Zombie James
Banned
This sounds hot as hell, but $600 is a lot to plunk down on a promise.
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- Thread starter ThatObviousUser
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This sounds hot as hell, but $600 is a lot to plunk down on a promise.
Vermillion
Banned
Due for an upgrade:
Get an S4 or wait for Moto X info? I really do like the always-listening features.
Get an S4 or wait for Moto X info? I really do like the always-listening features.
would you lose anything by renewing a contract? If you wouldn't i'd probably do the Galaxy S4 and flash the Google Edition rom on it
yup, i'd assume the Moto X is the first stab at pulling Android back from Samsung
I rather have standard multi wondow API than always on voice command API.
i'd be surprised if some kind of multi window functionality isn't in KLP, but I really have little use for it in a phone anyway (i dont use phablets), so i dont care.
Isn't samsung already doing both?
I'm waiting for the Moto X reveal and seeing how it grabs me. If I end up disappointed, I'm going S4.
lol and people were actually questioning that buying motorola was a bad decision.
I think people are making a big deal out of that conference. Samsung has tons on non-android based hardware/software from smart refigerators to laptops, and other connected devices.
Even within their android lineup, they have their touchwiz shit that has sdks just like htc has for sense.
Even within their android lineup, they have their touchwiz shit that has sdks just like htc has for sense.
Welp, Google is going to try to keep the peace for as long as possible. I don't think they can "close" Android until 2015 - I believe this is what they promised the Chinese government in order for the acquisition of Moto to be approved.
Samsung has a lot of marketing muscle, and trumps every other OEM when it comes to production. I mean, even Apple (the almighty) still has to swallow it's pride and deal with them for components (they are trying really hard to cut ties, but it's going to take a while).
Google should be afraid of Samsung:
- They have multimillion dollar contracts in place with Carriers all around the world.
- They can produce a shit ton of phones.
- They have probably been working on their own SDK to make current Android apps work nicely with their injected frameworks on top of the OS.
Shit is about to get real. I just don't see Google having the same reach in hardware as Apple or Samsung.
Nicktendo86
Member
I don't know, what are the advantages of Samsung ditching android? That have skinned it already enough and added enough bloat to make their phones look unique, what is the benefit for them of having to develop the os themselves? More control over updates? I think google and Samsung will play nice for a few years still, will be so annoyed if Samsung fuck google over.
They don't, which is why google has been so serious about motorola with the 500 million dollar advertising campaign etc.. It's no better time than now to rebuild motorola's reputation and head off samsung and apple.
Honestly, Samsung would be stupid to ditch Android. Half the OS work is already done for them, so they save both time and money on creating everything from scratch. They're not even forced to use the Google suite of apps either, but they do because it's good for them. If they make their own OS they'd lose access to all of that.
I feel it is more of a cautious effort. I don't think they want to raise any red flags just yet. Even if they do drop 500 million in advertising, they want the hardware to be profitable and spread it to emerging markets. Thus the mid-range hardware choice.
New OS, no. More like they will fork it. They will lose AOSP early access. But by the love Touch Wiz gets around these parts, I don't think people care if Samsung devices are not running the latest Google version.
The uphill battle is creating a new App store and gaining support from developers.
Sqrt_minus_one
Member
They would loose access to the play store as well so I am not holding my breath.
Never underestimate the hubris of a chaebol.
I'd put in these terms. Samsung and LG are such broadly spread conglomerates with deep market penetration that they literally own everything from the toothpaste market (we actually use LG toothpaste. Seriously.) to automobiles and heavy industry to insurance. I don't think people understand how much power the chaebols wield politically in South Korea, which leads to some (seemingly) absurd decision-making. Imagine if GE, Berkshire Hathaway, IBM and Prudential (and, hell, let's throw in Monsanto) were one company. And it gave no fucks.
Vermillion
Banned
But, anyways, Samsung would do this for even great vertical integration of their devices - a la Apple. They'd love to own the software side as much as they own the hardware.
That said, I think they would be severely overextending their "competencies" on the software side if they think they can get away with it.
Also, I've decided that the Anand podcast is my favorite gadget (not tech) podcast. No bullshittery (Vergecast). No occasionally flat out incorrect answers (TWiT, every Android-specific podcast I've ever heard). And no bitching for a guaranteed 15 minutes an episode (Verge Mobile Show).
That said, I think they would be severely overextending their "competencies" on the software side if they think they can get away with it.
Also, I've decided that the Anand podcast is my favorite gadget (not tech) podcast. No bullshittery (Vergecast). No occasionally flat out incorrect answers (TWiT, every Android-specific podcast I've ever heard). And no bitching for a guaranteed 15 minutes an episode (Verge Mobile Show).
The writing was on the wall when the SK government raided Google's offices in that country for supposed "unfair" practices.
You know Sammy want's control of the App store on their devices. They are dying for that piece of the pie.
Well they already have the app store. Just that no one wants to use it, and rightly so.
This is what I meant by Google suite of apps.
Yeah, they have a lot if power. In Korea. So while they'd probably be able to pull a stunt like this off there, the rest of the world wouldn't be so easy.
Unknown Soldier
Member
Samsung has no reason to ditch Android. In the position they are in right now, they are already the Kings.
They are the kings now but they are no apple. A competitor could overtake them in the future. They don't own the appstore or the services where you can really lock in people to your hardware like apple does. If I was samsung I would not view their current position as something where I can rest, I would do everything possible to build my own appstore and services to lock people into samsung hardware. And that is probably what they and google are thinking.
Remember the Windows PC era? HP, Dell, Compaq, etc. were all completely beholden to Windows as the software innovator. It was a vendor-client relationship in the purest sense.
The moment Microsoft started to lose its iron-clad grip on the market, these manufacturers had nothing else going for them. People bought laptops and desktops based largely upon what Microsoft was doing.
Flip the script and apply it to the smartphone market. These OEMs all saw what happened in that wave. They've all made the decision that they can't fall prey to the same mistake - for better or worse for consumers. It's specifically why TouchWiz is so heavily pushed by Samsung. It's why Samsung wants you to create a Samsung account. Sure, there were always lighter touches like Dell's dock or Lenovo's ThinkVantage, but nothing to the degree we see in the Android space today.
Samsung doesn't want to be the secondary player that reacts to Google's motions. They know the clear advantages of exclusive vertical integration in the hardware space. It's not unreasonable to think that they'd feel more comfortable as an actual platform holder? It's not like Android is going to be around forever.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
So that Ubuntu phone is gonna boot 2 OSes with 1 of the OSes having two versions.
You'll get Ubuntu Phone OS on the phone
You'll get regular Ubuntu if you use HDMI
You'll get Android if you want to use that instead.
It's also worth noting they are targeting 4 gigs of RAM and a 128 gigs of storage. I wonder if both OSes will have access to the same storage?
I also find their comment on the screen interesting. I don't fully agree (no reason not to do 1080p IMO if you can) but I like the idea on focusing on screen quality and color acurracy verses the pixel race.
You'll get Ubuntu Phone OS on the phone
You'll get regular Ubuntu if you use HDMI
You'll get Android if you want to use that instead.
It's also worth noting they are targeting 4 gigs of RAM and a 128 gigs of storage. I wonder if both OSes will have access to the same storage?
I also find their comment on the screen interesting. I don't fully agree (no reason not to do 1080p IMO if you can) but I like the idea on focusing on screen quality and color acurracy verses the pixel race.
huh?
I think Android OEMs have sort of lost the plot here. The point of Retina display wasn't about PPI. Apple would quote that figure once during the announcement and never refer to it again in collateral. It's about the actual view and experience of the product based on how it's used.
Now, 1080p as a ceiling makes some sense because of native HD content that's available - mostly movies, but it's going to get pretty stupid if we start seeing manufacturers start going beyond that.
Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn
Android device screens have not just increased the PPI. Im not sure why people act like they have. With those increased resolutions have come better color accuracy and less bleed/blur and more. Its not like they aren't also increasing the other things that matter. Noone has lost the plot, people for some reason just keep trying to ignore those improvements and pretend like they are shipping screens with the same overall quality from 2011 at just a higher resolution. Thats not true at all.
A bigger uphill battle is getting 100+ million of your 'fans' to buy a Galaxy phone that doesn't run any of the Apps/Games/Movies/Music/Browser/Maps/Books etc.
Every time this comes up I am seriously shocked at how many people seriously believe that they would be able to use the Galaxy name, on an OS incompatible with any and everything purchased from the Play Store and somehow not miss a beat.
Its positively laughable. It would take them a lot longer than 2015 to properly build out their existing app store to be anywhere near where the PlayStore ecosystem is today. Making their OS easy to port to from Android doesn't do you many favors either. Amazon is still miles away from parity with the Play Store.
A bigger uphill battle is getting 100+ million of your 'fans' to buy a Galaxy phone that doesn't run any of the Apps/Games/Movies/Music/Browser/Maps/Books etc.
Every time this comes up I am seriously shocked at how many people seriously believe that they would be able to use the Galaxy name, on an OS incompatible with any and everything purchased from the Play Store and somehow not miss a beat.
Its positively laughable. It would take them a lot longer than 2015 to properly build out their existing app store to be anywhere near where the PlayStore ecosystem is today. Making their OS easy to port to from Android doesn't do you many favors either. Amazon is still miles away from parity with the Play Store.
I just didn't get what you meant by android won't be around forever in the context of how it's relevant to samsung.
This gravy train isn't going to last forever. Just ask HP.
The Faceless Master
Member
considering their intended audience, they might be able to pull it off...
2017
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
True, but unlike Windows Android isn't fully Google's. The Linux kernel isn't going anywhere, and you'll have AOSP to fork off of if need be.
I was actually more referring to some sort of disruptive product coming down the road obsoleting smart phones. We have this narrative where we assume that smart phones are the computing platform that every individual will use, but there are a lot of the basic uses (communication, mainly) that could make just as much sense with wearables.
Or whatever crazy ass thing we see in the next 3-10 years.
The Faceless Master
Member
Samsung won't ditch Google.
they will continue to have an alternative in their back pocket, but they won't fork Android.
they will continue to have an alternative in their back pocket, but they won't fork Android.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
If you could get it so your running more of a stock Linux distro with non of the compatibility layers you have with Android I see no reason you couldn't just adapt that to any platform possible.
I really, really hope that Google doesn't get in a Microsoft situation where they aren't touching the core of their operating system even as it is used in wholly divergent contexts and form factors until they've pulled kicking and screaming into the future.
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Well I mean Google Glass isn't exactly running Android right? Neither is Chrome OS for that matter.
Battersea Power Station
Member
Google Glass is running Android. I assume you're discussing compatibility; the Play Store apps can run on it already. It's just a matter of interface.
Chrome OS does not, though.
The Faceless Master
Member
that one leak mentioned top and bottom speakers and the photo of the back shows speaker grills on the top and bottom.
Google Glass runs Android
I know I'm hyperbolizing a bit here, but I just feel that there is some tension between OEMs and Google.
Anything is possible. I mean look at Blackberry and Windows Mobile, those platforms have been almost wiped out completely in a matter of what...half a decade?
Slightly modified 4.0.4.
And as andrex will tell you, android is gonna swallow up chrome os anyways.
Let's be clear. If Samsung forks, Google is going to kick the bejeezus out of whatever software Samsung shits out.
Also, the casual sexism around this royal baby commentary is hilarious. CNN commentator just said "The fact that it's a boy just proves how much of a brilliant royal Kate is."
Uh...okay?
Also, the casual sexism around this royal baby commentary is hilarious. CNN commentator just said "The fact that it's a boy just proves how much of a brilliant royal Kate is."
Uh...okay?
If google bring Android to close sourced (they can only do it 10 years after the Motorola buy out), then Samsung definitely will fork, all the Chinese OEM will fork to an open sourced version.
I don't know what Sony will do but if they still have the movie and music divisions they have more leverage to create an ecosystem than other OEM.
I don't know what Sony will do but if they still have the movie and music divisions they have more leverage to create an ecosystem than other OEM.
He means, are you on a carrier where being under contract or being out of contract still costs the same monthly? If so, get the S4. If you like the Moto X, sell the S4 so you at least get some extra money.
I also meant if you have unlimited data that youd lose with a renewal
Vermillion
Banned
Hm. I don't think so. I'm on Verizon. ;_;
Nah. I'm on a Share Everything plan. And no unlimited data :/
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