I think the beef some of us have with Google is that they seem to have left their balls at the door. However much Google is or isn't living up to "don't be evil" these days, I suspect most of us can agree that we'd rather have their rules than Verizon's or AT&T's. Why aren't they being stronger? They've had the only really credible alternative to the iPhone for a long time now -- why aren't they using that fact to make the carriers play ball?
Nerds love to rag on Apple for their controlling ways, but seem to forget how completely locked down -- and utterly, horribly, greedily tacky -- the mobile universe was before the iPhone. Apple, through, I don't know, sheer force of will, cracked a huge hole in the status quo. Google could have landed a deathblow if they'd just stuck to their guns. Oh well.
jrockway, I hope you're right, and this is the beginning. I fear that the best window of opportunity is already past. Sensible regulation would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath. Irony of ironies, perhaps it will be Microsoft that comes in and forms the second leg.
Android may be a credible alternative to the iPhone now but that wasn't originally the case nor was it guaranteed. Many carriers had essentially anointed the iPhone the One True Smartphone. The US is a special case with the AT&T exclusivity but carriers in other countries even built out new GSM networks just for the iPhone. The first version of Android was nothing special, so Google did what they needed to do: give the carriers and manufacturers everything they wanted and more.
Manufacturers want to be able to customize the UI and software to distinguish themselves and not just be commodity hardware provider for Google's OS -- Google allowed that. To get the carriers on board, Google gives them the app store revenue (minus transaction charges). They also give both carriers and manufacturers a cut of the search revenue. Google has done everything possible to ensure that the carriers will have a reason to promote Android. One of the reasons they do promote Android is that they can load it up with NASCAR apps.
It's taken that much to get Android to the point where it as credible alternative to the iPhone. Trying to undo that now is like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped.
Telus and Bell switched to GSM because their old networks were falling apart, and because they were missing out on roaming fees from international customers. On top of that, there were a bundle of phones that they couldn't get, or which showed up later on CDMA.
Bell and Telus spending billions of dollars to get the iPhone is a ridiculous notion. Bell and Telus spending billions of dollars to get a new, next-gen 3G network, with higher speeds and the ability to use data while a voice call is in progress.
Your point is valid but the fact remains that both companies offer and heavily promote only one GSM phone: the iPhone. That was all I was trying to get at.
I get the impression that carriers like Android devices better than iPhones. Analogies are fraught with danger but this looks similar to the early Mac vs PC days. I predict Apple can keep a decent minority market share as long as they execute well. Android or something like it will probably dominate the rest of the market. The network effects are strong.
with Google is that they seem to have left their balls at the door.
From what I've heard from Google, I think with Android they're already sensitive about the perception that they're the "500 pound gorilla in the room" and they're keen to reassure the carriers and the phone manufacturers that they're not taking full control of their businesses.
Even though I think many people at Google would like to see things unfold differently, they also want to see Android adopted widely as its path to success (breadth instead of depth.) The art of compromise.
I think if you buy a N1 then you can still have a "google-centric" Android experience, though. For now.
Nerds love to rag on Apple for their controlling ways, but seem to forget how completely locked down -- and utterly, horribly, greedily tacky -- the mobile universe was before the iPhone. Apple, through, I don't know, sheer force of will, cracked a huge hole in the status quo. Google could have landed a deathblow if they'd just stuck to their guns. Oh well.
jrockway, I hope you're right, and this is the beginning. I fear that the best window of opportunity is already past. Sensible regulation would be nice, but I'm not holding my breath. Irony of ironies, perhaps it will be Microsoft that comes in and forms the second leg.