Anybody waiting on the Iphone 4S/5?


Sugar_Kane

Could crush a grape
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I got myself a 3GS a good while ago and was extremely impressed with it. I then upgraded to an iphone 4 and was very happy with the new design and improvements, namely the screen, but after a few months the boredom started setting in; ios still looked and even sounded exactly the same, in fact it hadn't changed aesthetically since the original iphone was released. It was like buying a new lunchbox but taking exactly the same cheese and onion sandwiches to work every single day.


I needed a change of scenery and decided to give windows phone 7 a whirl, it was terrible. So, I ran to the loving arms of Android. Now, I've just upgraded to an SGS2 this past week and it is a lovely device, but at the same time I still might return it and wait for the new iphone, here's why:


The problem I'm having with Android is that it seems to be growing in the wrong directions. For example I have Android Marketplace, Samsung Apps, and AmazonApps installed on this device, that's three separate stores mostly with the same content, but Amazon are netting some exclusives such as Peggle... Ordinarily choice is great, but I think this is just getting silly. Having to visit several separate locations using separate accounts is fine if you're shopping for groceries or buying underpants, but I don't think that it's very beneficial when you're trying to compete with such a robust system as Apple's Appstore.


Secondly we're starting to see device specific games appearing, such as those sporting Nvidia's tegra 2 chipset, which are thoroughly capable of being played on other handsets but they've been locked due to some kind of exclusivity deals from these companies. I understand that problems like this can be addressed by rooting your device and installing 3rd party software, but the average Jeffrey on the street isn't going to do that, in fact most people aren't prepared to void the warranty on a £500 phone just to do this.


Diversity is one thing, but this is division. I'm genuinely concerned that the big A's open nature is now being taken advantage of and its potential is going to be crushed under the weight of too many cooks. As big as Android has become; it's still lagging visibly behind the appstore in terms of quality content and I'm just concerned that all of these goings on are going to further push devs away from the scene.


Although many complaints (including mine) are levied at Apple's closed nature, it's only now that I realise that this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Now I find myself genuinely excited about the new iphone! Maybe I'm just a fickle tit...


Does anybody else have an opinion on this? Are you excited about the new Apple baby?
 
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The last report I saw, which was Gartner's for 2011Q2 was that for the smartphone sector iOS is now third, slightly behind Symbian and with less then half the market share of Android. You are free to have your opinion, but the market is clearly not that impressed with iOS or its AppStore, and rather enthusiastic about Android. Most people project that a similar movement will occur in the tablet market.


Publishers, who control the large development studios, are concerned about profit and addressing as large of a market with their IP as is practical so to maximize the number of purchases. If independent developers take sides in this the existence of multiple marketplaces is probably not going to be the deciding factor on iOS verse Android.


Breaking up the software vending outlets by Amazon allows the Android ecosystem to be more diverse and less of a controlled ecosystem. This in turn allows more flexibility with device design, which is a good thing.


The only device exclusive software I'm aware of is nVidia continuing their usual antics (search "Physx x87") and the Sony licensed Xperia Play's emulator ecosystem. If that's all then it's hardly something to get up in arms about.
 
After using the Galaxy 2S the iPhone4 just seems dated to me now. I never thought I'd say that before trying the 2S with the latest Android, I used to think the iPhone4 was amazing, but there we go.


Google are getting it right, I know the battery life isn't great but I can live with it, it would be my only complaint.
 
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After using the Galaxy 2S the iPhone4 just seems dated to me now. I never thought I'd say that before trying the 2S with the latest Android, I used to think the iPhone4 was amazing, but there we go.


Google are getting it right, I know the battery life isn't great but I can live with it, it would be my only complaint.

I absolutely love my Galaxy S II. I haven't even had to root it, and I have all the stuff I want on it, including emulators. I think Google is going to need to step up and innovate some new features after the iPhone 5 comes out. Even though the iPhone 5 will have less innovated and new features than Android, it will still take the spotlight in the media unless Google comes up with some new stuff that nothing else has.
 

I'm really not an apple fanboy I swear, I do think my concerns are valid though. I'm indicating the current chipset exclusivity to be the possible beginning of a worrying trend, it might start with a handful but it could be the roots of something else. If each handset manufacturer decides to open their own appstores, all vying for exclusivity of titles then we're in a bad place. I believe that the android market needs to stay unified if it wants to compete with the appstore, and it does want to.






I do disagree about the market not being impressed with the appstore, however big the android market share is there still isn't the quality of apps to back it up. It may be more prevalent on devices, but that's because there are vastly more of them from various manufacturers, and they're largely much more affordable. I don't think it's a case of people being unimpressed with apple, in fact it would be interesting to see where we'd be if Ios was available to other manufacturers. It is a fact though that ios games vastly outsell their android counterparts, and the larger developer backing is clearly evident, there just isn't the same revenue to be had in the google marketplace at the moment even with their apparent domination, I think this may be largely to do with it being so easy to pirate games on android; why spend a fortune developing an app that most of your audience isn't going to pay for? It really is as easy as downloading the apk and running it straight from you phone without any kind of unlocking or rooting. Don't get me wrong though, I'm really not climbing up apple's ass, I'm just getting antsy that android is going in the wrong direction just as it's starting to blossom.






Also I have to say that I am in love with my S2, it's probably the nicest phone I've ever had. The camera is absolutely astounding, especially the videos it takes. I truly want to keep hold of and support android, but I also want the best user experience I can possibly get. I guess I just dwell too much on the little details and ruminate on a gloomy future.






 
the market is clearly not that impressed with iOS or its AppStore, and rather enthusiastic about Android.

You realise you're basically comparing a total lineup of 4 generally premium priced handsets: iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4


Only two of which can really be considered part of this collective third (iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4), versus Android handsets which number not only more than two, but more than I'd care to count.


Android reaches markets and price points that the iPhone does not, therefore its market dominance is to be expected.


To be fair, we should be selecting a handful of current, high-end Android phones and comparing their total market share to that of the iPhone.


Anyway, my addled brain skimmed over the fact that Sugar_Kane already said as much... sooo....


I've been considering the Galaxy S2- but by the time my contract expires there will be something else. I think I'll end up looking ahead to the Galaxy Note, although it's just as likely that the iPhone 5 could steal me for another year or so.


Edit: Oooo. Sony Experia Play just turned up. Minecraft Pocket Edition is smooooooth. The controls aren't actually *too* bad, but the buttons suck compared to the iControlPad.
 
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I needed a change of scenery and decided to give windows phone 7 a whirl, it was terrible.
I got a windows phone 7 in december last year (for xmas actually) and while the OS ws not very mature at the time, now I have mango on the device its really starting to shine, I love it :) you should give your WP7 phone another chance.


Previouse to this phone (htc hd7) I Had the iphone 3g then the iphone 3gs which i did love but wanted a change.
 
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