The Pinky and the Brain Couldn’t Do It, But Android Has… Over the World of Technology That Is!

As the title of the referred article suggests, Android really is everywhere… you just don’t realize it. Not only is Google’s Android the number one mobile operating system currently out there, but Android is in just about anything with a computer chip and is becoming the standard for operating systems in smart devices. As more devices with the Android operating system hit the market, Google is continually widening the gap between its competitors, Microsoft and Apple, and is making its home as the dominant software player in the tech device world.

So how does Google’s Android tie into quality?

source: www.giantbomb.com

One of the things that we learned in class is how important quality is to consumers. In the end, your product does not really matter. It all comes down to customer satisfaction and delivering on the fulfillment of their needs. In a sense, this is what Google has done through Android. This open source software can easily be manipulated by virtually anyone to get just about anything to do whatever they want it to. Users are not limited to certain functionalities already pre-decided by the makers of the operating system, but instead allow consumers to keep their freedom of choice and allow them to act upon them. In the end, consumers fulfill their own needs and end up with their own unique, customized product.

This not only allows for Google to keep its current customers from switching to competitors, but Google is also benefiting from expanding its consumer base to include individuals who like to experiment with technology. As more consumers join the Android community and take the operating system into their own hands by modifying its uses and capabilities, Google is getting developers to make their product better and its application vast. And it is all done free.

Android isn’t just popular with consumers, but also with hardware and software companies. As its popularity has increased and its dominance established in the market, Android is becoming a standard for devices. More and more hardware and software companies are becoming “Android experts” to ensure that their products are compatible with the software.

By allowing its software to be easily accessible and modified by anyone, it is no wonder that Google’s Android has risen in popularity so quickly and widespread.  Although many companies, such as Apple and Microsoft, strive to keep their product’s formulas secret in order stay ahead of the competition, Google has proven that doing the exact opposite can be done. Not only that, but that one can benefit from it as well.

Personally, I think that what Google allows to be done with Android should be applicable to other devices. As an Android user who took advantage of making my phone better to suit my preferences, I am a big fan. On the other hand, Apple’s I-phone has left me wondering why I ever made the switch.

What do you think? How will Android affect the future of technology and the way products are being deployed?

 

Source:

Vance, Ashlee. “Behind the ‘Internet of Things’ Is Android—and It’s Everywhere.” Bloomberg Businessweek. 30 May 2013. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-05-29/behind-the-internet-of-things-is-android-and-its-everywhere#p1

Facebook Home for Mobile Users Innovative? or a Flop?

Facebook wants to takeover your computer, tablet, life, and now your Phone?

The sole objective for Facebook Home is to immediately let you gain access to the social network with just a simple look at your phones screen, and this works without you physically running the app or even unlocking your phone. So in simple words, from your locked screen you’ll be able to see your news feed, posts, and full screen photos posted by friends—not to mention you will also have the ability to comment and like the items you stumble upon.

Facebook Home
Facebook Home “Start Up Screen”

So how exactly is this innovative/different as to other phones with normal software? A Facebook Home equipped phone differentiates itself from other phones as you turn on the screen. You will see the time and a small circle at the bottom of the phone displaying your current profile picture. If you don’t touch the screen, your news feeds, known as Cover Feed (in Facebook Home), will start displaying and automatically scrolling from one post to another. There is also the option of manually swiping through the feed just incase you come across something interesting. On the bright side each post takes up the entire diameter of the screen, giving you the perfect visual. If a photo is posted then it will lighten up the screen and you have the option of double clicking to enter your comment or to add a like. If it’s a text post, the author’s photo will appear transparent in the background. If you swipe your finger to the right, you now engage in Facebook Messenger, where you can directly speak to your friends, while also seeing and receiving your SMS texts.

If your friends are boring and you’re really not an avid Facebook user then I can see this being very pointless and annoying to you. But if your obsessed with Facebook and constantly stalking an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend or cant get enough from just having it on your computer, then Facebook Home might be right down your alley. Then again, the option for Facebook Home is 100% optional when buying a new phone, so Facebook still allows the customer choose whether they want to adapt to Facebook Home or just use the normal app.

iPhone users, you like the idea? Well unfortunately Facebook Home is an optional feature for Android users only. It won’t be running on any Apple products because apple does not allow other companies to take control of the main functions. Though in Apples basic settings you are allowed to sign into you Facebook and Instagram and be able to share content easily. But that’s as far as it goes with Apples strict policies.

Do you think Facebook Home is differentiating the brand in the right way or setting up for a flop in the mobile world? Was it a bad decision to make software that has opted them from the biggest mobile manufacturer, Apple? What are you thoughts?

 

References:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323550604578412664150862712.html

 

 

 

 

 

The Google Ceiling

Google has a problem.  Google’s problem is that for all their variety of products, their only revenue stream of consequence is advertising.  And for all of the fancy ideas and products they throw at the market, it appears that unless they can take back the mobile handset market with their Motorola purchase (which they do not appear to be positioning themselves to do), advertising is going to be the primary revenue stream for Google for a long time to come.

Google has a business model problem, and the cornerstone of this problem is the fact that while Google is in the advertising market, it has outgrown the market.  In the early years, their growth was fueled by the rapid growth in electronic commerce, and the fact that traditional advertising was not able to drive electronic commerce.  Since then the market has stabilized and Google is the established leader in electronic advertising, with the traditional channels still maintaining print, outdoor, television and other media channels.  If it can be reasonably assumed that the largest growth in electronic commerce is behind us and that the current landscape will be increasingly more mobile where Google has lower market share, Google has limited potential for continued growth in advertising.

Google’s revenue is almost entirely in advertising, and they don’t appear to be branching out any time soon.

For all its searching (and finding) adjacent markets, it appears they only make halfhearted attempts at monetizing these markets.  Take for example the ability to perform mathematics and graphing functions through their search engine.  Before Google entered, WolframAlpha provided this capability through free trials followed by premium memberships which have additional flexibility and capabilities.  However, Google appears to have entered only for the purpose of  limiting the revenue potential of a minor competitor, if WolframAlpha can even be called this.

Meanwhile, Apple and Amazon have established themselves with business models that, while very different from Google, flank and de-position the Google business model.  Apple has built a successful model of obtaining revenue from software, hardware, services, as well as content which Google has not been able to replicate quickly enough.  Not only this, but Apple has clearly been moving away from Google in all elements of their operations, recently even taking Google Maps from their mobile devices – clearly in an effort to eliminate the potential for advertising revenue through popular Apple devices.  Likewise, Amazon has built a successful model entirely based on selling products and online content; if Amazon is the premier internet source for products and content, they also control the advertising of the content and Google is again left out of the picture.

Google needs a 2.0 strategy in order to continue their growth.  This strategy must appreciate, but not limit itself to their advertising market strengths.  This strategy must not simply copy the strategy of Apple, but must provide differentiated value in order to become a significant source of revenue.