Apple introduced the new iPhone and iPad OS 4 to be released this summer and fall. In January Google released Android 2.1. Now this week at it’s own conference it will introduce 2.2. What’s the difference? How soon it will make it to the phones.
Because of the open nature of Android each manufacturer is tweaking or establishing a cover interface. And now 3 months after the release it is just now making its way to the phones. This isn’t an OS comparison piece. Android is an incredible mobile platform. It will probably carry the majority world wide before long. It will have multiple features I will wish my iPhone possessed. However it seems it could face a road block similar to the Windows OS.
In another year we will have 100’s of Android models on the market. This “one” is still on 2.1 and can’t upgrade to 2.2 or 2.3. This “one” can but the manufacturer is late in getting the upgrade out and it is filled with bugs. Could this not lead to market confusion or OS instability? I am aware that the iPhone 4 software will only work on the 3GS and above but there are significantly fewer models for confusion.
Apple has a closed app store with some inconsistent policies. Apple frustrates me with it’s seemingly anti-competitive stance on some apps that provide competition to their own. However, Apple makes my phone really easy to update, use, maintain, and service. I love only going to one store for all my shopping. I like the easy button I guess. I may be naive or foolish, but I do believe that by staying with the iPhone it will remain easy, cutting edge, and of course overpriced. Eventually I would love to try out an Android phone for a while. I think the system totally rocks and I love open source. I’m just concerned that with it “easy” disappears.
Update: I think OS 4 will go back no farther than the 3G, but I could be mistaken. Actually, Matt I have my dream job and it has nothing to do with Apple or blogging. Not sure why my liking Apple offends you. I hope you enjoy whatever phone and OS you use. Each person should own, use, and enjoy what fits them.
Apple Fan-boys need to stop blogging and beating it to their iPhone’s and get real jobs.
Todd,
I totally agree. There will be many platforms running slightly different versions of Android. As the options go up, the complexity in maintaining it all will go up, as well.
I have the original G1 Google phone. I have a love/hate relationship with it. I love that it can multitask. I hate that it really bogs down when it is downloading GNC, playing another podcast, and running the GPS nav program. I know that’s asking too much, but I want it all! Apple’s approach to the iPhone is an elegant one, even with its limitations and maybe just because of those limitations.
You asked previously what the most important app is to me on Android. Acast podcast catcher. This gets right to the heart of why I bought the G1. I could automatically download podcasts away from the computer. I always have the latest podcasts available without having to do anything.
From what I know of the iPhone, it was only with update 2.2 that users would no longer have to synch it with the computer or manually select and download a single podcast to listen away from the computer. When I was selecting my phone, it didn’t seem like that leveraged RSS feeds to their fullest.
Let the debate continue…
tailwinds,
Robin
iPhone OS 4.0 will be available to ALL iPhones, right back to the original 2g. The 2g and 3g ones will not however receive all the new functionality, eg Multitasking will not be inclided for the 2 & 3g as they say the devices are not powerful enough
I’m not exactly sure what the point of this article is… given that you havent even tried android properly?