyle icons may also be a nod to the Google Now-style alerts that last month’s leak suggested would arrive in TouchWiz.
Samsung hints at TouchWiz redesign with the latest teaser for its Unpacked 5 event
The event takes place in less than two weeks, so there’s not long to wait. TNW will be ring-side in Barcelona to bring you the latest as soon as it is announced.
Seems that Samsung is going to introduce new set of apps and some change in their icons pack
What is your opinion??
My opinion is that whatever they are doing, I won't be able to install it on my Galaxy s4 or note 10.1 2014 because they are idiots.
Sad but true.
Sent from my GT-I9505 using xda app-developers app
Who cares really...I take CheesewIZ off and use different launchers anyways.
Sent from my SM-P600 using XDA Premium HD app
It doesn't matter what cosmetic changes they do, i've never spent more than a day using stock launchers on any Android tablet or phone i've ever owned from any manufacturer.
I've never seen anyone say anything favorable about Touchwiz. I just don't understand why they put so much time and effort into something no one likes. It looks like they brought in the designers from Windows XP. We would all get updates a lot faster if they just let Touchwiz die.
Mave025 said:
I've never seen anyone say anything favorable about Touchwiz. I just don't understand why they put so much time and effort into something no one likes. It looks like they brought in the designers from Windows XP. We would all get updates a lot faster if they just let Touchwiz die.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The reason TW exists is the same reason all OEM's offer overlays or unique features (EG: LG=Knock on, rear controls, HTC=BlinkFeed, BoomSound, Sony=unlimited content, waterproof, "G" cameras); they don't want to end up all looking the same and being Google's hardware-providing *****-slaves to their search marketing and content sales empire where all the money's made.
The last OS distribution report Google put out has 4.4 at 1.8% of deployed devices. That includes the N4, N5, N7, and N7-13 which are the highest selling Nexus devices. If you assume that at least 75% of Nexus owners upgraded to 4.4 as soon as they got the chance that means of the entire universe of Android devices less than 2.5% are "pure" by design; meaning people sought out Nexus because of its purity and even some of those may have chosen Nexus based on price. There's a reason there are rumors that Google may be exiting the Nexus business and moving to a "Play Edition" hardware model instead and why they took a loss on the sale of Motorola.
The answer to why TW and overlays exist is in what the other 97.5% of smartphone shoppers are buying and why. Here's a clue. 900MM smartphones were sold last year. There are 5.5M XDA members. What "enthusiasts" want doesn't necessarily reflect on the masses. And Samsung (53%) and Apple (56%) made 109% of mobile device profits last year. The number's greater than 100% because all the rest (including Google/Nexus/Motorola) lost money. So I wouldn't expect Samsung to dump their proprietary market-differentiating s/w anytime soon in spite of the single unsubstantiated rumor being spread by re/code that's been picked up Internet-wide. The tease of TW changes in the SGS5 Unpacked invitation and M-UX on the Pro tablets certainly don't indicate any change in Samsung's direction. And why would they change? Their making money and gaining market share (their margin dropped because the high-end's maturing but so did Apple's).
Personally, I like and use some of Samsung's unique s/w features and choose their devices because of them. I'm in this forum because of S Pen, S Note, and Multi View. Others, to your point, maybe not so much. People should buy what makes them happy but Android "purists" buying Samsung devices, especially the s/w heavy Note-series, and then complaining about it after the fact doesn't make a lot of sense. Perhaps lobbying Google to make a 10.1" Nexus "Note" with a pen and active digitizer would be time better spent.
You can see the return ui in the Note pro.
Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk
I've been talking a lot with my friends about this who are also Android users. I know there are a lot of opinions about the Pixel, so I thought it would be interesting to make a thread to check back on in 6 months from launch to see how things panned out. At the end of the day either Google is correct with this phone, or the community was right in predicting the change. I figured 6 months is enough time to get the phone in the pipeline and where a price cut would be susceptible if one were to occur.
Here's my analysis:
Existing problems:
1. Pixel phone contains basic vanilla Android at the same price as an iPhone and Samsung with feature filled software skins.
2. Apple and Samsung both have established their product in the marketplace, unlike the Pixel. Samsung didn't get any real traction until the Galaxy S3/Note 3.........three generations in.....this is Pixel's first.
3. The biggest competitor (Galaxy/Note 7), both have expandable SD card storage and water resistance that the Pixel does not.
4. Only exclusive on Verizon, which allows only a small population to get it subsidized. (Both Apple/Samsung sell contract subsidized phones for BOTH Verizon and Sprint which creates a lower barrier to entry).
5. Google assistant which is one of its selling points, I don't see a huge immediate use for it unlike a better camera, or water resistance. There is a variant of this type of technology already out. It's called "SIRI" for iPhone and "S-Voice" for Samsung. It's been out for years and I don't know anyone personally who uses either on a daily basis. (or at all)
6. There are no "frills" to this phone. I keep saying that, however; the typically buyer of iPhone/Samsung do not know anything about the internals or the hardware. (How else would Apple get people to buy $3,000 laptops ? It's not the hardware they are buying). The phone is just too plain for mainstream appeal. Next time you see someone with a Samsung ask them if their bootloader is locked........then ask it in Japanese....you'll get the same response.
Pixel is taking aim at "mainstream", yet offering very little in terms of "frills" that mainstream typically likes yet charging flagship pricing. There is already a significant conflict in this strategy.
It's obvious based on the chart I uploaded Google's competency is not hardware unlike Apple......which would explain a lot. While I love Android, it's a small revenue of their overall revenue. Most likely, they are looking to diversify from just search and add to the bottom line as well from the smartphone market. It's very bold to try and compete against Apple that gets 53% of their overall revenue from iPhone alone, when Google has very little experience in that area (hardware).
Prediction:
In 6 months (or less), the Pixel phones will get price cuts to the same price as the 5x ($379) and 6p ($499). The phone won't be a flop and Google will keep it, but the price point was set too high. I don't think the phone is a total bust, but I do think with 99% certainty that this was priced too high to be competitive........Google just doesn't know it yet
Google right now can't even manage a proper messenger app (messenger, hangouts, allo.....seriously which one am I supposed to use Google ?), canceled Project Ara, canceled Google Glass, etc.......there's a lack of direction with the company needless to say.
Edit: Google search for Pixel compared to iPhone and Galaxy S7 (I left out Note 7 due to exploding battery interest) which has fallen off a cliff since the Pixel debut.
great post =) I agree with you
Well written. Very clear.
For me there is also a design problem.
The material design is too white and hurts my eyes especially in the evening. A dark theme is needed. So I am using Aquamail and not Gmail and apps with a dark theme. And black layers.
Maybe the Chinese will produce a better and cheaper phone. Who knows.
Maybe G is heading to a closed system ?
Or it could be the repeat of Google Pixel C with temporary "developer" discounts before the price goes back to list price. They don't seem to be too bothered about shifting stock.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers mobile app
According to The Verge websites interview with Google's hardware chief, Google knows the first generation Pixel phone won't sale in volumes and expects to gain little market share, apparently there is long term strategy behind the scenes with the release of these first Pixel phones. Here's a quote from that article.
"We certainly arent going to have enormous volumes out of this product. This is very first innings for us." Googles metric of success for Pixel wont be whether it picks up significant market share, but whether it can garner customer satisfaction and form retail and carrier partnerships that Google can leverage for years to come."
http://www.theverge.com/a/google-pixel-phone-new-hardware-interview-2016
As for the cancellation of Google Glass and other Google hardware, that was done by the recently hired Google hardware chief so he could bring all the hardware teams together to focus on same objectives, so it appears Google now has a sense of direction, thanks to this new hardware chief aka ex-Motorola president. Here's a quote from another interview, just for reference.
"When Osterloh, 44, came on board in mid-April, he brought Google hardware groups into one division, shuttering projects he didn't see contributing to Googles future. Now the engineers and designers from Google Glass, Chromecast and Pixel all work together. Keeping them separate, he says, made it hard to drive toward the goal of portfolio strategy and focus."
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-google-s-first-real-threat-to-apple-s-iphone
In order to gain customer satisfaction they need to have customers, and the feedback everywhere I look is that they've already caused dissatisfaction with their prices and therefore won't have a solid customer base - especially after alienating so many Nexus owners with the ludicrous six-week Nougat delay and the dropping of the Nexus line.
dahawthorne said:
In order to gain customer satisfaction they need to have customers, and the feedback everywhere I look is that they've already caused dissatisfaction with their prices and therefore won't have a solid customer base - especially after alienating so many Nexus owners with the ludicrous six-week Nougat delay and the dropping of the Nexus line.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As much as I love the Nexus and it's contributing users, they probably don't make up enough market share for Google to care. Most Nexus owners are phone enthusiasts, who make up a very small percentage of the smartphone market.
Some Pixel phones are already sold out in the Google Store, so people are buying them. It remains to be seen if it will be enough for their "Customer Satisfaction" goal but from their interview, they don't seem to feel the need to sell a whole lot in order to make that goal, at least initially.
mikeprius said:
I've been talking a lot with my friends about this who are also Android users. I know there are a lot of opinions about the Pixel, so I thought it would be interesting to make a thread to check back on in 6 months from launch to see how things panned out. At the end of the day either Google is correct with this phone, or the community was right in predicting the change. I figured 6 months is enough time to get the phone in the pipeline and where a price cut would be susceptible if one were to occur.
Here's my analysis:
Existing problems:
1. Pixel phone contains basic vanilla Android at the same price as an iPhone and Samsung with feature filled software skins.
This is called Bloat to me basic vanilla Android is a huge plus
2. Apple and Samsung both have established their product in the marketplace, unlike the Pixel. Samsung didn't get any real traction until the Galaxy S3/Note 3.........three generations in.....this is Pixel's first.
Even though Samsungs are some of the most bloated locked down devices and iPhones are not Android devices Google with Pixel branding I just a continuation. I do agree more Samsung Devices and iPhones will be sold but so what?
3. The biggest competitor (Galaxy/Note 7), both have expandable SD card storage and water resistance that the Pixel does not.
My new phone will have 128Gig do I really need more, unlimited cloud storage for photos will help too
4. Only exclusive on Verizon, which allows only a small population to get it subsidized. (Both Apple/Samsung sell contract subsidized phones for BOTH Verizon and Sprint which creates a lower barrier to entry).
I am not American but they do sell SIM unlocked devices in the States do they not?
5. Google assistant which is one of its selling points, I don't see a huge immediate use for it unlike a better camera, or water resistance. There is a variant of this type of technology already out. It's called "SIRI" for iPhone and "S-Voice" for Samsung. It's been out for years and I don't know anyone personally who uses either on a daily basis. (or at all)
I owned 16 smartphones since the iPhone and not once did lack of water resistance bother me and I had zero devices with water damage. Google Assist can not see me using it often but only time will tell
6. There are no "frills" to this phone. I keep saying that, however; the typically buyer of iPhone/Samsung do not know anything about the internals or the hardware. (How else would Apple get people to buy $3,000 laptops ? It's not the hardware they are buying). The phone is just too plain for mainstream appeal. Next time you see someone with a Samsung ask them if their bootloader is locked........then ask it in Japanese....you'll get the same response.
First to get Android updates, first device with Qualcomm 821, first with official daydream support, and yes at least some say this will have the best camera
Pixel is taking aim at "mainstream", yet offering very little in terms of "frills" that mainstream typically likes yet charging flagship pricing. There is already a significant conflict in this strategy.
Why do you think they are gearing this for the mainstream, they never had in the past?
It's obvious based on the chart I uploaded Google's competency is not hardware unlike Apple......which would explain a lot. While I love Android, it's a small revenue of their overall revenue. Most likely, they are looking to diversify from just search and add to the bottom line as well from the smartphone market. It's very bold to try and compete against Apple that gets 53% of their overall revenue from iPhone alone, when Google has very little experience in that area (hardware).
Google builds nothing they are contracting HTC to build the Pixel, Pixel XL. Nobody expects them every to sell more of the current Pixel phones than Apple sells
Prediction:
In 6 months (or less), the Pixel phones will get price cuts to the same price as the 5x ($379) and 6p ($499). The phone won't be a flop and Google will keep it, but the price point was set too high. I don't think the phone is a total bust, but I do think with 99% certainty that this was priced too high to be competitive........Google just doesn't know it yet
Google right now can't even manage a proper messenger app (messenger, hangouts, allo.....seriously which one am I supposed to use Google ?), canceled Project Ara, canceled Google Glass, etc.......there's a lack of direction with the company needless to say.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Who knows about the price I do know the 32 Gig Nexus 6p was selling for $600 Canadian (I do not know what American pay) and in 6 months I can not see Google pricing the Pixel XL 32Gig lower. Sell more than Samsung and Apple no not believes this will every happen but different people by Samsung and Apple. People that generally never visit XDA and they are happy with whatever bloat Samsung and Apple gives them.
Maybe they are trying to create the equivalent of surface devices like Microsoft? I have no clue how that helps either of the companies. Maybe the idea is to just create a premium brand Google running Android even if every device sold loses money. Kind of like what Acura has to do with the NSX. It's an attempt to push the brand into a premium device discussion.
However, I definitely don't see anything that premium in the device. I don't see anything that premium in an iPhone either except that the lemmings have decided it is a premium product so like the unreliable Mercedes Benz cars out there, they retain resale value. At some point it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.
To achieve a perception of being a premium product like Apple products, Google probably has to fire most of the tech guys running the hardware division and hire a real marketing team. The Oct 4 presentation was astonishingly lackluster. Same amount of glamour as a BlackBerry presentation. Bunch of geeks thinking just because they have a search engine cash cow, they must know everything else there is to know about the business world.
Honestly what the Nexus/pixel and allo/duo/messenger/hangouts mess should teach us is that these guys like going back to the drawing board way too often. This is not a mature company and will abandon loyal customers without hesitation if someone decides that's the cool thing to do. Project Fi customers, you will be next.
So in a nutshell don't over analyze Google, it's just a bunch of high school kids doing experiments in a Chemistry Lab. At some point there will be purple foam and a few explosions.
And there is no point hitching yourself to this wagon. Don't buy anything Google tries to market as premium. They don't have the discipline to maintain a message. Eventually everything they sell will be priced like a commodity.
Sent from my Nexus 6 using XDA-Developers mobile app
might want to modify the thread title's date. It's currently "10/5/16-4/5/16"; I'm pretty sure you meant "10/5/16-4/5/17"
First device with SD821? Not.
Google/Nexus phones were successful, because they targeted a specific niche that no one else did; devs/enthusiasts/folks who wanted to tinker and modify their phones completely and without restrictions.
Pixel phones have NOTHING that is "niche" driven; they are just like Apple/Samsung/who ever, with nothing really unique(S Pen, etc) to attract anyone really..
Sure, they will get the curious newbie/Iphone/Samsung lovers, but, those folks already have alot of choices, and those choices have alot more "features" that those folks want.
So, I cant fathom how this device will be anything more than a novelty, especially at that ridiculous price point..
mikeprius said:
I've been talking a lot with my friends about this who are also Android users. I know there are a lot of opinions about the Pixel, so I thought it would be interesting to make a thread to check back on in 6 months from launch to see how things panned out. At the end of the day either Google is correct with this phone, or the community was right in predicting the change. I figured 6 months is enough time to get the phone in the pipeline and where a price cut would be susceptible if one were to occur.
Yadda, yadda, yadda............................................[emoji23]
.
Google right now can't even manage a proper messenger app (messenger, hangouts, allo.....seriously which one am I supposed to use Google ?), canceled Project Ara, canceled Google Glass, etc.......there's a lack of direction with the company needless to say.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great post! Lots of info there. [SARCASM] You might have a bit too much time on your hands though. [emoji1] [/SARCASM]
khanam said:
Honestly what the Nexus/pixel and allo/duo/messenger/hangouts mess should teach us is that these guys like going back to the drawing board way too often. This is not a mature company and will abandon loyal customers without hesitation if someone decides that's the cool thing to do. Project Fi customers, you will be next.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
IMO, Nexus/Pixel is not a mess, they are simply trying to gain market share other than the developer/techie community. I would bet that they will end up partnering with all of the major carriers to sell the phones subsidized, Verizon just got the nod for release day because it is the biggest. The pixels will also come down in price from the play store as well.
As far as the Duo/allo/hangouts/messenger thing, from what I've been reading they are trying to market hangouts to the enterprise side of the mobile market. I never really used it for anything other than video calls now and again. Duo is much more convenient for video calls, although I wish they would have just incorporated it into the dialer kind of how FaceTime is on iphone. I don't know what to think about allo. It doesn't handle sms, and it doesn't do anything that other already established apps do as good or better.
I'm just going to wait it out to see if the price comes down, or if my carrier gets it. If not, oh well, I will explore other options at that time. After all I'm still paying for my N6 through January...
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
mikeprius said:
1. Pixel phone contains basic vanilla Android at the same price as an iPhone and Samsung with feature filled software skins.
2. Apple and Samsung both have established their product in the marketplace, unlike the Pixel. Samsung didn't get any real traction until the Galaxy S3/Note 3.........three generations in.....this is Pixel's first.
3. The biggest competitor (Galaxy/Note 7), both have expandable SD card storage and water resistance that the Pixel does not.
4. Only exclusive on Verizon, which allows only a small population to get it subsidized. (Both Apple/Samsung sell contract subsidized phones for BOTH Verizon and Sprint which creates a lower barrier to entry).
5. Google assistant which is one of its selling points, I don't see a huge immediate use for it unlike a better camera, or water resistance. There is a variant of this type of technology already out. It's called "SIRI" for iPhone and "S-Voice" for Samsung. It's been out for years and I don't know anyone personally who uses either on a daily basis. (or at all)
6. There are no "frills" to this phone. I keep saying that, however; the typically buyer of iPhone/Samsung do not know anything about the internals or the hardware. (How else would Apple get people to buy $3,000 laptops ? It's not the hardware they are buying). The phone is just too plain for mainstream appeal. Next time you see someone with a Samsung ask them if their bootloader is locked........then ask it in Japanese....you'll get the same response.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. If you asked a user what was the difference between Touchwiz and vanilla Android, until Material Design the only thing they said was: Samsung looks nicer. Because Holo was ugly. But Material design changed that, so now basic Android is not ugly anymore. As for the gimmicks, a casual user will only use a fraction of the TouchWiz "features", and a vanilla Android user will not be missing any of those "features".
Pixel ha nice round icons, and a praised camera. You can consider it sold.
2. From the above linked interview this is the first step to establish Pixel as a product for the masses and not just for the techies. The are planning to sell 3-4 million units (good look with that). But even that's at least one order or magnitude below of the quantity Samsung and Apple sell. Google never bragged how many units they sold, you can't find official statistics, but it's obviously "not a damn lot", that's for sure.
3. And the iPhone does not have an SD card slot. The Galaxy S6 was a mistake for Samsung in every aspect, because they took away three things in one step: SD card, removable battery and custom roms. So there was a huge uproar, much bigger if they only played with these feature one at a time.
I too prefer an SD card, coming from Samsung phones, it was given, yet after one year using a mere 32GB phone I still live. So it's not a make/brake condition for me when buying a new phone.
5. It's a gimmick like Samsung's air gestures, keep awake when reading, knock twice on top to scroll to the top. You use it once then forget it. I bet for a week or two everybody will play with the assistant then forget it.
Compared to that Google Now cards are very useful, I use the Time to work, Time home card every day, and it helps avoiding the construction that kills the city, and to decide when it's totally beyond reason to leave home.
6. There are no real "frills". There are only those that some marketing think tank succeeds in convincing you that you actually need it. The camera is a frill enough to sell it, so it's the speed. Having the hardware from the start Google could optimize it a little to be better than the other manufacturers.
It is a mess. I compare it to the failures Apple had right after the Lisa, nonsense sales prediction with a exorbitant price point.
They can partner with as many carriers as they want over there (America, the world isn't just that) or try to subsidise phones.
Worldwide subsidisation of phones is impractical. And outside America the prices are even worse.
Highway 55 said:
IMO, Nexus/Pixel is not a mess, they are simply trying to gain market share other than the developer/techie community. I would bet that they will end up partnering with all of the major carriers to sell the phones subsidized, Verizon just got the nod for release day because it is the biggest. The pixels will also come down in price from the play store as well.
As far as the Duo/allo/hangouts/messenger thing, from what I've been reading they are trying to market hangouts to the enterprise side of the mobile market. I never really used it for anything other than video calls now and again. Duo is much more convenient for video calls, although I wish they would have just incorporated it into the dialer kind of how FaceTime is on iphone. I don't know what to think about allo. It doesn't handle sms, and it doesn't do anything that other already established apps do as good or better.
I'm just going to wait it out to see if the price comes down, or if my carrier gets it. If not, oh well, I will explore other options at that time. After all I'm still paying for my N6 through January...
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure why they abandoned hangouts for consumers - it was quite an all encompassing product for most of us between everything it handled - it just needed some tightening and polish but we finally had SMS, Voicemail, Video calling, IM, IP Calling all in 1. Now i have too many apps - when i instead want to simplify my life. No one likes to have something they were finding useful suddenly lose features - that just reeks of big brotherism - someone else deciding whats best for me instead of considering my own inputs.
On the pixel/nexus thing though - the way they should have done it is kept the nexus line alive and added a pixel or 2 phones with slightly more premium features but at a slightly higher price, then next generation a little higher price and so on.
That would have given all of us time to adjust and experiment. You do not just increase prices and abandon the nexus line without warning. That feels like them deciding what is best for us - like apple does. Give consumers choice, price products appropriately and allow them to cross bridges on price, features etc.
This abandoning nexus and replacing it with a non vanilla high priced pixel move is too sudden. That is why it feels like they do not listen to consumers and instead impose their vision on us. Who would like that? I chose to abandon iOS to have freedom - but the more they take those away from me - the more i look at Google and say, well this is not what i wanted. Locked bootloaders - does that not go against the very foundation of Android?
Another point - this AI push through Allo/Assistant is slowly going to convert you into a data contribution toward an engine - do you actually need to pay extra to lose your privacy - should that not happen in such a way that you get a discount on other products (i.e. your phone for example) which act as the conduit for your revealing your choices to the central database/skynet?
unfortunately, the mopes who sit in the production/sales meeting, only care about looking good to their bosses/making their bosses look good, and raise profits for shareholders..
They talk about how much Apple/Samsung charge for their phones, and sell 20 times more than Google does, so they figure, hey, lets just copy their business model, and we will look like heros.
Customers needs/wants get pushed to the back of the list, and market share/greater profits are all that matters..
And yeah, it sucks that we can now pay more for another "me too" phone, and, at the same time, surrender even more of our privacy, while paying through the nose for another Apple Clone..
No thanks, never a Pixel phone for me, at ANY price..
mixedguy said:
As much as I love the Nexus and it's contributing users, they probably don't make up enough market share for Google to care. Most Nexus owners are phone enthusiasts, who make up a very small percentage of the smartphone market.
Some Pixel phones are already sold out in the Google Store, so people are buying them. It remains to be seen if it will be enough for their "Customer Satisfaction" goal but from their interview, they don't seem to feel the need to sell a whole lot in order to make that goal, at least initially.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nexus no..it's a small segment. Android as a whole for Google is a very small amount of their revenue. Clearly the release of the Pixel is designed to make it a more considerable source of revenue for Google. They are not very diversified at the moment. All their money is in search.
AstroDigital said:
Who knows about the price I do know the 32 Gig Nexus 6p was selling for $600 Canadian (I do not know what American pay) and in 6 months I can not see Google pricing the Pixel XL 32Gig lower. Sell more than Samsung and Apple no not believes this will every happen but different people by Samsung and Apple. People that generally never visit XDA and they are happy with whatever bloat Samsung and Apple gives them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The United States there are 4 primary carriers (there are others, but the big 4 are AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and T-Mobile). Before all 4 carriers did this, but 2 still do and that is offer 24 month contracts to be signed for a subsidized phone. So for example a $800 iPhone can be bought at Verizon or Sprint for $200-$300 depending on the model, current or past, etc, etc. That's how iPhone was able to be made available in mass. There's no way the people in the US could buy these phones outright at their current cost in large populations. It's outside many people's affordability.
All these products full price are out of the affordability for nearly everyone, so either they use the contract or use payments. With exclusive Verizon, everyone will do payments or buy outright (smaller population)......many people still use the contract that I know, taking this off the table for one carrier reduces accessibility.
Also, 2 of the 4 carriers in the US are CMDA technology not GSM so unlocked phones are limited. My carrier is CMDA so I cannot buy Xperia, One plus 3, or Axon 7. If I could, I'd have bought the One plus 3. Instead I'm stuck with the Nexus or some "whitelisted" device.
istperson said:
1. If you asked a user what was the difference between Touchwiz and vanilla Android, until Material Design the only thing they said was: Samsung looks nicer. Because Holo was ugly. But Material design changed that, so now basic Android is not ugly anymore. As for the gimmicks, a casual user will only use a fraction of the TouchWiz "features", and a vanilla Android user will not be missing any of those "features".
Pixel ha nice round icons, and a praised camera. You can consider it sold.
2. From the above linked interview this is the first step to establish Pixel as a product for the masses and not just for the techies. The are planning to sell 3-4 million units (good look with that). But even that's at least one order or magnitude below of the quantity Samsung and Apple sell. Google never bragged how many units they sold, you can't find official statistics, but it's obviously "not a damn lot", that's for sure.
3. And the iPhone does not have an SD card slot. The Galaxy S6 was a mistake for Samsung in every aspect, because they took away three things in one step: SD card, removable battery and custom roms. So there was a huge uproar, much bigger if they only played with these feature one at a time.
I too prefer an SD card, coming from Samsung phones, it was given, yet after one year using a mere 32GB phone I still live. So it's not a make/brake condition for me when buying a new phone.
5. It's a gimmick like Samsung's air gestures, keep awake when reading, knock twice on top to scroll to the top. You use it once then forget it. I bet for a week or two everybody will play with the assistant then forget it.
Compared to that Google Now cards are very useful, I use the Time to work, Time home card every day, and it helps avoiding the construction that kills the city, and to decide when it's totally beyond reason to leave home.
6. There are no real "frills". There are only those that some marketing think tank succeeds in convincing you that you actually need it. The camera is a frill enough to sell it, so it's the speed. Having the hardware from the start Google could optimize it a little to be better than the other manufacturers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While I can laugh at most people who become enamored with gimmicks, that's what sells. The stupid air gestures, and whatever toggles Samsung has that people flock to. They have no idea what chip is in their phone. Same goes for iPhone.
Everything else you are saying are your own personal preferences, not what mainstream people want. Majority of society is easily distracted by shiny gimmicks, engages in herd mentality buying decisions, and want instant gratification........these people are not "astute buyers" by any means, but they are the people who open their wallets and purses to buy these products.............it's pathetic but that's how the market is. Samsung and iPhone meet all these "needs". Pixel does not.
mixedguy said:
According to The Verge websites interview with Google's hardware chief, Google knows the first generation Pixel phone won't sale in volumes and expects to gain little market share, apparently there is long term strategy behind the scenes with the release of these first Pixel phones. Here's a quote from that article.
"We certainly arent going to have enormous volumes out of this product. This is very first innings for us." Googles metric of success for Pixel wont be whether it picks up significant market share, but whether it can garner customer satisfaction and form retail and carrier partnerships that Google can leverage for years to come."
http://www.theverge.com/a/google-pixel-phone-new-hardware-interview-2016
As for the cancellation of Google Glass and other Google hardware, that was done by the recently hired Google hardware chief so he could bring all the hardware teams together to focus on same objectives, so it appears Google now has a sense of direction, thanks to this new hardware chief aka ex-Motorola president. Here's a quote from another interview, just for reference.
"When Osterloh, 44, came on board in mid-April, he brought Google hardware groups into one division, shuttering projects he didn't see contributing to Googles future. Now the engineers and designers from Google Glass, Chromecast and Pixel all work together. Keeping them separate, he says, made it hard to drive toward the goal of portfolio strategy and focus."
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...-google-s-first-real-threat-to-apple-s-iphone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Google glass and other hardware that they were experimenting with does make sense b/c it was untested and they were looking at pioneering a new potential product. There's no existing prior benchmark. That has more leeway including cancellation which I understand. I think long-term it is a good idea Google has more control over the hardware and not just software because there has been too much fragmentation across the board in devices and with other Google products.
With that said, smartphones have been out for many years now, with the saturation really beginning to take hold in 2009 and forward (where more and more people were rapidly buying smartphones). There's enough data they could have made a more intelligent analysis on how to price the product (which I suspect is way too high).