27 replies to this topic

[Noitidart]

Holy hell. Yeah google just bought motorola for ~12 billion dollars....

What do you guys think?
What does it mean for iPhone?

[Waser Lave]

Motorola have a very big patent portfolio I bet which would add some protection to Android against all the recent lawsuits people have been filing against them. Especially when you consider that Motorola used to be a big player in the mobile phone business years ago just as mobiles were becoming popular.

[Boggart]

I don't think the iPhone will be changed much, if anything it'll be the androids that change. Hmm, I was going to buy an Andriod/iPhone too. Maybe I should wait even longer before deciding...

[Noitidart]

I'm also in the Android/iPhone debate right now. lol

[Boggart]

I'm also in the Android/iPhone debate right now. lol

My contract expired in june and I need a new phone. GRRR stupid phone I have now

Also blackberry is an option since blackberries predominate in Canada... so many choices QQ

But I might more consider an Android, although that's not going to say they'll release one a better version now that google bought Motorola *shrugs*

[Waser Lave]

My contract expired in june and I need a new phone. GRRR stupid phone I have now

Also blackberry is an option since blackberries predominate in Canada... so many choices QQ

But I might more consider an Android, although that's not going to say they'll release one a better version now that google bought Motorola *shrugs*

It points the way to a true Google phone, both hardware and software this time. That should be interesting.

Mostly I think it's about protecting Android from all the recent lawsuits though.

[Boggart]

It points the way to a true Google phone, both hardware and software this time. That should be interesting.

Mostly I think it's about protecting Android from all the recent lawsuits though.

But don't phone companies get sued by like EVERYONE almost all the time? I don't know the details about Motorola specifically, but was there actually a case this time?

Oooh true google phone *drools*. I'm not even being sarcastic.

[Noitidart]

I hate how google is taking over the world.

[Waser Lave]

But don't phone companies get sued by like EVERYONE almost all the time? I don't know the details about Motorola specifically, but was there actually a case this time?

Oooh true google phone *drools*. I'm not even being sarcastic.

Well Apple, Microsoft and Oracle (amongst others) have been on a bit of a spree suing manufacturers of phones/tables/etc which use Android and forcing those companies to pay royalties on each unit (Samsung, for example, is having to pay Microsoft $10-$15 for every single Android product it sells). Motorola was a key player when mobile telephony was being developed so it's likely that they've got some very important patents in their portfolio (they owned about 25,000 individual patents) which Google now owns. So now Google can use those patents to support/protect the companies which have been developing Android products from those approaches from Apple, Microsoft etc and perhaps also do some counter-suing of their own.

Overall it'll probably turn out to be a better deal for Motorola than for Google though considering the price paid and the fact that Motorola is a pretty dying brand.

[Bone]

I read this as "Google buys Toyota" and I was both impressed and horrified. Knowing the Google overlords, its a matter of time...

[Cory]

My contract expired in june and I need a new phone. GRRR stupid phone I have now

Also blackberry is an option since blackberries predominate in Canada... so many choices QQ

But I might more consider an Android, although that's not going to say they'll release one a better version now that google bought Motorola *shrugs*

Blackberry shouldn't be an option. I expect the next big "wow" purchase in the mobility field will be either Nokia or Blackberry. The rate that they are losing market share and capital is insane. If they don't get their QNX software into a wider range of devices asap they're going to sink even further.

I hate how google is taking over the world.

Their moto is "don't be evil" though.

[WharfRat]

As someone who handles tech support for Verizon, let me help you guys that are ready to upgrade out. DONT BUY AN ANDROID PHONE! The motorola ones are absolutely the worst culprits as well... Software conflict at every corner, tons of malware in the android market, and poor hardware components that go out frequently. It's literally common place at work to get customers who have had 4-8 replacement droid phones. They are all so sick of them that many cry and beg to get into an iPhone. I heard recently that 40% of Android phones are returned.

Save yourself the worry and skip the android market entirely. The iPhone 5 will come out in the next month or two anyways. Wait for it (or wait for it to come out so the iPhone 4 prices will drop dramatically.)

P.s. I think google bought out motorola for patents, sure. However, I think more importantly they determined that apples approach of hardware + software manufacturing is the only certain way to ensure a quality product.

[Waser Lave]

As someone who handles tech support for Verizon, let me help you guys that are ready to upgrade out. DONT BUY AN ANDROID PHONE! The motorola ones are absolutely the worst culprits as well... Software conflict at every corner, tons of malware in the android market, and poor hardware components that go out frequently. It's literally common place at work to get customers who have had 4-8 replacement droid phones. They are all so sick of them that many cry and beg to get into an iPhone. I heard recently that 40% of Android phones are returned.

Save yourself the worry and skip the android market entirely. The iPhone 5 will come out in the next month or two anyways. Wait for it (or wait for it to come out so the iPhone 4 prices will drop dramatically.)

P.s. I think google bought out motorola for patents, sure. However, I think more importantly they determined that apples approach of hardware + software manufacturing is the only certain way to ensure a quality product.

You can't blame hardware issues on the Android software. And I doubt that 40% of Android phones are returned, that's a huge amount and most of the manufacturers would have given up on Android with those kinds of numbers...you're talking about over 500,000 Android devices per day being activated, if 40% of those were being returned I suspect a lot of companies would be haemorrhaging money.

[WharfRat]

You can't blame hardware issues on the Android software. And I doubt that 40% of Android phones are returned, that's a huge amount and most of the manufacturers would have given up on Android with those kinds of numbers...you're talking about over 500,000 Android devices per day being activated, if 40% of those were being returned I suspect a lot of companies would be haemorrhaging money.

When you consider the same user activating numerous phones due to replacements being sent out, that figure is less impressive. The hardware isn't the fault of the OS at all. However, the OS has more bugs and flaws than you can shake a stick at. (mostly these bugs are caused by the manufacturer attempting to place their fingerprint on their devices to give it their own unique spin.)

You also are forgetting that there aren't many alternative operatic systems for companies to explore. Palm WebOS has been a massive failure and don't get me started on Windows Mobile... iOS and RIM's OS are protected and are not available for licensing. Android is the only real option for manufacturers at this point.
The are iOS lacks is in customization. If you want your phone to look a particular way, android may be more your style. If you want a phone that works and is incredibly stable; get an iPhone.

[Waser Lave]

When you consider the same user activating numerous phones due to replacements being sent out, that figure is less impressive. The hardware isn't the fault of the OS at all. However, the OS has more bugs and flaws than you can shake a stick at. (mostly these bugs are caused by the manufacturer attempting to place their fingerprint on their devices to give it their own unique spin.)

You also are forgetting that there aren't many alternative operatic systems for companies to explore. Palm WebOS has been a massive failure and don't get me started on Windows Mobile... iOS and RIM's OS are protected and are not available for licensing. Android is the only real option for manufacturers at this point.
The are iOS lacks is in customization. If you want your phone to look a particular way, android may be more your style. If you want a phone that works and is incredibly stable; get an iPhone.

To be honest I don't believe the return rate is anywhere near 40%, I suspect (and have read reports) that it's actually in the low single-digit percentage so quite comparable with that of the iPhone.

[Charmender]

It points the way to a true Google phone, both hardware and software this time. That should be interesting.

Mostly I think it's about protecting Android from all the recent lawsuits though.

That already happens, the Nexus line of android phones is developed by google and whichever OEM wins the bid to create the next Nexus.
Google have already clarified that they will not be giving the nexus to Motorola just because they own them, the bidding will still take place.

I doubt this will change much in terms of android, it would not be good business strategy for google to give preference to motorola as they would risk other OEM's moving to another operating system.

[Cory]

To be honest I don't believe the return rate is anywhere near 40%, I suspect (and have read reports) that it's actually in the low single-digit percentage so quite comparable with that of the iPhone.

I can only give out numbers for my region as national numbers are not available but we usually have in the range of 14% return rate on android phones, less half that for iPhone. Currently our biggest selling single phone however is the iPhone 3GS by a huge margin ( 30% or so )

I'm not sure where the 40% number comes from but it does seem like an extremely high number.

[Kyouma]

Android phones have barely penetrated the market here in china.
Its iPhone crazy here...
The saying is that out of 10 people, 8 have an iPhone, 1.5 want an Iphone, and the last 0.5 don't have phones.
Android phones'll have to do something incredibly special to try and break though this apple wall.

[iargue]

Android phones have barely penetrated the market here in china.
Its iPhone crazy here...
The saying is that out of 10 people, 8 have an iPhone, 1.5 want an Iphone, and the last 0.5 don't have phones.
Android phones'll have to do something incredibly special to try and break though this apple wall.

Not sucking should work in their advantage.

[zandra]

nokia and microsoft are also working together. seems like microsoft and google are afraid of apple =/

[Donaldmax]

I have an samsung galaxy (android) and i used to have an iphone 4. iphone 4 just sucks. It's basically a fashion accessory seriously. If your into performance and stuff like that, then android is way better. but if u want security, get iphone lol.
i feel thats there's gonna be lots of competition soon... between samsung/htc/similiar companies and google.

[jcrdude]

Man... here I am with a Motorola Android phone (Droid2, if you were wondering) and loving it. I don't really understand why people are having such a hard time with this. I think the Apple/Google debate is similar to the Apple/Windows debate on computers.

-Want the ease of use and guaranteed functionality associated with the end user not being allowed to fuck up their device (at a higher price)? Apple
-Want some freedom, even if that freedom means that you could potentially render your device useless (even though you shouldn't if you know wtf you're doing, or are at least cautious)? Android

[Noitidart]

I read this as "Google buys Toyota" and I was both impressed and horrified. Knowing the Google overlords, its a matter of time...

I wouldn't be surprised if that happens in the future. lol

As someone who handles tech support for Verizon, let me help you guys that are ready to upgrade out. DONT BUY AN ANDROID PHONE! The motorola ones are absolutely the worst culprits as well... Software conflict at every corner, tons of malware in the android market, and poor hardware components that go out frequently. It's literally common place at work to get customers who have had 4-8 replacement droid phones. They are all so sick of them that many cry and beg to get into an iPhone. I heard recently that 40% of Android phones are returned.

Save yourself the worry and skip the android market entirely. The iPhone 5 will come out in the next month or two anyways. Wait for it (or wait for it to come out so the iPhone 4 prices will drop dramatically.)

P.s. I think google bought out motorola for patents, sure. However, I think more importantly they determined that apples approach of hardware + software manufacturing is the only certain way to ensure a quality product.

Wow thanks man for that advice!

[copley]

MONOPOLY!

[therato]

i kinda see iphone dieing.

reason why, its so close minded, they only pick their own phones

and google androit goes on about every thing except nokia symbians (wich is dieing for sure since they are to far behind) (and windows witch also will be leading in a couple years im afraid)
since androit spreads so much and it has an more open app market it will probably be liked better, and its way cheaper then an iphone, wich is just to freaking expancive.