Android and Windows Mobile Complement Each Other Claims HTC

[Rocco Augusto]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/09/29/htc_android_wm_complementary/' target='_blank'>http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/0..._complementary/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"T-Mobile G1 manufacturer HTC plans to develop more handsets based on Android. It maintain this will not affect its Windows Mobile business - the Google platform and Microsoft's are 'complementary', it claimed. According to a report by DigiTimes, John Wang, Chief Marketing Officer at HTC, said that both systems have their merits, and so handsets based on either platform will appeal to different users."</em></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/zt/auto/1222710894.usr8.jpg" /></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I'm sure we can all agree that the only way this newest HTC Android enabled device is 'complementary' to Windows Mobile is due to how ugly it is and the wonders it will do for pushing users to the new Touch family of devices! All kidding aside, I have to agree with HTC on this one. Google Android and Windows Mobile are not even in the same league. Both platforms target completely different groups of consumers and where the Windows Mobile camp has been screaming at the top of their lungs for years hoping Microsoft will release a more consumer friendly version of their flagship mobile operating system, nothing has come of it at all. Even being as ugly as the T-Mobile G1 is, it will still sell a lot of handsets. This device is target to the general consumer and doesn't focus on the business aspect and because of that I can't take three steps outside of my front door without hearing someone talking about the T-Mobile G1 or having them ask me about it.<br /><br />HTC will now be able to create new super sleek consumer friendly devices and at the same time, continue to cater to the enterprise and enthusiast crowd. This is the best of both worlds for HTC. Hopefully this will be a good swift kick in the posterior to make Microsoft hustle to bring us something really cool in Windows Mobile 7.</p>

[benjimen]

Personally, I think MS waited to long. They went underwater in the wake of the iPhone's WOW factor and won't be coming up for air until well after Android has swooped up the enthusiasm of what's left over.

After using it since the first monochrome HP clamshell devices, I'm bored with WM, and couldn't be more frustrated with WMDC. The new WM devices being pumped out by HTC and others are prettier than what we've seen, but as every review of them states as a negative, it's still WM underneath.

Having pre-ordered a G1, I moved my personal domain over from a Hosted Exchange sevice to Google Apps and for the first time started playing around with Gmail and Google Calendar. After a few days, I'd be hard pressed to switch back. Amazing stuff :D I do miss not having birthday and anniversary fields in the Contact app, but it's expected to be added at some point. Public Calendars blew me away, especially when I searched them for stuff in my city. The ease with which you can share any of your own calendars is another huge plus.

Initially, I perceived the G1 to be a fun diversion until WM7 came out; now I'm thinking of it more as a learning device to bang up, not bother getting a case for, and play around with until newer, sleeker, smaller Androids come to market :eek:

[Pony99CA]

I have to agree with HTC on this one. Google Android and Windows Mobile are not even in the same league. Both platforms target completely different groups of consumers and where the Windows Mobile camp has been screaming at the top of their lungs for years hoping Microsoft will release a more consumer friendly version of their flagship mobile operating system, nothing has come of it at all.
While HTC's business making WM phones may not be affected, I suspect the business of selling them will be. With respect to Windows Mobile, there are basically four possiblities for Android-based phones:


Android will be a failure and not affect anything. I doubt this will happen, but who knows.
Android won't cannibalize sales of other platforms; it will just bring new people into the market. If the "market" is "smart phones", maybe that will be true for people who have held out so far and didn't get an iPhone.
Android will only hurt marketshare for certain phones, but not WM. If Android is compelling enough and only a consumer phone, it could hurt the iPhone more than WM phones, but I doubt this will be true.
Android will hurt all smart phone platforms, including Windows Mobile. I think this is most likely to be true. While it may not have the business credentials of Windows Mobile (yet!), neither did the iPhone, and I read about lots of people trading their WM devices for iPhones. The same could well be true of Android, especially if handset makers decide that it's cheaper to build Android phones than to build WM phones.

I also dispute the claim that the phones address different markets. I'm sure there's a somewhat sizable group of people like me who use WM phones for personal use, not business. (I don't even sync with an Exchange server; I sync with my PC.)

Also, I think HTC is making consumer-oriented WM phones, like the Touch Diamond. Does that really seem like a business phone to you? Do business people really need a pretty TouchFlo 3D shell over Windows Mobile? I wouldn't.

Finally, while Android may not sync with Exchange (yet!), it does sync with Google properties, which may be good enough for some business people. For example, I recall reading about a law firm that used Google docs as their only office software.

No, the markets don't overlap completely (or even most of the way), but I bet Android will take a chunk of WM's marketshare unless Microsoft gets something more compelling out there.

Steve

[benjimen]

That's definitely one that should be phrased more along the lines of 'IMO' ;) You left out #5: iPhone users won't be switching, and most potential iPhone buyers won't be swayed. WM will experience the biggest hit, as pretty as the TouchFlo 3D's of the world are, it's layered on top of WM. They'll have a chance at a rebound with WM7, but they've given Android to much time to dig into their market.
... there are basically four possiblities for Android-based phones...

[MattMojo]

The new WM devices being pumped out by HTC and others are prettier than what we've seen, but as every review of them states as a negative, it's still WM underneath.



I would have to disagree. I find the fact the WM is underneath to be a huge plus. WM is a great OS -- Microsoft just felt that it would be end-users and developers picking up the slack on the GUI end -- which was initially a mistake -- as the iPhone has pumped some much needed GUI work into the WM arena.

WM has a huge amount of potential and power; you just have to find ways to utilize it -- which are coming around much easier and faster these days. With the release of 6.1, I have had no stability issues what so ever with my Samsung I760 - which btw is the best phone I have ever owned WM or not.

Take a device like the I760, throw in SPB Mobile Shell, Opera and the most excellent (and free) Mymoblier and you have a complete phone that can do anything you ever wanted with ease.


That being said -- I downloaded the SDK for Android and I must say the interface is quite nice --- simple -- but nice; Very clean, touch friendly and smooth. It still has some work to be done but not bad at all for a first release --- especially from a company that has an enormous tendency to never bring their software out of beta -- EVER! Also I would not want any of my company information (email, calendar, docs...) syncing with a system that I, the IT Director, can not control and is in beta and has had really bad security issues.

But that is just me.

[benjimen]

I'm quite familiar with the OS, having been using it since it came out way back when dinasaurs walked the earth :D

It's great for business use, but, for the general consumer it's a bit fussy. They don't want to have to do a bunch of research and find things you can install on top of the OS (like SPB Mobile Shell) to make it more user friendly. I've had fun with WindowsCE, PocketPC & Windows Mobile -- but until WM7, it's become rather boring -- looking forward to my G1, you go on ahead and enjoy your WM stuff ;)

...Take a device like the I760, throw in SPB Mobile Shell, Opera and the most excellent (and free) Mymoblier and you have a complete phone that can do anything you ever wanted with ease...

[Pony99CA]

That's definitely one that should be phrased more along the lines of 'IMO' ;) You left out #5: iPhone users won't be switching, and most potential iPhone buyers won't be swayed.
I agree that iPhone users probably won't switch (unless they really want to get on T-Mobile or Android provides a great experience).

However, I didn't really leave anything out -- you did by snipping too much of what I said. ;) I actually said (with emphasis added for the snipped part):

With respect to Windows Mobile, there are basically four possiblities for Android-based phones....
So I wasn't worrying about the other platforms much because the discussion is about how Android will affect Windows Mobile. :)

Steve

[benjimen]

We believe that you believe :D
I agree that iPhone users probably won't switch (unless they really want to get on T-Mobile or Android provides a great experience).

However, I didn't really leave anything out -- you did by snipping too much of what I said. ;) I actually said (with emphasis added for the snipped part):


So I wasn't worrying about the other platforms much because the discussion is about how Android will affect Windows Mobile. :)

Steve

[bnycastro]

IMO Android will only affect markets where T-mobile sells the G1 provided the service and experience are very good when the devices end up on user's hands.
--
The Android OS is too young to affect WM even if WM7 is delayed. I think Symbian, RIM, Apple will be the ones eating into WM's market share until WM7 comes out.
--

[benjimen]

There are a lot of opinions floating around, if Android were T-Mobile-specific, yours might make more sense. It'll be interesting to see how it all pans out.

Regardless, I like the idea of a device that'll work fine with a PC or a Mac, looking forward to play-time :D
IMO Android will only affect markets where T-mobile sells the G1 provided the service and experience are very good when the devices end up on user's hands.
--
The Android OS is too young to affect WM even if WM7 is delayed. I think Symbian, RIM, Apple will be the ones eating into WM's market share until WM7 comes out.
--

[bnycastro]

+1 on waiting for play time. i was playing with the android port for my tytn2 but couldn't get a signal with it. i am curious which device maker will bring android to the rest of the world specifically asia where i reside hehehe :)

[Pony99CA]

The Android OS is too young to affect WM even if WM7 is delayed.
I don't know. The iPhone certainly seems to have affected Windows Mobile's marketshare even when it was new. Look how many people switched from WM devices to the iPhone.

Granted, a lot of that might have been Apple fanboys, but I think Google has fanboys, too. :)

Steve

[Kirkaiya]

+1 on waiting for play time. i was playing with the android port for my tytn2 but couldn't get a signal with it. i am curious which device maker will bring android to the rest of the world specifically asia where i reside hehehe :)

I also reside in Asia, and HTC's phones are very popular in much of Asia (except Korea, which is dominated by - gasp - Korean brands like Samsung and LG).

My guess is that HTC will start selling Android-based phones here soon. I got my Touch Diamond in Bangkok in June, and whether it's the G1, or something else, there will be Android phones here in the next 90 days.

Not only that, but since Motorola is apparently ramping up (from 50 Android devs to 250!?) their Android development, it seems likely that the world's 3rd-largest handset maker will start pumping them out next year. So this is going to be a major, globally-avaiable mobile OS.

And since you live in these parts as well - you already know that everybody and his sister has had an iPhone since early this year, at least, so if people want HTC Dreams, they'll be here on the gray market soon enough. In Bangkok, I'd give it a couple weeks, max.