So as we deliberate our next mobile we find ourselves torn between today and tomorrow. We have to double guess what will be the situation of operating systems, applications, market adoption and much more. The mobile market is changing fast, the life of devices reduces fast and double predicting the winners getting harder.
Today Android-focused website, Androlib say that the number of applications in the Google Android Marketplace has jumped to over 20,000. Nearly a third of the applications are paid for and recently there was a spike when more than 350 applications and games were published on a single day. The Android app store may still be only 20% that of the iPhone, but the App store has doubled in size in five months it is expected that the app store will reach 50,000 apps before the end of the first quarter 2010.
With more Android phones coming from all directions it would appear that it may be a serious iPhone threat. Now we read that Google plans to release its own handset in 2010. Until now, the company has concentrated on launching its Android operating system on mobile devices made by a number of companies, such as Motorola, Sony Ericsson, HTC and LG.
The device is called the ‘Nexus One’, a reference to the line of 'replicants' in the influential sci-fi film Bladerunner, and an echo of the ‘Android’ brand. The OLED touch-screen device, made by the Taiwanese handset manufacturer HTC, supports quad-band GSM/Edge and UMTS/HSDPA networks, as well as tri-band 850/1700/1900 networks and is based on the Snapdragon chip developed by Qualcomm,. The device could be sold unlocked in the US directly through its site or via a carrier.
As recently as October 30, Google had denied that it was "making hardware" or that it would "compete with its customers" by offering its own phone. Google has not described the handset in detail, however, and it has not confirmed that it plans to sell the device.
So watch this space as we decide on our next mobile and carrier.
2 comments:
I was interested that Tesco were going to be doing iPhones until I saw their prices.
The android phones look like something that is worth considering.
Incidentally, there's news that the estate of Philip K Dick are in the huff because they didn't get any money for the use of the words 'Nexus One'.
i still think the Android is a goood bet but how will the manufactures respond to Google doing their own?
I don't belive Nokia can win with the N900 as it to a new flavour of Linux, Windows hasn't got a clue and RIM is too specific in its appeal.
So do you choice a single stream application base which is well used (apple) or a new one which could yet suffer as it grows up (Anroid).
18 months or 24 months could seem a long time today
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