Having used Android for a year and a half, I’m confused why they’re still selling so well (they have issues stemming from a fragmented ecosystem and Google releasing software that still feels beta, in my opinion).
Maybe it’s only first-time buyers gobbling up the Androids still. But it seems to me Android is still a couple years out from being the OS/ecosystem it can be (if Google and phone manufacturers make some changes to how they do things—such as updating all phones with new operating releases at the same time).
Also, I’m not sure why Microsoft chose Windows as the name of their phone OS. With the poor reputation PCs with Windows have (reliability), I think the name turns a lot of people off (including me, actually)—people don’t want their phones crashing the way their PCs always do.
It’s actually kind of an ironic twist as far as I’m concerned (as an Android user) that Microsoft Phone is better than Android yet people still only want Android. The wicked-sounding one isn’t so wicked, while the boring-sounding one is. We’ve been duped by those “Droiiiiid” commercials.
And Microsoft appears to be going after Android users, but they should really go after iPhone users (Andy’s idea). Windows Phone is like iOS—it’s the same on all phones—it’s not flexible like Android (a double-edged sword), which means the phones work more uniformly across manufacturers (who can’t muck with them as much).
Add to that a more uniform marketplace and more consistent OS updates (Android is a literal nightmare because of Google’s varied agreements with manufacturers—updates are different for every manufacturer, so your friend has 2.35 while you still have 2.2 for no good reason).
Predictions:
Android will see a drop in sales as new users continue to become frustrated with the OS’s niggly problems and ecosystem fragmentation. More and more people will come to realize that the hot new thing isn’t so hot after all.
Android will lose a lot of customers while at the same time (ironically) making improvements to Android so it gets closer to reaching its potential (2.35 already works way better than 2.1 did on my phone). However, the damage is already being done (I’ll probably get an iPhone or maybe even a Windows phone next time), and Google will have to scramble for a couple years to get back.
Of course Android won’t get back to where it is now because it won’t ever be the hot new thing again. (People always want the hot new thing). Actually, (also ironically) that may fall to Windows Phone.
iPhones will, of course, absorb many of these users, but Windows phones could also pick up some of the slack after the release of these new phones. All Microsoft needs is a good, edgy marketing campaign that lets people know that Windows Phone is an award-winner.
