Which is better, iPhone or Android?

In the long run, I think the better android phones will be better than iPhones. With so many manufacturers competing to put out better and more innovative android phones, it will be hard for Apple to keep up.

All of the android phones are imitations of the original iPhone. As the android platform splinters among carriers with different hardware, none of them will be able to keep up with the quality of the iPhone.

I disagree. You could argue that the android phones are sort of imitations of the iPhone, but the iPhone imitated earlier smartphones (though not to quite the same degree).

I think your second point defies logic. More manufacturers, competing with eachother, mean more innovation and better quality.

Also, if you have Motorola, HTC, Samsung, LG, and others all producing Android phones the odds are very high that one or more of them will always put out a better phone than Apple. Some Android manufacturers will make some mediocre or subpar phones, (which nobody will buy) but their best ones will likely be superior to Apple’s.

Unless Apple can continually come out with major, patentable, innovations that at least temporarily leave the competition behind, (or Google totally screws up Android) it’s market share is going to slowly dwindle.

I think Apple’s only advantages are 1) It’s brand loyalty, 2) The fact that it produces its own operating system, so it can design its OS around its phones, while Android manufacturers must design their phones around Google’s OS.

I think your second point defies logic. More manufacturers, competing with eachother, mean more innovation and better quality. Also, if you have Motorola, HTC, Samsung, LG, and others all producing Android phones the odds are very high that one or more of them will always put out a better phone than Apple.

Talk about defying logic. You are making predictions based on desire. I am looking at past performance. Apple has the tack record.

I think Apple’s only advantages are 1) It’s brand loyalty, 2) The fact that it produces its own operating system, so it can design its OS around its phones, while Android manufacturers must design their phones around Google’s OS.

You are correct about brand loyalty on all Apple products. That loyalty is based on the user experience. That is what keeps Apples users loyal.

while Android manufacturers must design their phones around Google’s OS.

Wrong. Google does not own Android. Android is open source. The phone carriers can change android and the user interface anyway they like. And that is exactly what they are doing. It's called fragmentation. Android is starting to fragment, and it will continue to fragment.

Google also has a problem with the Java library they ship with Android. Oracle has sued them for copyright infringement, and they have a very strong case. That will give carriers a second thought.

But now Verizon will have an iPhone. Here is their new commercial: It Begins. Apple is now the most profitable seller of cell phones, and sales will be very brisk for the Verizon iPhone.

All of the android phones are imitations of the original iPhone. As the android platform splinters among carriers with different hardware, none of them will be able to keep up with the quality of the iPhone.

I don't know how old you are, but I've heard all of this before. Only then, it about personal computers. IBM was going to rule them all, and the clones were destined to the dustbin of history. Didn't work out that way.

It's not really complicated. Competition is good, it spurs development. We all benefit from it, whether you use an android or an Iphone, you can bet your last dollar that neither product would be as good as it is today if companies weren't competing with each other.

I don't know how old you are, but I've heard all of this before. Only then, it about personal computers. IBM was going to rule them all, and the clones were destined to the dustbin of history. Didn't work out that way.

Exactly. Those people who are saying that Android is going to dominate might want to take your observation into consideration. There are a several more mobile operating systems coming to market this year. It's not a matter of any one dominating. It's about selling phones, getting a good percentage of the market, and keeping your customers happy.

It's not really complicated. Competition is good, it spurs development. We all benefit from it, whether you use an android or an Iphone, you can bet your last dollar that neither product would be as good as it is today if companies weren't competing with each other.

Nobody here disagrees with that. Competition is good.

No doubt, Apple will sell a bunch of iPhones on Verizon. They were foolish to limit themselves to AT&T in the first place and doing so helped Android gain a foothold, catch up and even inch ahead.

However, the fact that they are adding Verizon demonstrates that the iPhone itself is no longer a big enough draw to dictate carrier choice. In the past, a large percentage of smartphone users were willing put up with inferior service from AT&T, because it was the only network that had iPhones. Now most are choosing the best Android phone on their preferred network, or even choosing networks based upon the availibility of certain Android models (like the Evo and Epic on Sprint).

In the long run, Android phones will far outsell iPhones. That doesn’t mean Apple is doomed. They still might hold onto a larger market share than any other single phone manufacturer, but in total, the Android makers will sell 2 or 3 times more phones.

Apple brand loyalty is partially based on good user experience, as they do make solid products. But it is also largely based upon a less rational “fan” mentality. Also, iPhone users tend to be less tech savvy than Android users, and buy iPhones because they know they are good and are not confident in their ability to make the best choice.

Apple brand loyalty is partially based on good user experience, as they do make solid products. But it is also largely based upon a less rational “fan” mentality.

If you are going to go down that road, then you also need to talk about the "irrational exuberance" of some android users. Talk about a "fan" mentality.

In the long run, Android phones will far outsell iPhones. That doesn’t mean Apple is doomed. They still might hold onto a larger market share than any other single phone manufacturer, but in total, the Android makers will sell 2 or 3 times more phones.

Android is just an operating system. As for Apples maintaining a larger market share, that is what creates profits. At any rate, android is fragmenting into various carrier brands. Google isn't an operating system company. They are an advertising company. If android brings them ad dollars, they will make a lot of money.

Also, iPhone users tend to be less tech savvy than Android users, and buy iPhones because they know they are good and are not confident in their ability to make the best choice.

Do you mean that I have to tell all those UNIX gurus, C++ programmers, and web developers who have an iPhone that they are not tech savy? And that they don't know how to make the best choice? No, I'm not going to tell them. I think you will have to be the one to tell them. But I think you will get a very nice rebuttal to that kind of nonsense.

I spent some time on Google and Bing trying to find out more about the hardware video decoding.

I found a couple of sites that say that the Hummingbird uses Power VR VXD hardware decoding. Anandtech states that sources suspect this, others state it is a VXD core that does the job.

The only links that I can find that state the Hummingbird does not have hardware video decoding were by somebody called antiRepublicrat posting on FreeRepublic.

They were foolish to limit themselves to AT&T in the first place

There's the little problem of the exclusivity clause in their contract with Cingular (now AT&T). But Cingular was the only carrier that would play Apple's game, letting Apple have total control over the phone, with the phone company not being able to nickel-and-dime users for features.

However, the fact that they are adding Verizon demonstrates that the iPhone itself is no longer a big enough draw to dictate carrier choice.

It demonstrates that the exclusivity period of the contract is over, leaving Apple free to offer the iPhone on other carriers. A recent survey showed 26% of AT&T iPhone users plan to switch to Verizon after they offer an iPhone. Verizon is planning to reimburse recent Android and Blackberry purchasers if they want to get an iPhone. For a recent high-end Android purchaser, it's pretty much a straight trade.

That shows much higher demand for the iPhone exists, but it is hampered by being available only on AT&T. I expect the lone iPhone to outsell all Android phones this quarter. And that includes that they probably won't count the recently-purchased Androids traded in for iPhones against Android sales.

I found a couple of sites that say that the Hummingbird uses Power VR VXD hardware decoding. Anandtech states that sources suspect this, others state it is a VXD core that does the job.

If it did, we'd know, because it would be in the Android drivers. This state would explain the ability of the iPhone to play video for much longer despite having a smaller battery and a higher-resolution, non-AMOLED screen compared to a Galaxy. Or it could be that the Hummingbird does have the 370, but the A4's 375 is much more efficient. I've noticed with PowerVR a small model number increase can mean a huge increase in performance.

I know Wikipedia's not the end-all for info, but this page seems to have about everything, and omits the Hummingbird having a VXD despite having extensive listings involving the VXD series.

by somebody called antiRepublicrat posting on FreeRepublic.

Well I'll be, I'm on Google! Hey, if this post gets on Google then it'll be recursive.

Google is being sued over JAVA. Today it was revealed that Google copy and pasted another companies code into thier own JAVA code. They are going to have to pay out, probably big bucks.

There was somebody that posted wanting to know if anybody here new anything about some legends about a local cemetary. It got me interested so I did a Google search. All of the top hits were the discussion on FreeRepublic. It felt like the twilight zone.

One thing that many keep ignoring... Android-based tablets and phones have little to no “control” over what is developed for them. While this is good in many ways, it also falls into the same part of the computer OS debate of the more open vs. more closed environment. Android OS must be generic enough that it will run on a huge smorgasbord of devices from little phones, to tablets, with a wide variety of hardware components. Add to that the applications that have no oversight or controls = and you have a recipe for conflicts and stability issues.

Or you can sacrifice a portion of the bigger picture of flexibility by using a device that runs an OS that is specifically tailored for a relatively small menu of devices - with a comparably smaller pool of hardware component parts. Those devices then run apps that have at least gone through a screening process that includes a check for stability-damaging properties. Of course, with such review, you get some editorial largess... but again - what is stability and usability worth?

And lets not forget - Google “gives away” Android for a reason - they benefit directly. Google is all about data mining. Running an Android-based device gives Google access to every single bit of information on that device,including how it is used. At least Apple devices/iOS is suppose to give warning when an app is using your information, with an opt-out ability.

I don’t begrudge anyone who chooses an Android-based device. I just expect them to hold the same level of respect for my choice to use an iOS device. And if I run into frustrations - they don’t have to be sympathetic towards me - and the same is true with their issues.

Today it was revealed that Google copy and pasted another companies code into thier own JAVA code.

As things like this usually are, the Google/Java thing is far more convoluted.

It’s not like app access to Android is a total secret. During the installation process, there is a list of what the app has approval to use and the option of not intalling.

Why Blackberry? That’s a totally different universe than iphones or androids. Neither one is as secure as a BB on any level. Plus, you can go all the way with Blackberry and order them with fewer radios, no cameras, no expansion card slots, etc etc.

My wife carries a corporate blackberry at work. iphones aren’t welcome, and androids aren’t either. Too many radios and they all have cameras. I really don’t see Apple or any of the android makers going after this market and offering phones with single radios and no cameras.

I’m showing evidence. That’s the best possible evidence that I can show you.

Would it be better proof, to you, if I simply said “oh, it works great”? I wouldn’t think so.

Do you look for the New York Times approval of the capabilities of the android devices?

A youtube video is probably the best proof I can use. Alongside the youtube video I’d like to see a detailed description of whereever youtube on android might fail.

Are you saying that the youtube video was faked? That what you’re seeing on the youtube video isn’t actually happening.

What the youtube video shows is that this $204 device can do something that the $500 ipad can’t do. And what the $204 device is doing is playing the youtube videos that you see embedded on many many webpages.

Yes, Apple was first, and might not have been able to fix the technical problems they were having. But the $204 device, after 6-12 months, have been able to do it. I assume that the next firmware update or the next ipad model will fix this glaring problem.

If the $204 device can do it, the apple should be able to too.

Apple fanboys should just cede the point.

Apple doesn’t have flash. The cheap $204 android does.

Point to Android device.

I’ve asked people - what are the things that the apple devices can do that these android devices can’t?

The apple device is so much more expensive than the mid816 that the apple should be able to keep up with the herotab mid816.

Android is like Windows and Apple is like Apple. Good points that you’re making overall. Points for Apple for stability. Android is not without its drawbacks. Apple is well designed, attractive, and is solid, does work.

But I see a scenario where these android tablets are as good as standard computers (maybe lacking in some areas) and serving as the only computer a person owns. Back in the day, Windows was on nearly every computer, and Apple was on a few.

I see Android and Windows basically like Windows back in the day. The leaders.

One thing to remember about this particular mid816 is that it really is, at this point in time, the best of the generic android tablets (except for the screen). And it’s only $204, and it’s a new device. This device is as good as the Apple, and it’s still less than 2 months old, and they’re still working out the bugs in the firmware. It is believed that this device can run Honeycomb 3.0. And it’s $204 now.
What happens to the price of this when Tegra2 is on a bunch of generic tablets? It falls. The fastest tablet in Jan 2011 will be relatively slow in 2013. You’ll be able to get it for maybe $100.

There are perfectly usable tablets for under $100. If they can’t run Flash 10.1, they’re obviously flawed, but soon enough all new Android tablets will run 2.2 or above.

Google makes money from Advertising. If they can give away a free O/S, fine with them. I read an article somewhere - from here? - which examined the question - why is google bothering with this O/S. They’re spending a lot of time, a lot of effort, on something that they’re giving away, and people can’t see exactly where it’s going, moneywise, with this.

One thing to consider when talking about data mining and google is that the hard drive is removable. I’m not an expert here, but I’d think that feature, the ability to use a different o/s depending on what you’re doing, might make the data mining difficult or impossible.

is the corporate policy there simply no iphones no android, or is it the functions these devices have?

I’d expect a really good cheap android that meets these specifications at some point in time.

Why Blackberry?

Because it's a phone, and Verizon is in effect allowing customers to trade-in any phone purchased between Nov 26 and Jan 10 for an iPhone. I mentioned Blackberry and Android specifically because they're the only ones that get up to the maximum $200 credit.

My wife carries a corporate blackberry at work.

Blackberrys are also widely sold on the consumer market.