Who Owes Who?

Opinion: Samsung vs Google

Who Owes Who?

Android is huge nowadays. There are many devices available from many manufacturers, but among the many, Samsung dominates. 

My question is, who owes who and for what? Sure Samsung devices occupy a large part of Android, and it was Samsung that really went and marketed the hell out of their devices to graft their name into consumers heads everywhere. But even before the Galaxy S II's success the most popular Android device I remember was the Motorola Droid and Verizon's whole "Droid Does" marketing campaign. iPhones were only available on AT&T for a long time and the other options were the "Droids" and Blackberry devices (which was what I had) for all other carriers. That was a hefty bit of time for people to get into [or turned off by] Android. (Unfortunately, Android was nothing like it is now, especially not in comparison to iOS then)

With that in mind, did Samsung really build up all too much? I was never very fond of any particular OEM's "skin" which might explain why I didn't really get into Android until ICS was around. That also might have something to do with my distaste for Touchwiz, and it seems quite a large number of people out there share my feelings too. I don't think Touchwiz was as much of a selling point as it's comparatively hefty size was. People were picking between the small iPhone everyone had or the big Samsung Galaxy available and marketing itself to the same folks. Sometimes having what everyone else has is a plus and other times people want something more unique. Either way, the trend of picking a big phone basically continued  and grew through today, where it's the norm, with many non enthusiast consumers on Galaxy and even Note lines for their size, as well as basic brand recognition.

I can't say Samsung doesn't deserve it's credit for being able to succeed in the ways mentioned so far, staying competitive and trendy (at risk of what seems like perpetual lawsuits), pulling off potentially risky concepts (phablets), marketing like crazy. Those are all good business.

The problem I have with Samsung begins here, where Samsung is this platform giant. Despite the fact that Android provided the platform that allowed for such success, Samsung constantly seems like it's trying to cover up the fact that Android is NOT their own... or even Android in general. I just don't get it. Instead of using amazingly useful services like Google Voice Search and Google Now, Samsung insists on using their own S-Voice and, imo at least, Google Now is made just a bit less available to do it's thing or for user's to know. This along side all the parallel apps and services like mail, browsers, app stores, media stores, and basically everything else there could be... which was supposedly addressed very recently... makes Samsung seem like a crappy manufacturing partner for Google to have. To me, I feel Samsung's been intentionally covering up Android and it's services in order to prevent users from becoming too acquainted or comfortable with such services, because perhaps there's a plan to jump ship. 

I'm sure they'd say that their responsibility is to promote the benefits of their product and that promoting Android-wide features would be equally, perhaps more so, promoting their competition, especially considering the competition often has better implementation of Android's standard content. They could also say that the position of the brand has been set by the users that bought into the company; and that the manner of their advertising is simply what works for the consumer that doesn't want to be pay any attention to details about OSes and such that they simply don't care about, and that they want the product with the features they can show friends a few times and then not use. I guess I really just wish Samsung would take some initiative in fortifying it's position with Google and within a platform against the actual competition. Rather than making subtle threats in the background and inconveniences in front. 

With discussions having taken place and a supposed better relationship between the two companies, I'm hoping that 2014 and many years following will show me that Samsung isn't simultaneously trying to cover up Android, and that the manufacturer can use the progress that's been made [by Android]  to it's advantage... as well as everyone else in the Android [enthusiast] community. 

The Rumored End of the Google Nexus

opinion/rumor: Google Nexus to be discontinued (2015)

They Say The end of the Google Nexus is upon us...

Is the end of the Google Nexus actually happening anytime soon? Hell if I know... but if it were to happen, I really don't think that the replacement would be the Google Play Editions (GPE) devices. 

For one, GPE devices run stock Android but the devices themselves were not designed for it. In other words, GPE devices are a lot like the Developer Editions (DE) that are also available by manufactures (like Samsung and HTC), minus some features the device was designed to have... for the same price. So the market for GPE versions of devices is clearly a pretty small one with the experience being largely what is made of it. With both versions, the end user still has to rely on the OEM to release updates just as they would with a regular ol' subsidized, carrier-locked device. Granted the difference in time of updates will certainly be drastically different between versions, with GPE versions being quickest since they require less configuration.

Meanwhile Google can use it's Nexus line to achieve a few goals simultaneously:

1. It creates a platform standard that represents what Google believes an Android device should be in itself and be capable of, within a generation of devices. The Nexus line essentially sets the bar for user experience, device functions/practicality, and platform features. Examples of these standards could be: OIS, display resolution, display color accuracy, Google Now (and integration, such as GEL), Google Wallet and NFC compatibility (HCE), among other things.
2. The Nexus line creates an affordable and up-to-date device for developers to test on. It's easily unlocked, modified, and can be restored. Google can and will provide some of the quickest updates and more importantly, they make available that important information such as factory images to assist/assure developers.
3. With the Nexus 5 we got the Google Experience. The Nexus line is no longer simply an indicator of the platforms overall progress, it's now also an example of how our devices can integrate with the [Google] services we rely on day to day. One could even say the Nexus 5 and it's Google experience shows the progress of Google's Services themselves.

So the Nexus line, in my opinion, is not so easily replaced by Google Play Edition devices. Confused GPE devices without the sales to warrant strong manufacturer support, are not ideal for developers. The standard of the Android platform can not be set by the largest manufacturer whom makes it a point to drive a wedge between the end users and the true driving force for the platform, Google.

Then there's Motorola.
edit: Google is selling Motorola to Lenovo

Motorola, by all means, could take the place of the Nexus line. When the Moto X was released... I basically wanted the then-upcoming Nexus 5 to have all the same features and focus of the Moto X. I didn't particularly want a device with all the flagship specs checked off, but a practical device designed around the end user. While waiting for the Nexus 5 release, I frequently told myself that I ought to just consider the Moto X because in the end, that was the phone I actually wanted, it was just priced too high for me to consider without seeing what the Nexus 5 actually turned out to be. In the end I did get a Nexus 5 and once I'd had it for a while, I was too used to it's speed/performance and color accuracy to go for a Moto X when it's price dropped Cyber Monday following Cyber Monday. Even now, I have to admit that I'm basically convincing myself not to buy an affordable ($299) Moto X that I clearly don't need. I'm telling myself it would be better to wait till gen 2 comes around in the fall, and to hope that Motorola gets pricing right on release this next time around.

The problem with Motorola taking such a place would be that the situation would actually become unfavorable to manufacturing partners. Having awesome devices that perform well, are designed with the user in mind, and get super fast updates, all at a low price (and low profits) from a manufacturer that doesn't have to stress as much about profitability... that's definitely not something that would go well with manufacturing partners. Not that there aren't [very frequently] times that I don't particularly care for a rather large manufacturer of Android devices... I understand the situation, and like I always say, Google profits indiscriminately, so it will probably continue to do what it can to please it's partners.

My hopes for 2014 include Motorola releasing the next generation Moto X at a low price like we're seeing right now. I think it should be, since the people interested in the device will likely be weary of jumping at the chance to buy one at a high starting price... since the price for the current Moto X, on contract or off, dropped pretty rapidly since it's release.

As for the Nexus device, I'm not too sure there'd be any reason to release a Motorola made Nexus device, unless there's no next gen Moto X. If it comes down to LG making yet another Nexus device in 2014, I'll probably do my best to consider something else this time around. Hopefully there is a Moto X-2 or something along those lines available. I kind of suspect that if the Nexus line was looking to come to an end next year, then there's a chance we could see a higher spec'd device from Motorola that would give developers a device option backed by a Google company. I guess right now it's all just a bunch of speculation with so many reasonable outcomes possible, we're just going to have to wait and see what actually happens.