Loading ...After seeing the new iPhone, I can’t help but noticed there are many great comparisons between the iPhone 4.0, vs the HTC EVO, and also the iOS4, vs Android 2.2 (Froyo). To me, they both have their pros and cons, so I don’t really want to discuss about them now.
So when will Android close the gap with iOS4? or a better question is, when will there ever be a Android device that can deliver the level of user experience comparable or better than the iPhone4?
My response is, probably not in the next few years.
Why? Because that is the difference between integrated design, vs component design.
The theory is like this, when the design is separated into hardware and software, made by two different entities, there ought to be compatibility issues. Both parties will say that they are correct, and it takes time to nail down the source of the problem and fix the problem.
From the economics point of view, it will also take a while before any Android phone will catch up. When a company such as HTC, whose main revenue is from selling hardware, they are inclined to create a series of small hardware updates that can bring to the market. They will simply spend 20% of additional resource, to create the next phone that fits for 80% of their target audience. That is also why they will never be, Perfect.
Think about during the PC times – x86 computers, Pentium computers, Core2Duo, etc, there was never a “perfect” machine. There were “good enough for my budget” machines. The Macs are not perfect either. But it turned to a direction that markets themselves as an “art piece” – much like the Aston Martin that the TechCrunch article refers to.
Having a perfect product (or closed to perfect) will require someone who has the dedication to oversee the entire architecture (think about an architect who is building the skyscraper), the chief architecture is solely responsible for the overall delivery of the experience. This is what makes Steve Jobs, one of the best productizer in the history of consumer electronics.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I truly believe that Android will have a much larger user base in the long run – because of falling hardware from China’s manufacturer, who can provide lots of “good enough” devices and an software open platform. I just think that it will take several years before there is one that matches the iPhone4.
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You are a bit more hopefully on Android than I am. I think their plan is flawed and I don’t really ever seeing them surpassing Apple, although they may flood it with cheap devices. I doubt the profit on all those will exceed the iPhone. People have gotten a taste of well designed technology and a lot of people won’t settle for something worse anymore.
I wonder when we’ll have a company that can compete with Apple on well designed products. We might have to wait a while for that.
From the reviews I’ve seen, the iPhone 4 still has better reception than the 3GS even with the attenuation. So yes, you’ll see degradation, but still better upload and download than a 3GS. Especially since the 4 supports HSUPA and the 3GS doesn’t. It’s a questionable design to be sure; why couldn’t they just build in some kind of bridge to prevent the attenuation in the first place? But for the most part it seems the 4 is catching flack for an improvement in quality. I don’t have a 4, so I can’t test this myself, but I’d be interested to see the 3GS side by side in any showing of 4 degradation issues
I like my iPhone for the integrated design for sure. But also don’t like it because of its limits and its over-simplicity. I am a power user and expect my devices to keep up with me. If my iPhone wasn’t jailbroken I would be even more frustrated with 10 swipes to turn things and and off.
On the other side, I just got an Asus 1201N netbook. My first laptop! Great components and hardware design, great specs, great features, perfect for my needs but not everyone’s (battery vs computing power tradeoff). I’m still learning Win7, but it seems Asus didn’t do much special with win7, other than making it work well. And so far so good!
For example, iPad has been a real mystery for me. I’ve played with one in the store, seen friends with one. It is so feature limited (artificially by marketers instead of technology IMO) for its price. I’ve gotten way more for the same price. I guess because I already have an iPhone, the marginal increase of functionality in an iPad is not appealing. But even if I had a dumb phone, I think I still want my powerful netbook instead of iPad. I can’t really back-pack travel and be fully functional on an iPad.
If Asus mounted a capacitive touchscreen onto their upcoming 1215N, I think I would be in device heaven
Has anyone tried the touchscreen support of Windows 7?
So do I doubt that there will be some poor Androit devices? yes. But will there be great examples too? Yes. If there is a brand that can deliver a consistant product experience with Android, I’m sure it will be just as valued in the market as Apple. Maybe HTC is not that brand, but I can imagine a better integrated brand that can do as well as Apple, even if they are not in total control of Android development.
Thanks for the response, Greg F.
Strangely, my mentality is the opposite – I have a very powerful phone (the Nokia E71) that has more ways to interface with other devices than my iPad. I bring the phone to all the places, including reading and doing email on short bus rides. I bring my iPad when I am out and know I need to type an extended length document, seeing clients, relaxing in a cafe or home, etc.
Hence with this combination I’m quite comfortable to backpack travel.
My laptop, in comparison, is a dismal 13″ no name notebook, which is about half the price of the iPad and does what it claims with Windows 7.
My friend has a Fujitsu touch screen using Windows 7, while it is very functional and great for reading magazines using touch screen, it doesn’t nearly mimic the experience on the iPad. The iPad is like a personal, always on, TV/book/device. You really need to live with it for a few days to know how good it is.