Apple released its new operating system today named iOS 7. I'm guessing that most of you have at least heard of the iPhone and its new updates like the iPhone 5s and 5c. If not, then here you go. The release of the new software has been accepted with open arms, unlike the releases of the new versions of the iPhone mentioned earlier (This is seen by the 2% bump in Apple stock today and the roughly 5% drop after the iPhone release explained in the Apple Stock article).
I found it very interesting that the new iOS 7 looked eerily familiar. (I have recently switched from being an iPhone user to being an Android user, one of, if not the biggest competitor to Apple as far as phone software goes). Well I just happened to notice that the new Apple software looks almost identical to the Android software that I am running. An easy comparison is the lock screen picture above. It has become difficult to even tell them apart. Do you think that this shows that Google (producer of Android) and Apple are coming to an agreement on the best way to layout a phone? Also, how influential do you think the capitalistic nature of this competition between giants will be to the average person? Because as I see it, there are a LOT of people turning to smartphones and now it is even harder to choose.
6 comments:
My guess is that Apple is seeing the merits of some of Android's layout/features and is trying to incorporate them. It could also be a marketing technique to persuade more Android users to purchase iphones.
I may be the last person on the planet who still does not have a smartphone, but I will honestly say as a consumer who will eventually be in the market for one, I think regardless of iphone's updates, or Android features, I would still go for the Apple product because of brand familiarity.
I could be wrong, but I doubt there are huge impacts for average users. Most people, again I might be wrong, don't research phones a GREAT deal. I think mostly the tech-savvy and programer types compare the two phones before purchasing, otherwise most people are just drawn to one or the other.
Take a look here and scroll down for a great infographic with sales comparisons:
http://techland.time.com/2013/04/16/ios-vs-android/
Is it just me? Or does it seem like in the Bay Area most teens with smart-phones have iphones instead of Androids? Why is this? I feel like since sales are almost equal it's surprising it feels so unbalanced.
Wow, Kira's link was pretty surprising to me, since I shared her belief that most Bay Area teens have iphones.
This aside, Kira also brings up a good point concerning brand familiarity. Our world is full of various Apple products, and I know a very compelling argument for Apple consumers is that they already have an iPod/Macbook Air/iTouch/etc., so it's just easier to continue to purchase items from the same brand to have all their technological devices under one system.
Also, this may not interest anyone else, but I think it really speaks to our era that a release of a new software update can create such a buzz around our community.
I don't think Apple is necessarily trying to copy Android's layout. Recently, software design has adopted a flat, minimal trend for a clean and modern look, rather than a more 3D look with drop shadow and bevels. This can be seen in Windows 8, Android, recent website redesigns such as Google, Yahoo (and its new logo redesign), and Youtube. iOS 7 is just adopting this trend, not copying Android's look; Android is not the only platform with this clean design. Before this redesign, many critics denounced the iOS as "outdated." Nevertheless, design, though a key feature, takes a backseat to specs, capabilities, and usability. iPhones have always been praised for being user-friendly, but recent Android phones such as the HTC One and Galaxy S4 trounce the specs comparison. However, the biggest reason why Android now controls 64% of the smartphone market, compared to iOS' 21%, is that it is open source and can be distributed by various device manufacturers, unlike iOS. This is reminiscent of the Windows vs. Mac OS debate, and potentially could result in the same outcome.
Sean, thank you for the clarification. What you said is true, but your viewpoint seems to come from a more than average understanding of the subject, and I appreciate that. My post is from the average joe technology viewpoint. But thank you for the much needed educated viewpoint.
Well to go along with Sean's point, I think that Apple is just adapting to the current trend in UI design. While some of the new features in iOS 7 were probably inspired in part by some of the features that Android has touted (control center in iOS = quick settings in Android), this is just the nature of competition. Rival companies with completely opposite business models can benefit from each other by adopting certain aspects of a product. For consumers this is great. Now you have two of the largest tech companies in the world competing for your money, and each company is going about it in completely different ways. Apple is selling you the "Apple experience". You have a MacBook, you have an iPad, you have an iPhone there to deliver an experience that is controlled by Apple through and through. Apple wants you to buy Apple accessories to go with your Apple computer to go with your Apple software, and if you want to do anything that Apple doesn't have complete control over, good luck. Apple makes money off of your willingness to pay a premium for that integrated and simple experience. On the other hand, Google just churns out a new version of Android every once in a while, distributes it to the world and hopes that money will come their way through people (maybe) buying their services that are integrated within Android. Android's apparent flexibility is why it is the most popular mobile OS in the world. Though Android is the most widely adopted OS globally, it's understandable how Kira and Alexa would think that an overwhelming majority of Bay Area kids have iPhones. A big problem with Android is that it's much more "fragmented" than iOS. With Android, you have hundreds of different manufacturers working with several versions, so at school when you see someone with an S4 running 4.2, and someone with a Nexus 4 running 4.3, and someone with a Droid X running 2.3, you see three different phones. But even though they are different phones, they're all running Android. With iOS there are only a handful of products out on the market at any given time, so at school when you see someone with an iPhone 5 running iOS 6.1, and someone with an iPhone 4s running iOS 7, and someone with an iPhone 5c running iOS 7, you see three collective iPhones rather than three separate models. This goes back to Apple's absolute control over the entire iPhone experience, hardware and software together. Obviously Google and Apple have different methods of going about mobile technology, but as the distinction between the user interfaces lessens, I think consumers will favor whichever platform can provide the most convenient user experience. For those who heavily depend on Google products, Android is the clear choice. For those who favor openness and the ability to tinker with your tech, there is no other choice than Android. But if you want an experience that is as simple as simple gets, then iOS is for you. If you have a few Macs and an Apple TV at home, iOS is the obvious choice. So really it comes down to personal preference for experience. Whatever camp you fall under, there's no doubt that now is a great time to be a consumer in the market for a smartphone, and it's only going to get better. Personally though, I'd wait for Ubuntu to hit the market.
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