Database Users

Google acquires Motorola Mobility

http://investor.google.com/releases/2011/0815.html
Game changer? Thoughts as to what it means for us xoomers?

I was coming to post this as well.. Friggin sweet... The true Google device..

dubsjw27 said:
http://investor.google.com/releases/2011/0815.html
Game changer? Thoughts as to what it means for us xoomers?
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Wow. This one is being reported all across the interwebs at the moment.
First of all if I were HTC and Samsung I would be LIVID right now. Both companies have stacked a lot of chips on Android and may now be seeing that as not as sure a bet as they thought. It would make sense for Google to now keep its flagship devices "in house" and have them made by Moto Mobile. This is going to freeze both companies out of the plum position of producing the concept devices for each new version of Android.
What does this foretell for the future? First of all I would not be surprised to see both HTC and Samsung trying to repair connections with Microsoft, and looking again at making a larger commitment to Windows Phone 7.
For we Xoom users, it heavily improves the odds of us seeing an official ICS release by the end of the year. That was already likely since the Xoom was being used to demo the software, but now will be even more so.
Interesting days ahead.

It gives me a little more confidence that the xoom won't be left behind as quickly as we all thought it would be.

Great move for all Android partners
If anything, this protects HTC and Samsung's Android business from patents claims against them. Google will use it's new patent muscle as a deterrent. Google stated Motorola will be a licensee just like the others. I'm sure all new GED's will be Moto but I doubt the influence will extend much beyond that.

Well, I want this:
Motorola has a lot of patents on mobile / smartphone technology.
So, I want Google to use those patents to protect Android!
I don't know how ... but I dreamed this to shut up that Apple patent troll.
Probably, Google intention was mainly for Motorola patents.

linuxdood said:
If anything, this protects HTC and Samsung's Android business from patents claims against them. Google will use it's new patent muscle as a deterrent. Google stated Motorola will be a licensee just like the others. I'm sure all new GED's will be Moto but I doubt the influence will extend much beyond that.
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I agree that this is a good move in the long-term for Android as a platform...but I think you underestimate the influence that being the sole source of GEDs will give Moto. They will be the glass of fashion.
Google will continue to provide the software to all it's partners, sure...but I think we are coming up very swiftly on a new synthesis of hardware and software...basically the Apple model accepted as the norm. Apple vs Google/Moto vs Microsoft/Nokia.
My question now is...who buys RIM. My guess is Microsoft.

Well, my day just got better.

Google has been outspoken about unlockable bootloaders. Could this mean all upcoming Google/Motorola devices will be fully unlockable?

Moto blur is now officially killed
How sweet ...

UPDATE:
So, the purchase is to defend Android ...
Update: More quotes from Android partners after the break.
Peter Chou, CEO, HTC:
We welcome the news of today's acquisition, which demonstrates that Google is deeply committed to defending Android, its partners, and the entire ecosystem.
Bert Nordberg, President & CEO, Sony Ericsson:
I welcome Google's commitment to defending Android and its partners.
Jong-Seok Park, President & CEO, LG:
We welcome Google's commitment to defending Android and its partners.
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Maybe they will purchase htc, samsung, etc.....

I expect this kind of news in the future:
GOOGLE is suing Apple for some (Motorola) patents infringement.
Then in negotiation:
Apple: So, what's now? How do we settle?
Google: Easy, drop all your lousy law suits on Android manufacturers
That would be epic!

armychris28210 said:
Maybe they will purchase htc, samsung, etc.....
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Yes! And then they will concentrate on one phone, to make it perfect with all their new know how. To enhance the security they get rid of the open source ****, and make it perfectly usable and easy by integrating it to Google Music as the only way to put music on the device. It will be called the GPhone and it will...ohhh...wait...

gogol said:
UPDATE:
So, the purchase is to defend Android ...
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Well it certainly is, at least partially. Patents are the big deal these days.
However, as for the parts of the deal that are about getting an in house hardware maker being downplayed...what else are the brass of HTC, Sony Ericsson and LG going to say?
It reminds me of the losers on The Bachelor "He totally like made the right choice...I really think this is for the best and hope they will be very happy...."
We will see how they really feel if the announcements of additional WM7 phones start picking up speed.

>First of all if I were HTC and Samsung I would be LIVID right now.
Co-opetition is the nature of business (and a lot of other areas). Things are always more complicated than the black-or-white, friend-or-foe picture people try to paint. MS is in with Nokia, but other co's are still making WP7 phones. It all depends on what makes sense (read: profit).
That the deal happens is not because of Moto Mobo's hardware capability, but for its patent portfolio.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903392904576509953821437960.html
>It would make sense for Google to now keep its flagship devices "in house" and have them made by Moto Mobile.
No, it doesn't. That would go against everything that it has built Android to be, which is an "open", device- (and vendor-) agnostic OS. If it wants to destroy Android, that would be the surest way to go about it.
>For we Xoom users, it heavily improves the odds of us seeing an official ICS release by the end of the year.
I don't see it changes the picture any wrt the Xoom. As a GED device (for US model), the odds were always in favor of Xoom getting official ICS--and for most Teg2 tabs from major vendors, for that matter.
The acquisition will take place over some months, long after the Xoom has come and gone. I don't see Moto getting any "nicer" with supporting the Xoom just because it will be part of Goog. The Xoom is just one of many Moto products, and its replacements are already in the pipe.

e.mote said:
No, it doesn't. That would go against everything that it has built Android to be, which is an "open", device- (and vendor-) agnostic OS. If it wants to destroy Android, that would be the surest way to go about it.
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That is not completely accurate. Google has always selected one vendor for each version to develop the flagship GED device. The vendors have competed heavily to get those contracts since they involved a lot of interaction with the software design team and a leg up on smooth integration.
Now, it will make sense for Moto to have those prototype devices, as it means that Google will be able to control the process even further.
Android is vendor-agnostic, but each version has always had one vendor who was first amongst equals...and that will now be Moto.

RonnieFoxxx said:
Google has been outspoken about unlockable bootloaders. Could this mean all upcoming Google/Motorola devices will be fully unlockable?
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Unlocked, not unlockable!

>Now, it will make sense for Moto to have those prototype devices, as it means that Google will be able to control the process even further.
I don't see this as a big deal. Having the Xoom released first didn't help Moto any wrt to sales, nor was having a GED a benefit to the user experience. Xoom users do get updates a bit faster, but other devices have value-added functionality (eg SD card, Splashtop, etc) that the Xoom lacks, OOB.
As far as "controlling the experience," that remains to be seen. It's hard to say with this 1st-gen as a gauge, as HC has been an ongoing beta for ICS. We'll have to see what Goog will do with its newly acquired hardware arm. I think it should be emphasized that the acquisition is more to shore up its patent stash than to "control the Android experience." Goog's failed 6.5B attempt to acquire Nortel's patents is indicative of its need in this area.

rschenck said:
Wow. This one is being reported all across the interwebs at the moment.
First of all if I were HTC and Samsung I would be LIVID right now. Both companies have stacked a lot of chips on Android and may now be seeing that as not as sure a bet as they thought. It would make sense for Google to now keep its flagship devices "in house" and have them made by Moto Mobile. This is going to freeze both companies out of the plum position of producing the concept devices for each new version of Android.
What does this foretell for the future? First of all I would not be surprised to see both HTC and Samsung trying to repair connections with Microsoft, and looking again at making a larger commitment to Windows Phone 7.
For we Xoom users, it heavily improves the odds of us seeing an official ICS release by the end of the year. That was already likely since the Xoom was being used to demo the software, but now will be even more so.
Interesting days ahead.
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Click to collapse
Don't be silly, android is an open source project device manufacturers will still be able to put their customizations out and will still be shipping phones with old versions of android. This deal will have no impact on android device manufacturers other then patent protection
Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk

[Q] Is google doing the right thing by introducing updates to fast

I sometimes thing that by introducing updates to the OS so fast is Google doing the right thing.
Before you all start hitting at me please go through these two scenarios
An OS update every year which ensures that there are major changes and upgrade to the OS which will mean devices will have a better chances of getting upgrades as then the developement cost for customization of a device will be once a year
An OS update every three to six months which ensure most of the device are either not updated or when the update is about to be released the new update is already out the perfect scenario is 4 to 4,1 to 4.1.1 to 4.2 LG is still to release update for ICS for some devices, Samsung is still to release update of JB to most of its device and we have an update to JB whats worst is now we are looking upgrade to 4.2.
Every cell phone or table OEM using Android does its own customization to the OS and then there are some locked phones in the US so for them to release a new version they need to customize it first which will have a cost involved and now with these recent sprint of updates by google I am sure most of our device will not go beyond JB some have not even gone beyond GB yet because at the end of the day these companies are here to make profit and if they end up spending more on developement then what they have earned then naturaly they will not do it.
So I feel this should rationalized to make sure the existing owners do not suffer because of this flawed update policy of Google devices

Google OS updates are a total mess. I like how apple do it.
Sent from my GT-N8010 using xda premium

Agreed with you the updates are making life of existing owners misreble hell I cannot afford to upgrade my cell every six months or even a year and a tablet for a couple of years because I am from India do not earn that much and secondly we have to buy outright no contracts so for me this is worst thing to happen My LG optimus 2x is still not being updated to ICS and ICS is already obsolute

samir_a said:
Agreed with you the updates are making life of existing owners misreble hell I cannot afford to upgrade my cell every six months or even a year and a tablet for a couple of years because I am from India do not earn that much and secondly we have to buy outright no contracts so for me this is worst thing to happen My LG optimus 2x is still not being updated to ICS and ICS is already obsolute
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You are right, even there are Samsung tablets in some regions haven't got ics and now Google is releasing 4.2, I have abad feeling from my experience with Samsung tablets that we are not going to get any updates after jellybean
Sent from my X10S using xda app-developers app

To be frank you cannot blame Samsung or for that matter any other manufacturer because these devices are highly customized and for every new version they have do develope the ROM which involves cost naturally even if you are in business you will not spend on developement when the revenue generated from it is surpased by cost of developement

The answer is yes. Stalling leads to less innovation. Besides, the next Jellybean update is not a huge one. This is why I will get a Nexus Phone, because of the updates. As for tha tablet, I can live a little while not having the latest OS.

Google's release planning outwardly looks like it’s being run by a bunch of kids. "Ooh, ooh, we should change how screen orientation works, let's push it out!" There is absolutely no reason they should be pushing out major updates more than twice a year with once a year being ideal. Minor maintenance updates that don’t affect things the manufacturers have written should be pushed out quarterly. The way updates normally work you need to spend as much time considering the impact to your installed base as you do to newer devices. With a set release schedule all those involved know if you want something changed or improved you've got to have it blessed and ready by the revision date. If not, you wait for the next. It's clear they could care less about their installed base. And Nexus devices aren't the answer as they represent less than 5% of Android phones sold. The fragmentation this creates helps no one - customers, manufacturers, app developers, and resellers. And if people have to buy new phones to keep up with the latest Google OS they'll get tired of it eventually and the next new phone they buy could be W8 or iOS. We're Android fans and are loyal. The general populous less so.
This is absolutely unforgivable and is going to come back and bite Google in the ass no matter how many Nexi they create.

With the exception of ^^ Jonphinguyen7, you guys have it completely wrong.
If you prefer Apple, go to Apple, have "fun" but Google keeps up with all updates just like Apple.
We have Android devices [by Samsung, HTC, Motorola, etc].
You want the real Google experience, get a Google device [Nexus].
Updates are NOT that fast either.
Android 3.x Honeycomb -- Feb 2011
Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich -- Oct 2011
Android 4.1.x Jelly Bean -- July 2012
Blame the lack of updates on the manufacturer.
That's what we get into when we decide to go with a Galaxy Device... i thought everyone knew.

HG! said:
With the exception of ^^ Jonphinguyen7, you guys have it completely wrong.
If you prefer Apple, go to Apple, have "fun" but Google keeps up with all updates just like Apple.
We have Android devices [by Samsung, HTC, Motorola, etc].
You want the real Google experience, get a Google device [Nexus].
Updates are NOT that fast either.
Android 3.x Honeycomb -- Feb 2011
Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich -- Oct 2011
Android 4.1.x Jelly Bean -- July 2012
Blame the lack of updates on the manufacturer.
That's what we get into when we decide to go with a Galaxy Device... i thought everyone knew.
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You're missing the point completely by assuming your attitude is shared by the majority of phone buyers. Android can't succeed without carrier and manufacturer support. Even Nexus phones on VZW, the biggest carrier in the U.S. and one of the top five in the world, are a train wreck because they use CDMA. Carrier networks while theoretically based on the same technology all have different tweaks that require changes in the radio settings. A generic Nexus device, even on GSM, has problems on certain networks which is why the carrier-sold GN's come in so many different versions. And those carrier GN’s don’t receive updates when Google pushes them out creating the same update frustration for their owners that we’re discussing for the Note.
With 90% of phones sold in the U.S. kept an average of 15 months and subsidized by carriers there is nothing Google can do with its Nexus line that is going to influence the mainstream phone buyer. In market research that's been done those same people also like the features that TouchWiz and Sense provide which is why Samsung and HTC spend so much time and money on their UIs. Enthusiasts like us make up 5% of phone buyers. If Google captures 100% of us and 10% of the rest it's a major fail and a great opportunity for iOS and W8. Google's the "tail," not the "dog" and with Samsung, HTC, Nokia, and Huawei jumping on the W8 band wagon so quickly and heavily you have to ask yourself “why?”
Google's lack of attention to the partners it needs for Android to succeed (carriers, manufacturers) and customers using their OS can't end well when there are viable alternatives like iOS and W8 available from competitors with resources as ample as Google's. The mobile race is in its infancy and anyone can still win and Google needs friends more than they need Key Lime Pie.
This is what Nexus looks like behind the scenes...

Well said also we need to remember Google Nexus devices are again built in partnership unlike Iphone which means they a dependent of someone for the hardware something I find strange and again show how missmanged things are at google is they own motorola but they are not building their flagship nexus devices instead samsung and lg are doing which makes no business sense as it tells that google does not have confidence that moto can build nexus devices if that is the case then why did they buy it. Google needs to understand updates are great but they are useless if they cannot reach majority of their customer base.

HG! said:
With the exception of ^^ Jonphinguyen7, you guys have it completely wrong.
If you prefer Apple, go to Apple, have "fun" but Google keeps up with all updates just like Apple.
We have Android devices [by Samsung, HTC, Motorola, etc].
You want the real Google experience, get a Google device [Nexus].
Updates are NOT that fast either.
Android 3.x Honeycomb -- Feb 2011
Android 4.0.x Ice Cream Sandwich -- Oct 2011
Android 4.1.x Jelly Bean -- July 2012
Blame the lack of updates on the manufacturer.
That's what we get into when we decide to go with a Galaxy Device... i thought everyone knew.
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Click to collapse
What you are describing is people who are using unlcoked/unsubsidized GN phones and their numbers are really small compared to the rest of the Android owners. As Barry pointed out, GN phones that are sold by the carriers are not any different when it comes to receiving updates. With this perspective, the people who are enjoying the "real Google experience", which brings frequent updates, is a tiny fraction of their target market, and releasing major updates so often only frustrates both manufacturers and the carriers (at least in the US), not to mention the owners of Android phones/tablets. Just take a look at any carrier-specific forums few days after the release of Android updates and see the slurry of angry comments asking for "where's my update? I'm never buying a Samsung phone/tablet again, etc, etc".
Keep in mind that the relationship between Samsung, HTC, LG, etc. with Google has been based on a "well, there's no other alternative to iOS in the mobile world" argument. Nokia has recently released Windows phones that were received very well as an alternative but couldn't capture significant market share partly due to OS limitations and the "novelty factor". Samsung and HTC had Windows phones before, but none of them were any major players compared to Android or iOS. I don't remember seeing a single commercial touting any Windows phones with the exception of Nokia's recent offerings. Based on what's been published over the years, Google's treatment of this relationship and the fragmentation that it generates with every release have not been received very well by the manufacturers. Like it or not, W8 is designed with mobile platforms in mind first, followed by desktop computing.
As pointed out, the manufacturers of Android devices are not only making W8 tablets, but also many W8 phones, now. Since many people in the US are more familiar with Samsung, HTC and LG, compared to Nokia or Sony Ericsson, the availability of W8 phones will most likely take people away from prospective Android buyers rather than Apple customers. The part of the success of Apple is the unity, integrity and the similarities between MacOS and iOS. In a perfect world, I wouldn't mind using W8 on my desktop, laptop (via bootcamp), tablet and phone (if this happens, I'll be buying a small Android tablet; I'm nostalgic). This is what MS is hoping/planning for, and we'll see how well that could be executed over the next 3-6 months.
If W8 tablets/phones don't generate enough excitement, then we're stuck with Android and Google's further fragmentation. Luckily, Samsung adds a lot more on top of the "plain" Android to keep us happy. I've used my son's Nexus 7 for about a month now, and every single time, I find myself looking for certain components of the TW interface that I'm accustomed to from my Note 10.1. Therefore, I don't see myself buying any Nexus device in the future, but I hope they do well. If the analysts are correct, then Google may be the only manufacturer of high-end Android tablets in the future.

tenderidol said:
people who are enjoying the "real Google experience", which brings frequent updates, is a tiny fraction of their target market.
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And let's be honest. The "real Google experience" is a pretty basic OS tied to Google Apps, Google Music, Google Books, Google TV & Movies, and other things Google wants people to buy. Phones with overlays that integrate features and make them easier to use together are more appealing to the mainstream than having to go out to Play Store and figure out which of the dozens of different alternatives available for a specific chore is going to do what they want it to do. And out of a dozen similar apps 2/3 can be total crap and built in someone's garage. Camry's and Accord's are probably about as commoditized a car as any on the market. Yet they are consistently best sellers. The majority of phone buyers like car buyers aren't looking for a do-it-yourself project. They want something reliable, that's low maintenance, and that they know is going to work and hold up over time. And they are the ones that are going to decide whether Android, W8, or iOS is the best and most prevalent mobile OS.
And Google’s hardware division, Motorola, sending a "f-you” message to their customers by reneging on their commitment to move 2011 high-end devices to JB in violation of the Google-sponsored Open Handset Alliance’s covenants speaks volumes about what’s important to Google. If they keep putting unattainable functionality ahead of their existing customer’s experiences they are going to drive people away.

You all seem to be mistaken on what is the main question at hand. No, Google is not updating too fast, as pointed out with some dates from another poster. The reason it takes too long or never happens (our updates) is because of all the bloat and custom software put into it by manufacturers and OEM's. The "Google Experience" isn't just the main Google apps, it's the OS at it's purest, with no additional features added by manufacturers. Lastly, if you watched the Google I/O you will remember the Google Rep saying that they will be giving update source code to manufacturers six month in advance now, so that they can add all their junk onto it for (hopefully) timely updates.

^OS at its purest requires you to download a lot of 'junk' from playstore to even do basic tasks. Some of the manufacturer customization are useful.

Jolla to demo Sailfish OS for smartphones this week

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.....

CNN article - How Samsung is out-innovating Apple - Chek this out

I saw this article on CNN, I tought it might interest some people here.
Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/18/tech/gaming-gadgets/samsung-apple-innovation/
(CNN) -- There's no arguing that Apple set the standard for modern mobile devices with the iPhone and the iPad. It didn't take long after those two products launched for competitors to rush out their own copycat devices.
Even then, it took another few years before Android was good enough to go toe to toe with iOS, Apple's mobile operating system.
But it's no longer about being just as good as Apple. You have to be better. Competitors have built upon the foundation Apple laid in mobile and are now leapfrogging it with bunch of useful features you can't find on iPhones and iPads.
The evidence is everywhere, but it's most apparent in products made by Apple's biggest mobile rival, Samsung.
By now, Samsung's Galaxy devices have become synonymous with Android, to the point that the manufacturer has more brand recognition than any other phone or tablet running Google's operating system. A lot of that has to do with Samsung's massive marketing budget, but you can't ignore the fact that the company has innovated a lot by creating popular new product categories that Apple is wary to try.
The best example of this is the Galaxy Note, a smartphone-tablet hybrid with a giant screen. When that device first hit the United States about a year ago, critics (including me) slammed the device for being too large. It couldn't fit comfortably in your pocket. It was really thick. And it came with a stylus, that relic of the Palm Pilot era, making the Note feel like a step backward.
None of that mattered. Samsung sold at least 10 million Galaxy Notes. The company came out with an updated version with an even larger screen called the Galaxy Note II a few months later and sold another 5 million (at last count), a very big achievement for a single Android device.
But more importantly, Samsung created a new category of smartphone that people didn't even know they wanted, much like Apple did when it released the first iPhone.
Samsung isn't afraid to tout its cool factor either. Since the first commercial debuted in late 2011, you've probably seen those "Next Big Thing" ads that make fun of starry-eyed Apple fans waiting in line for the next iPhone. Whether it's boasting about the bigger screens or sharing content by tapping phones together, Samsung seems content to blast Apple for its stuffiness while showing in a practical context what its devices can do.
On the software side of things, Samsung is taking advantage of its mobile devices' processing power to layer premium features on top of Android, such as the ability to run two apps at once in a split screen or separate window. Samsung's best tablet, the Galaxy Note 10.1, can do all that plus take advantage of a stylus so you can draw and take notes on the screen.
There is a downside to the split-screen thing, however. Developers have to tweak their apps to work in split-screen mode on the Note 10.1. There are only about 20 apps right now that can do it.
But what's most important is how nimble Samsung has become at improving its mobile devices through software updates. The Note 10.1 launched last fall, but it received a software update with a new version of Android and a slew of other features like the voice assistant Google Now, which is a lot more impressive than Apple's original Siri.
Samsung's director of product planning, Shoneel Kolhatkar, said the company takes user and reviewer feedback into account when preparing to deliver new software updates. Instead of making users wait a year for new features, Kolhatkar said Samsung can use that feedback to deliver "incremental innovation that keeps the product alive."
"We want to keep the product relevant to consumers," Kolhatkar said. "It's about how to fit our devices into people's lives versus changing their behavior."
Samsung isn't alone, of course. Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system is built for touchscreen devices like tablets, too, and it offers a lot of advantages over iOS. All Windows 8 apps can run in a split screen so you can run two at once, plus the main menu is capable of displaying real-time updates for stuff like news and weather. Microsoft even has its own line of Surface tablets that blur the line between PC and laptop thanks to a clever snap-on keyboard cover.
Based on all this evidence, Apple feels behind. Take a look at its newest fourth-generation iPad. It has a killer processor and other great hardware features, but the operating system doesn't take advantage of any of that. The home screen is still just a grid of static icons that launch apps.
Apple also isn't nearly as versatile at adding new software features to its devices. Apple usually makes users wait a year or more for a new version of iOS, and even then some older devices can't access all the latest and greatest features.
Apple CEO Tim Cook likes to say tablets -- not laptops -- are the future of computing, yet it feels like Apple's software goes out of its way to limit what you can do on the machine.
Meanwhile there are others, especially Samsung, that appear to be innovating at a pace faster than Apple can.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Steve Kovach.
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Tim Cook is wrong, the future of computing is... SMARTPHONES!

Good Find. Apple has been stuck on its original mentality and although it innovated a huge field, they have definitely stagnated

Re: How Samsung is out-innovating Apple
Apple? Sounds familiar is that the company that made that funny square phone with non movable icons back in 1999 ??

Re: How Samsung is out-innovating Apple
Yeah, the company that makes phones for senior citizens.

Far from being an Apple fan, I think we should be grateful to them. The first iphone really woke up the smartphone industry by giving them a kick in the butt. Without the first iphone maybe we wouldn't have our awesome SGS3.

Kremata said:
Far from being an Apple fan, I think we should be grateful to them. The first iphone really woke up the smartphone industry by giving them a kick in the butt. Without the first iphone maybe we wouldn't have our awesome SGS3.
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Well put. They do innovate. But then Samsung takes over and kills them at their own game. Some prime examples are TV's, home appliances and memory chips.

jinosong said:
Well put. They do innovate. But then Samsung takes over and kills them at their own game. Some prime examples are TV's, home appliances and memory chips.
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Memory chips? Apple never made memory chips. Actually (funny fact) even today they still use Samsung memory chips. Latest news was they were looking for another supplier. And I never seen an Apple TV or DVD player.

Kremata said:
Memory chips? Apple never made memory chips. Actually (funny fact) even today they still use Samsung memory chips. Latest news was they were looking for another supplier. And I never seen an Apple TV or DVD player.
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I was merely mentioning that Samsung takes hold of other companies' innovations and perfect them to become the industry leader in their respective markets.

jinosong said:
I was merely mentioning that Samsung takes hold of other companies' innovations and perfect them to become the industry leader in their respective markets.
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Interesting that a while ago most people thought that about Apple.
Apple is stagnant, hopefully Samsung will not. A great catalyst of innovation is the open nature of Android and the heavy competition.

drakester09 said:
Interesting that a while ago most people thought that about Apple.
Apple is stagnant, hopefully Samsung will not. A great catalyst of innovation is the open nature of Android and the heavy competition.
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Personally I'm a fan of Android but not necessarily Samsung. Now I'm with Samsung because they have the most powerful phone but if later on HTC or other come up with a better one I will go with them. Frankly I hate Samsung's interface. I find the green toggles and the grey sms box so ugly. But I love S-Voice. I hope they will improve their UI in the future. In the mean time I will keep flashing ROM to my liking.

Microsoft buys Nokia's smartphone handset business

Microsoft late Monday announced it is buying Nokia's smartphone and cellular handset business in a deal worth $7.2 billion.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/09/03/microsoft-buys-nokia-handset/2756653/

Yeah this was coming after elop was put in.
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Nice. We're gonna have microsoft phones now.

I'm not sure I'm going to like this.... the OS is halfbaked and we have no official ETA for 8.1 nor GDR3, GDR2 adds FM except its not on all devices, and the Lumia hardware line sure better stay the way it is (build quality wise and not dumping features to just ship the devices/updates), or I'm going Android.....
Unless MS attempting to directly compete with Android with the Microsoft editions - direct updates and no shovelware.
Why can't I just find a WP7 device with LTE?
Also, I'm feeling good about Elop being a potential CEO. It would be good for almost all the divisions.

thals1992 said:
I'm not sure I'm going to like this.... the OS is halfbaked and we have no official ETA for 8.1 nor GDR3, GDR2 adds FM except its not on all devices, and the Lumia hardware line sure better stay the way it is (build quality wise and not dumping features to just ship the devices/updates), or I'm going Android.....
Unless MS attempting to directly compete with Android with the Microsoft editions - direct updates and no shovelware.
Why can't I just find a WP7 device with LTE?
Also, I'm feeling good about Elop being a potential CEO. It would be good for almost all the divisions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think microsoft will have any direct say into how the lumia handsets will be, build-quality wise. Their awesome build is what keeps lumia at an advantage against others and i doubt they will dump that.

mcosmin222 said:
I don't think microsoft will have any direct say into how the lumia handsets will be, build-quality wise. Their awesome build is what keeps lumia at an advantage against others and i doubt they will dump that.
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Microsoft actually stated pretty much what they intend to change in the near future and what they intend to keep the same. Especially the developer evangelism groups, overall marketing, etc. are going to be centralized. The sales team, the design teams, product teams, etc. are all staying the same and also mostly are staying in finland.

thals1992 said:
I'm not sure I'm going to like this.... the OS is halfbaked and we have no official ETA for 8.1 nor GDR3, GDR2 adds FM except its not on all devices, and the Lumia hardware line sure better stay the way it is (build quality wise and not dumping features to just ship the devices/updates), or I'm going Android.....
Unless MS attempting to directly compete with Android with the Microsoft editions - direct updates and no shovelware.
Why can't I just find a WP7 device with LTE?
Also, I'm feeling good about Elop being a potential CEO. It would be good for almost all the divisions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Lumia 900 had LTE. I believe the Focus 2 also had it.