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And will Google do to Apple what Microsoft did in the '90s?
Android is gaining market share—at Apple's expense:
Under attack from Google's Android — which now commands 72% of the worldwide smartphone market, vs. 14% for Apple's iOS — Apple is stepping toward price competition rather than pulling off another rabbit trick. . .
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/...n/1827607/
Once again you have Apple's proprietary OS and high-end products competing with an OS that any manufacturer can license. Sure, you can end up with a lot of junky products, but low price combined with roughly comparable performance ultimately wins.
By the mid-'90s, the Mac's market share was down to about 3%. Is that where iOS is headed?
/Mr Lynn
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Only 14% ?
Wow! That was a fast fall from market dominance!
But in answer to your question, I don't see Google as the new Microsoft, Google has not engaged in predatory pricing schemes or strong-arming manufacturers as Microsoft did. I remember when DOS was king and Windows 3.1 was just coming out, there were competing windowing environments, but Microsoft would change some lines of code in DOS and render the competing environments unstable. Microsoft also strong-armed manufacturers into exclusive Microsoft-only contracts by low-balling the Windows OS.
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In some ways, yes. In others, probably worse.
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mrlynn wrote:
... low price combined with roughly comparable performance ultimately wins.
I'll disagree with your logic:
You can get a cheap Android tabled for $79. Why are iPads still the #1 selling tablet ?
Price, Performance, and Quality / Reliability are the classic market value 'three legged stool'. Until Android products achieve Quality / Reliability levels equivalent to the Apple products.. I don't think so.
Why did Apple suddenly absorb huge market share in the laptop computer market ?
Quality / Reliability. Sure, you can get an 'equal performance' Windoze craptop. And buy a new one every 2 years.
Ignoring Quality/Reliability works for the casual consumer who is buying a 'toy'. Not for the serious consumer. And Apple products are for that serious consumer.
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Sam3 wrote:
Only 14% ?
I don't see Google as the new Microsoft, Google has not engaged in predatory pricing schemes or strong-arming manufacturers as Microsoft did. I remember when DOS was king and Windows 3.1 was just coming out, there were competing windowing environments, but Microsoft would change some lines of code in DOS and render the competing environments unstable. Microsoft also strong-armed manufacturers into exclusive Microsoft-only contracts by low-balling the Windows OS.
1. Android is free, how can any non-proprietary mobile phone operating system compete against that?
2. Remember when Google strong-armed Motorola to stop using Skyhook wifi positioning in favor of Google's?
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cbelt3 wrote:
Price, Performance, and Quality / Reliability are the classic market value 'three legged stool'. Until Android products achieve Quality / Reliability levels equivalent to the Apple products.. I don't think so.
Why did Apple suddenly absorb huge market share in the laptop computer market ?
Quality / Reliability. Sure, you can get an 'equal performance' Windoze craptop. And buy a new one every 2 years.
Ignoring Quality/Reliability works for the casual consumer who is buying a 'toy'. Not for the serious consumer. And Apple products are for that serious consumer.
I don't agree at all. There are Android devices on the market now which compete quite favorably on quality/reliability. With Apple making more of their laptop line non upgradable, how can you continue to bang the only Windows PCs need to upgrade every two years drum? I doubt 100% of Apple owners are serious users.
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Silv-
Pretty much all the consumer grade Windoze laptops I've had the misfortune to interact with have suffered some sort of catastrophic component failure within 1-2 years. I'm not talking "Upgrade". Most (95% ? ) consumers do NOT upgrade their computers . Ever. The group here and in any chat/blog/forum will be exceptions to the rule, and are therefore not representative of the majority of the marketplace. A fact that Apple has accurately considered.
I've not interacted with many Android devices, but the ones I have have worked with have been more cheaply made and seem or are less reliable. Samsung, Google, etc...
Or maybe people take better care of their Apple bling.
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MGS_forgot_password wrote:
1. Android is free, how can any non-proprietary mobile phone operating system compete against that?
Google doesn't make any money from Android if you don't use the Google middleware. When was that ever possible from a Microsoft or Apple OS? There are many forks of Android on the market. There are many devices which otherwise use stock Android, but do not use Google services.
Android has been a boon to the entire industry. Ask B&N and Amazon how forked Android has allowed them to build compelling products without paying a penny to an OS vendor. Shoot, without Android, MS wouldn't be making any money in mobile (see patent jackassery).
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Sam3 wrote:
Only 14% ?
Wow! That was a fast fall from market dominance!
To be fair, Apple was never the dominant player in cell phones. Not as an OS share.
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Android is free? That could spell even more trouble for Apple's market share. My daughter and her husband both have Android phones, and as far as I can see, they can do everything that an iPhone can do, and just as reliably.
That makes Google more of a threat than Microsoft was. Microsoft depended on license income from Windows. If Google can continue development of Android and give it away, what are the long-term prospects for a proprietary system?
/Mr Lynn
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