Posted on 12/27/2011 7:38:34 AM PST by SeekAndFind
Good question.
However, if you want an honest opinion, it's usually best to go straight to the source. A former GM who used to work on Windows Phone 7 for Microsoft, Charlie Kindel, took to his personal blog today with some thoughts on why Microsoft's mobile efforts seem so stagnant.
It boils down to carriers, manufacturers, and the companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft who make the operating system are all locked in this big three-way pissing contest to see who gets the most say in marketing a device.
According to Kindel, Android is crushing iOS and Windows Phone 7 when it comes to marketshare simply because its open platform allows manufacturers and carriers to get away with whatever they want, while cranking out dozens of devices a year.
And yes, that means bloatware, nasty skins, and fragmentation on your Android phone. But it also means carriers get to promote the hell out of those phones thanks to their massive marketing budgets.
Here's Kindel:
Google has been wildly successful with Android (at least in terms of units) because Android was built to reduce friction between all sides of the market. It ‘bows down’ to the device manufactures AND the carriers. It enabled device manufactures to do what they do best (build lots of devices). It enabled carriers to do what they do best (market lots of devices). It enabled users tons of choice. My hypothesis is that it also enables too much fragmentation that will eventually drive end users nuts.
On the other hand, although Windows Phone 7 can be licensed to any device, Microsoft has a set of specs each manufacturer must follow in order to ensure the best user experience. It's not as perfect as Apple's approach of designing both the hardware and software,
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Because it sucks in performance and aesthetics.
It is well thought out to about 70% and then they slap the thing together.
Microsoft still thinks it dominates. Corporate Culture.
Google still thinks it’s markets are ripe for innovation. Corporate Culture
I am in the business and they ARE junk. I pity the person that makes the mistake of shelling out good money for a Windows phone.
“Workaround” is a word that floats to the top of most business Windows users’ vocabulary very quickly.
I am confused about something discussed on this thread. What is “fragmentation?” How do I know if my Droid has that? Is it like “fragmentation” of files on a disk/flash?
Google has the resources to suck up users based on freeware, but if and when they become dominant, (MS becomes more irrelevant) it will not be free anymore. Open source is only “open” until they become the big gorilla.
Mom doesn’t give a hoot about ‘fragmentation’, so she wouldn’t need to.
Beyond playing with one in the store, I haven't and I will never use a Microsoft OS on a mobile device again as long as I live.
Android can be skinned and have features added to or changed by carriers. Thus, Android can be a different user experience from device to device.
Apple fans call the difference in user experience ‘fragmentation’. It is really just a figment of their imagination and a defense mechanism against the creeping realization that Android’s open nature makes it far more powerful than Apple’s closed and locked down iOS.
This isn’t to say that Apple is wrong in what they do. It’s fine for a lot of people. Probably most of them. As they say, it ‘just works’. However, in order to have something ‘just work’, one has to give up a lot of choices. Choices make software more complicated to use, so they go out the window. Personally, I prefer to dictate how I want things done rather than have Apple do that for me, which is why I prefer Android.
Ah! I see! Misuse of a technical word. Now it makes sense. I don’t mind it then. I thought there was a file issue on the Droid I hadn’t heard about.
Insightful, and in my honest opinion; a fair and accurate assessment. I hadn’t considered that back in the 70-80’s timeframe; there were those bundles of brand ‘X’ PC and printers. There was no assurance that your particular model of printer would work with any particular model of PC.
Windows did ‘unify’ the printers, modems, mice and monitors.
And, for the past 15-20 years; that origional ‘inertia’ has worked well to their advantage.
Not quite an accurate description.
Consider, until almost 6 months ago - Netflix didn't work on many different Android phones. Simply said, there are over 20+ different processors, at least that many chipsets, and who knows how many screen resolutions to support. Different basebands, different graphical processors, different memory sizes, timings and technologies. Now, we have a mix of Android operating systems, ranging from the current 4.0 (ICS) to Gingerbread and even FroYo out there - some are new and supported; many that are not being supported.
So far, there are 3 Android distributions out in the wild; some are upgradable, others are not. We have different chipsets, processors, memory configurations and screen resolutions - yet, there is an expectation that all applications will work equally well, across all Android phones. We are seeing that this is not the case - at least we have seen this in the past. That is what we mean by fragmentation.
I hope not, I've got $$$$ riding on Nokia to be at least marginally successful.
But, I also don't underestimate the power of MS to distort the market. Maybe a free* Windows phone, with every purchase of a MS OS? Who knows.
*24 month contract extra, taxes and fees may apply.
Without turning this into another PC vs Apple thread (to me, a computer is a tool. People might as well argue over which brand of garden rake they prefer. It would make as much sense to me....)
I'm pretty agnostic when it comes to computers. I firmly believe that - when it comes to home use - you should use whatever the heck works for you.
But, when it comes to work, I can understand why companies select MS. It provides a level of standardization, while simultaneously allowing a diversity of non-standard components to be added -and this is important - cheaply. And, usually, it works. To use a car analogy, you can't (easily)buy a Chevy, put a Ferrari engine in it, couple it to a Ford transmission, put 4 retread, mis-sized tires on it, run it without lights, or brakes, then expect to get anywhere in one piece. But, MS manages to pull off running on hardware setups like this every day.
MS also makes tech support pretty ubiquitous. 20 years ago (when I got into IT), all computers were total witchcraft and the IT guys were worshipped, or reviled.....but they were always well-compensated. "I don't know how you make these things work, but I know they gotta work for me to stay in business", was something that I heard on occasion.
Now? My pre-schooler uses computers to design and play his own video games. Lower-level Computer techs are completely interchangable, as are the lower-level programmers. And everything is cheaper - so long as you're on MS.
Apple and Linux may have better products, but they've still got that "Witchcraft" mystique to them. People to work on them - from my experience at least - are harder to find and more expensive - both huge drawbacks from a business perspective.
With their inroads to the consumer market over the past 5 years or so, Apple may eventually break this paradigm. Their IPad is a game-changer, no doubt. But, inertia within business is massive (hell, mainframes are ancient technology, but there's still plenty of money to be made in that business.....) and I'll unlikely ever see that shift occur, if it ever does.
>>>I am confused about something discussed on this thread. What is “fragmentation?” How do I know if my Droid has that? Is it like “fragmentation” of files on a disk/flash?<<<
To put it in terms of automobiles, one Android Car might have 250 horsepower and another 185 horsepower. One Android might seat 7, while another seats 2. They would come in many shapes, sizes and colors. One Android might have the transmission shifter between the front seats while the other might have it up higher on the dashboard. The spedometer and other gauges, and controls for the stereo and climate control might be in slightly different spots on the dashboard in different Android cars.
Android cars would come with different option packages, and vary significantly in price. New and better Android car models would come out pretty much every month.
It might take an intelligent person a few minutes to get used to the layout of different Android cars, but going from one to another would certainly NOT be like learning to drive all over again.
Apple cars would ALL be 4 door sedans, that (barely) seat 5, with the same engines, and everything in the same place, and would come in only 2 colors (and you’d have to wait months and possibly pay extra for the second color). New Applemobile models would come out about every 18 months, (after 14 months of rumors and leaks about what they would be like) and would generally fall short of expectations, though few Applemobile fans would ever admit this.
In other words, “fragmentation” is Apple Fanboi for “a wide variety of choices for consumers”.
“Beyond playing with one in the store, I haven’t and I will never use a Microsoft OS on a mobile device again as long as I live.”
Well then you don’t know remotely enough about it to offer such a critical judgement.
fragmentation as imaginary makes sense.
it seems that fragmentation is just code for “did not buy apple”.
This concept reminds me of old people who just want a phone to dial numbers and call people.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to get into a pissing contest over what phones had 6 months ago and what phones still don’t have now.
The fact that Android runs on so many different processors, resolutions, etc is a strength, not a weakness.
I’ll also point out that not all iOS apps work with every version of iOS in the wild, nor do they all work on all iOS devices.
Carriers and manufacturers have made some really dumb decisions with updating Android for their customers. Apple, on the other hand, has been quite good about it. But just like any desktop computer, if you aren’t happy with what’s on it currently, you can simply install something that suits you better. And it really isn’t that hard to do so.
Like I said before, if you want to give up your freedom of choice to let Apple choose for you, that’s fine with me. However, I don’t choose to do that any longer.
Whatever makes you feel better, dear.
I merely, and correctly, pointed out that “Fragmentation” is a real and viable threat to the Android community. The fact that so many variations are working, is really a testament to how well Linux (from which Android and iOS are derived) is designed.
But, everything has a limit. Going forward, supporting older hardware, with older generations of non-upgradeable hardware will eventaully become nearly impossible.
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