ANDROID, iOS, MICROSOFT & CYANOGENMOD: THE TRUTH!
Goodhour, Synapse Circuit Readers! How’s it going? It’s pouring down with rain here in London! I hope that all is well with you and yours! I also hope that you are making the most of your tech!
It seems that Google ought to brace itself for the coming attacks on the Android robots! Despite CEO, Larry Page stating that he’s not interested into Tech Wars it seems that the poor chap can’t avoid it no matter what he (and Google) does! Read on!
#Google #Android #Cyanogenmod #Microsoft #iOS #Tizen #OxygenOS #Motorola #Lollipop #OnePlus #OxygenOS
SPIDER-MAN 3
You are probably wondering, “Spider-Man 3??? What’s that got to do with Android, iOS, etc?” Well, right now Android is looking like Spider-Man in the Toby McGuire franchise – the third movie! Android is the Amazing Spider-Man and facing a number of foes: iOS could be Green Goblin; Microsoft – Sandman and Cyanogenmod is very much like Venom! Hahaha! All of a sudden it looks as though Peter Parker (Google) has a brought untold trouble to himself with his alter-ego, Spider-Man (Android). Will Spider-Man’s (Android) enemies reveal his true identity?
It seems to me that many tech “journalists” (sic) are no better than cheap tabloid writers in that they seem to thrive on sensationalism and half-truths! The headlines are so silly that I can’t believe that people would actually put their names and photos to these ridiculous stories! Okay, there is some truth in the apparent animosity towards Google / Android. They (Cyanogenmod) don’t like the control that Google exerts over Android and they would like to develop the Cyanogenmod alternative to Android. Fighting talk, huh? But Google have every right to make certain stipulations with regards to how manufacturers use its operating system. So, why the drama? While you are thinking about it here’s something more to think about...
APPLE: RECORD SALES & PROFITS
Although Apple has made record sales the fact is that it hasn’t made a dent to the Android market! Again, iOS and Android are two different markets! The Android market is substantially bigger than that of iOS and therefore iOS cannot win. There are articles that state the iPhone 6 Plus is eating into the Galaxy Note 4 market but this is unlikely. Why? Glad you asked! I think you will find that the US and European marketplaces are pretty much set in their respective ways: there’s a huge demand for the Galaxy Note 4 and there is also a huge demand for the iPhone 6 Plus! But here’s the trick: iPhone fanatics have been crying out for a bigger screen ever since the first Samsung Galaxy Note! The demand was always there! Some iPhone fanatics may have been forced to go Android i.e. Galaxy Note as Apple back then preferred to release propaganda videos about “Hand Science”... “We found that the thumb can go from here to here and there to there comfortably... The iPhone is build around your hand...” I am paraphrasing but you get the gist! So, I would imagine that there would be quite a surge in the US & European markets for the iPhone 6 Plus. But if you listen to those who have bought themselves an iPhone 6 Plus they are complaining about the state of iOS 8 and that many apps do not yet take advantage of the 1080p screen. Once again (yawn), in London the computer exchange shops are full of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus handsets! Oh, the computer exchange shops have an abundant supply of iPhone 5Cs in many different colours! Could it be that this is happening in Europe and the US – people taking their iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to the computer exchange stores out of disappointment and / or frustration? Maybe!
It could very well be that the Android folk turning iOS are actually former iPhone users coming back to the fold. I also think that there are a number of technology lovers that have both an iPhone 6 Plus and an Android handset! Why not? But I honestly cannot see dedicated Android people just going over to the iPhone just because of a larger screen size thus abandoning Android. It’s just something I wouldn’t do! Why? Because Apple only makes Android stronger!
Now if you look at where the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is selling well it is in China. China is pretty much untapped territory for Apple and I would imagine that the affluent Chinese market have gone for the latest iPhone models in the way that a country will go mad for having a McDonald’s opening up for the first time! China has a huge population hence the great sales record for Apple! And once the Chinese market catches on with regards to the bugs in iOS 8, the fact that many apps do not scale and that the camera is pretty much lacking in comparison to flagship Android handsets the fascination could well and truly be over already! It could be that Apple has shot itself in the foot with regards to the sales of the next iPhone models! We’ll see!
ANDROID SALES HAVE DIPPED?
I am not surprised that Android sales have dipped and it is for the following reasons:-
1. These cheap and not so cheerful below £90 handsets from the likes of ZTE aren’t really worth the effort. And we all know why, right? C’mon! Add “crap” to the following: CPU, RAM and internal storage. Non-technical people have finally understood that cheap does not mean good!
2. I reckon there were two handsets that were hotly anticipated towards the end of the 2014 and those were the Galaxy Note 4 (three if you include the Galaxy Note Edge variant) and the Nexus 6! We have pretty much seen what the other manufacturers have done and the Galaxy Note 4, Edge and Nexus 6 are what many waited for. As you know I have both the Galaxy Note 4 and the Nexus 6! I was planning on the Galaxy Note Edge but...
3. The Android market is holding out for 64-bit handsets! Yes, I was a tad disappointed that the Galaxy Note 4 and Nexus 6 aren’t sporting 64-bit CPUs but I know that the qualities of these phones are excellent! I, like the rest of the smartphone world, am waiting for the complete lowdown on the Samsung Galaxy S6!
So, don’t believe the hype! 2015 is Android’s year! People say that Android 5 Lollipop is “buggy” but I have yet to come across any issues on my Nexus 6! Touch wood! Lol! But I can imagine that there will be some issues on the masses of Android devices out there! Upgrading to another Android version is not as easy as we would like! I am quite positive that some components of the Android used on Project Ara will be absorbed by the mainstream Android 5 that should translate into Android 6 Mud Pie(?) that should make it even easier to upgrade in the future.
Here’s a link to Motorola’s blog that gives you an insight to the upgrading process: Lollipop Issues
One day my little Moto G 2014 will let me know when I can download and install Lollipop! By then I it is possible that I would have moved on to the LTE version being released in Brazil (it will have Lollipop installed on it) or one of the inexpensive offerings from ASUS such as the Zenfone 2 with a 64-bit CPU!
Come March 2015 we will see a sharp rise in Android handsets!
THE NEXUS 6 IS NO iPHONE 6 PLUS
Thank God for that! Google recently stated that they have trouble meeting the demands for the Nexus 6... Hmmmm... Should I believe that? Let’s see... There are over 1 Billion Android handsets out there and out of that 1 Billion-odd what is the percentage of Nexus 6 users? Whatever that percentage is Lollipop doesn’t seem to have made a blimp on the Android user charts! KitKat still dominates on the majority of handsets out there and even then some of them aren’t the latest version, 4.4.4! But the fact that there are over 1 Billion Android users out there just shows me that the likes of Apple have made way too much over “fragmentation”! The fact is iOS is more fragmented in that iOS 8 run on an iPhone 4S and that those who have installed iOS 8 wished that they hadn’t! You don’t hear Cook and co talking about that issue! Of course not! What matters to Apple is PROFIT!!!! Apple doesn’t care about its workers or the environment and the BBC TV current affairs programme, Panorama, has exposed Cook and co for not being honest! The most honest thing that has come out of Cook’s mouth was his Gay declaration! Instead of the customary rainbow flag Cook is waving a black flag where the environment is concerned...
Watch Canadian documentary on corporations here: The Corporation
Watch the BBC news clip regarding Apple workers in China: Apple Exposed
You will see that nothing has changed from when the documentary was made in 2003 until now. Try and watch the Panorama programme on BBC iPlayer and what Apple does to the environment is shocking to say the least! I can only hope that other manufacturers are proactive in looking after its workforce and the environment! Any manufacturer can have a policy but it is something else to act upon it – practise it!
But going back to the Nexus 6... Of course it is no iPhone 6 Plus! It could very well be that Apple is making out that the demand for the iPhone 6 Plus surpasses that for the superior Nexus 6, Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge just to give the impression that they are winning but they are not (as I have pointed out to you before). I can believe that there is a high demand for the Nexus 6 as it is the best Nexus ever!
1. Lollipop; there are many people out there like myself that want to experience Android as Google envisioned it.
2. The Motorola design surpasses that of the iPhone 6 Plus.
3. There’s a 5.96” quad-HD screen that’s great for everything you do on a phone!
4. The front-facing stereo speakers; they are wonderfully loud and makes video watching a great experience. Listening to music is also a wonderful experience!
5. The 13MP camera is arguably better than that on the iPhone 6 Plus. I say “arguably” because each camera has pros and cons but a strong argument is 4K video recording and playback, 13MP is better than 8MP and when you take the time to take a good photo the Nexus 6 shouldn’t let you down!
See the Synapse Circuit Nexus 6 review if you haven’t already! Here it is: Nexus 6 Review
When the Google Nexus 5 came out it sold out in the UK retail outlets on day one! So, I would imagine that the same phenomenon is happening with the Nexus 6!
SOLD!
There is a reason why Google isn’t interested into being a handset and tablet manufacturer. According to CEO, Larry Page, Google is already thinking beyond the smartphone and tablet. Hence the sale of Motorola to Lenovo! What has to be appreciated is that Google has made the smartphone accessible to just about everyone with the Moto range! This trend is already being continued by ASUS – I am so curious about the 64-bit, 4GB RAM Zenfone 2 at $199!!! Or it could be that ASUS has another configuration for the Zenfone 2 that is $199 that does not feature 4GB of RAM. We’ll see...
Many tech writers / journalists don’t seem to understand that Google is in for the long haul when it comes to making profits. Yes, they have to make the Android operating system the best that they can in order for people to keep using it and to start using it! Android is the pathway to YouTube & Google Ads. Click on my Google Ads! Lol! Just kiddin’! I know that there are some people out there who are concerned about others making money! That’s so sad! Never mind! Anyhoo...
If Google had wanted to sell handsets they would have done so from that start and not made Android open source! Simple!
IN CLOSING: CYANOGENMOD & MICROSOFT
Yes, Microsoft has invested $70 Million in Cyanogenmod’s bid to “take Android away from Google...” but you have only got to look at the situation with Amazon to understand that this is never going to be as straightforward as Cyanogenmod and Microsoft would like! Amazon can’t even give its Fire phone away! It will be interesting to see how Cyanogenmod and Microsoft pans out... If Cyanogenmod manages to succeed in creating its own forked version of Android it may be of interest to tech-heads! I don’t know about you but if I see an advantage in other technologies I will invest in them! A couple of my handsets are running Cyanogenmod and it’s a good alternative to the official Android as I am able to keep these old handsets updated. One of the important features of Cyanogenmod is privacy and their efforts to ensure user privacy may force Google to take issue of privacy in Android more seriously.
Cyanogenmod certainly has its work cut out for them! They haven’t forged an alliance with OnePlus as OnePlus is releasing its own forked Android, Oxygen OS pretty soonish – I think! I am quite sure that Oxygen OS will still rely on Google Play Store! We’ll just have to wait for more information on that!
TIZEN?
If you look at Samsung’s Tizen operating system it shows great promise and can utilize Android apps. So, I am right about Samsung wanting to express itself without Google’s interference. Samsung needs to develop its own innovations and Tizen is the way to do it. It’s obvious that Samsung still wants to work with Google otherwise Samsung wouldn’t have gone to considerable lengths to make Tizen compatible with Google Play Store. If a Tizen handset offered something that I couldn’t get anywhere else I’d buy into it!
The next coming years will certainly be interesting for Google’s Android ecosystem. From where I am sitting, Android looks pretty much unstoppable; 1 Billion-odd Android users is a tough factor to compete with! Microsoft’s motive for backing Cyanogenmod isn’t a good one! Windows handsets haven’t gone mainstream as Microsoft would have liked. And as you know, they produced some Android handsets under Nokia which have discontinued primarily because Microsoft’s own forked Android didn’t work! I had intended to purchase one and install a custom ROM on it! But they are no longer on the market as far as I can see! Microsoft seems to have a lot of money to waste! It’s bizarre watching Microsoft throw money in any direction to be seen as a technological innovator again! Get your HoloLen goggles on! It’s fun for all the family!
We’ll just have to watch to see how it all unravels for Cyanogenmod, Microsoft and Google!
The Future of the Nexus programme...
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