Sunday, January 30, 2011

Can Android Really Compete with Iphone?

By Julian D Etherington


It came as a surprise to everyone, Apple included, when Google announced its Android operating system to the world, and it did a lot to upset things between the two previously cordial companies too. To begin with is was clearly Google that had to make up lost ground, with Apple well established with its iOS for i-phones and a seemingly loyal customer base already in line. But since then Google has made up for lost time with its software, and now they're on a fairly level playing field in terms of what each system offers.

A lot of the result of the two company's rivalries will be determined now by how that can market themselves. Apple benefits from promoting software that's easy to use, and appeals to the user aesthetically, fitting with a generally clean image that extends to its eco-friendly work. Google has the massive range of users for its search engine domination, but will they translate into OS users as well?

At the end of last year it was clear that Android's OS had made a massive climb in popularity, and overtaken Apple's iOS. On the face of it this may seem surprising, but given that Apple wasn't really doing anything with its own operating system over the last six months of the year, and that Google were promoting Android like crazy, it might not be that much of a shock after all. If anything it's exactly what should be happening at this stage, and doesn't mark Apple's defeat.

The spike in the graph may be just that, and it's certainly true that the two companies are keeping things fairly level right now. An interesting aspect is whether Apple will really go all out to dominate in this field - they're a relatively small company, despite their enviable profits and worldwide acclaim, so it might make more sense for them to accept a good slice of the smartphone market without committing all its resources into remaining at the very top. .

This next year will probably decide once and for all which smartphone OS will gain top position, but it probably won't be a clean race, by any means. There's already plenty of back-and-forth between the two businesses as it is, and as things get more competitive this will only get more interesting for the public. And the end result will be, hopefully, a better standard of service for customers, whichever company they're affiliated with.




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