smartphone wars – is it just mac vs pc part two?
I just had a quick thought that I’d like to dig in deeper to, but for now, thought I’d throw it out there and see what folks think, and then add what I’ve learned after asking around a bit more.
It seems that the current iphone and android competition is nearly identical to the issues we have had in the mac vs pc debate for 25 years now (can that be right – 25 years?.. time goes so quickly). Let’s look at what we have as some high level similarities, and can we learn anything from this, in how apple may react over time (or how we can expect them to react based on past experiences) as well as the new ‘pc’ giant, Google (android).
Apple has created an environment for the iPhone that in a lot of ways mimics that of their desktop and laptop offerings.
- You can only get the iphone in one hardware flavor – the one apple supplies to you through a very limited sales channel (apple, apple.com and at&T (here in the US)
- the iPhone app store is a tightly controlled Apple, Inc environment where at will they can decide definitively what applications/services are allowed to run on their hardware
Google, much like Microsoft of the 80’s, 90’s and today, operate a very open operating system, much as the PC has always been.
- Android is available for all or nearly all phone manufacturing companies to develp and deploy to (much as a Windows is for the PC)
- The Google App store strategy is much more diversified and open to access from many locations and even open to distributing applications outside of their control and with no approval by Google whatsoever.
On one hand, the Mac and it’s closed system has led to environment that most would agree is easy to use, and in general, free of virus and other user encumbering afflictions. On the other hand Android (as Windows is as well) is an open system (somewhat – as Windows isn’t opensource) but can be easily manipulated at the application level for nearly anyone to develop applications, tools, enhancements, games, etc for. The downside being quality control. The benefit being opportunity to stretch the imagination.
Overall, this always seems to come down to a PR battle in the Mac vs PC or iPhone vs Android world (in theory). Is Windows really the evil, terribly written OS that so many claim? Can that much money really be spent over 25 years and it be terrible? Or, is it that there are some really poorly written applications by 3rd parties running on Windows (device drivers, applictions, utilities, etc) that then have an adverse effect on the performance of Windows, and Microsoft and the hardware manufacturers then get the bad rap, as it’s very difficult to tell that your fun little video editing app for $9.99 that you just downloaded off the net was created by a pair of 15 year old kids who didn’t know how to resolve conflicts between their applications and other commonly used systems?
The current advertising by Motorola for the ‘Droid’ is all about making fun of the things we can’t currently do on the iPhone. The question is whether opening all of these new opportunities, by giving up control, may also cause the same ‘lowest common denominator’ application development that has plagued Windows and the hardware manufacturers who’ve been taking a beating all of these years.
I’m not saying I don’t’ want to see multi-tasking in my smartphone or that i don’t want to see streamlined application approval, but i also like that fact that my phone always works (with the occasional reboot required), and I certainly don’t want to have the same level of virus, hacking and instability problems I have with Windows Vista.
Is the new mobile smartphone era different than what mac and pc have faced in the past? Am I completely off base here, or have we learned something from what has made a mac somewhat more stable than it’s pc brethren? I still want to play with the Droid, I still use Vista for my day to day work, but I do love the consistency of my iPhone (even without multitasking for GPS navigation and listening to Pandora at the same time)
Let me know your thoughts.
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Kathy Dean November 17th
Interesting points here. In our house we have an Iphone and a Droid. We love them both. So far, the Droid is actually faster than the Iphone. However, I think that the controls for the Iphone are a tad more smooth. User friendly. BUT the Droid is by no stretch of the imagination difficult.
I think the Iphone will always be a better seller because, Like Starbucks, people will pay for the name recognition. People get a boost from walking around with the green and white Starbucks cups versus 7-11 cups (which by the way has superior flavor), just as they would rather bust out their Iphone (ooh, is that an Iphone) versus their Droid.
Just my thoughts.
Randall November 18th
I am an iPhone user… I’ve drunk the Kool-Aid. It is the device I want to use. I used other phone and PDA’s for years without complaint. With that admission I have to say that having a phone and hand held computer that does everything I want it to do, always works well – except for those damned dropped calls in NYC – why open Pandora’s box with the lowest common denominator.
Apple has it’s limitations, but I also spend hundreds of dollars a year on software to protect my PC’s that I don’t spend on my Macs. Really don’t want to have to worry about my mobile device. I think there is a good possibility that that will be a “PC Versus Mac” thing when it comes to Android and the iPhone and unless I see that the Android works as flawlessly as my iPhone and offers me all that I want with ease – no way I’ll even think of changing – yet.
Android must prove that it is superior in every way. Every product that has tried and failed to compete with the iPhone has been wonky and not be what the manufacturer promised it would be. We’ll see…
Keith Pape November 19th
thanks kathy – i didn’t know you guys had both. really great insight and good to hear feedback from folks who have and enjoy both
Keith Pape November 19th
thanks Randall. good points – and i couldn’t agree more about at&t service in NYC – it will really be interesting once the Droid reaches some critical mass on Verizon, to see how it affects the verizon network (or if it does). Verizon’s claim to fame, which it shoves in AT&T’s face regularly is how poorly the at&t network is serving those iphone customers – we’ll see if verizon can do any better with a powerful smartphone on their system.
Curt Van Inwegen November 23rd
Well. We have an iPhone, Droid (and Blackberry) in our house. Droid’s issues stem from the Moto handset more than the OS or apps. I like your analogy though and given our current 3 week side by side demo, the iPhone wins because, like its Apple heritage, it “just works” and the design (physical, UI, UX, etc) is so sweet. That makes is a lot easier to ignore the only downside (i.e. crappy AT&T coverage).
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