Charismatic

I'm sure something new will come along and shortly any prediction I make will look comically outdated. However without any original innovation its hard to see handset makers keeping margins.

knockoff nige

I think what needs to be understood from this graph is that it about OS not device. The amount of cheap and rubbish Android phones out there make it so popular.

As well as that, the Android on a Samsung is very different to the Android on a Nexus or HTC. Samsung especially destroy Android with their Touchwiz crap. I recently got a Samsung S5 for work. I had to immediately install a new launcher 'Novalauncher' as the stock one was so bad.

You might only have three options for IOS but they are comsistent and in my opinion superior. When there is an OS update, you get it at time of release. This S5 is still waiting on Android 5.

GarryP

Or, without the spin, sensibly priced smartphones that are perfectly serviceable, find a ready market with the majority of people who just want a phone to replace their old nokia. And I wouldn't call the Moto G or Xiaomi phones cheap and rubbish.

Word has it the next version of Touchwiz is much, much, better.

Samsung Android 5.0 Lollipop: TouchWiz improvements are huge | BGR

IIRC Lollipop has began to roll out on the S5.

Personally I think apple's OS is severely lacking as an OS - even more a simplistic launcher than even the first Android versions. Apple seem to have been taking the last few years gradually fixing some of the stupidities in the original design, and copying Android for new functionality. No great shakes to get it rolled out to the monoculture a month or so after the announcement - Google do that with the Nexus anyway.

And anyway, back to the original thesis, I think Microsoft have done some serious work with their HoloLens - and they might just steal a march on the next generation of gadgets. It's close to my thoughts for the next generation design (though a bit too chunky) - and it's also close to where I think Google were going with Glass & Tango. Interesting to see who has what patents...

knockoff nige

I didn't claim that the Moto or Xiaomi were cheap and rubbish. There are plenty of Asian knock offs available to buy that come with Android. They don't run it well.

IOS is superior for email and internet browsing. It's also just as capable of running media files to the same extent as Android. The iPhone is much better at handling notifications than this S5 that I have. IOS is obviously a more locked down OS but it's also less vulnerable to attack. It runs as designed on supported iPhones and, as I said, is available at release. No waiting around for Samsung to approve it.... and then throw their bloatware on top.

I agree that the cheaper Android phones are perfectly fine for people that just want a phone, but we might as well through in Windows Mobile or Nokia's OS into this graph to show popularity on OS. The graph does not indicate which is the best, just which is mostly used. When you open source your OS, that will happen. I'm not suggesting that's a bad thing, just that this graph simply tells us that there are far more smart phones using this OS. There's probably more PC's running Windows XP than any other OS. It's a moot point, as is this graph.

Is this a relevant chart?

keel

I recently moved from an iphone 5 to a Samsung 5S. I've had it 6 weeks now and still can't get the hang of it.

Bloody nice screen though.

Keel

GarryP

Not going to get into another religious bun fight.

The point of the post was to demonstrate that we've reached something of an inflection point. Android has essentially won in terms of widespread mobile OS adoption, and at the same time the tech development seems to have reached a plateau point where cheap=good enough.

Where we go now is up for grabs, and I have a feeling that direction maybe going to be to disappear the phone entirely - into the wrist, or the AR glasses. It's a moment of transition.

knockoff nige

But you suggested to remove the spin but then use spin yourself. Has there been a war between OS's? Apple is obviously aware that Android is open source and therefore available to more devices. I believe Apple was more looking at competing on a device level. They've always done that with their pc's.

It's just your need to have a dig at Apple all the time that needs to be removed.

GarryP

As I say, I DON'T want to get into another one of your religious bun fights - it's not the point. The reality that I was pointing up, and that was the focus of the posting, was that the battle is over, done and dusted - the question now is where the war will move on to.

I'm suggesting that MS are well placed (with their HoloLens coming out of left-field) and so are Google with something derived from their Glass/Tango work. Hell, Intel have something in there as well (RealSense). I'll be interesting to see who can deliver a 'wow' to the market to turn the moment of transition into the moment of revelation of a new market paradigm.

knockoff nige

Yeah I guess I think its best to counter your agenda against Apple by pointing it out.

Did you give yourself a high five when you saw that graph on the Internet? Battle is won. Awesome. They're also running away with the most successful eye floater. Go...Google!

Beoz

Was on a back country ski tour last week in the Alps with a mate who had an iPhone 6 plus. Nice unit - all catch up though except for the camera. The camera is a nice piece of kit and has some good features. As an Apple fan boy he pretty much thinks the ipad is dead with the 6 plus. He says he doesn't have a use for the pad now that the large screen 6 plus is finally here. ...... just saying.

JoeBloggs80

Just got myself a Sony Xperia Z3. It is mucho sexy.

Swerv-o

I've been saying this since my first Dell Streak! 5" screen added so much flexibility that I have never really needed a tablet.

The Note series offer even more - the granularity that the stylus offers allows even more usability.


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GarryP

Never really thought that 5" was enough. It needs at least 7" I think to be truly workable IMHO.

Of course, much more than 5" doesn't comfortably fit in a jeans pocket.

Swerv-o

The 5" Streak was just about pocket sized - Anything larger and you needed a handbag.


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JoeBloggs80

Unfortunately my last ex thought the same