Android

On Android’s Software Fragmentation

Cody Lee ∙ October 27, 2011

We've expressed our opinions on Android software multiple times here on iDB. You can imagine that, as an iPhone blog, we are a little biased towards the iOS platform, but our issues with Android don't come unwarranted.

One of our beefs with Android is that its apps seem to lack the polish that iOS apps have — even in software that is available on both platforms. Why is that? Well, not only do developers have to worry about multiple screen sizes, they also have to worry about multiple versions of Android...

What Android Handsets Looked Like Before and After the iPhone

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 10, 2018

The ongoing Apple versus Google war can be traced back to Google's entry into the smartphone market. Apple launched its iPhone in the Summer of 2007, and within two years Google answered back by releasing its mobile OS, Android.

This led to a series of events, and eventually an onslaught of litigation between the two companies over "copycatting." The jury is still out on who copied who, but Daring Fireball points to some evidence that seemingly falls in Apple's favor...

Android and iOS: Men Lie, Woman Lie, Numbers Don’t

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

The infamous Android versus iOS debate can get pretty intense. Both sides have avid fans that will seemingly defend their favorite mobile OS to the death. And one of the most popular subjects for the two sides to argue about are the numbers.

Numbers directly reflect the success of a product. That's why companies share sales data and other things like revenue on quarterly earnings calls — to show their progress. So the big question is, what do the numbers say about Android and iOS?

Microsoft Now Making Money on Half of All Android Devices

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

Apple has been openly fighting against Android manufacturers for the past several months. The Cupertino company has accused handset makers like Samsung, HTC, and Motorola Mobility of infringing on its intellectual property.

A lot of people believe that Apple's hoard of patent lawsuits are going to end up stifling innovation, but they're not the only ones doing it. In fact, at this point, Android partners should probably be more afraid of Microsoft and its IP...

Enterprise Market Leaning Towards iPhone and iPad Instead of Android

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated April 3, 2018

Apple's iOS platform rules the roost in the enterprise, according to new figures released by Good Technology.

The firm, which offers push e-mail, mobile device management, and security products for mobile phones, released the numbers that appear to show both the iPhone and iPad dominating device usage in the enterprise market.

According to Good Technology, the results show a "clear preference for Apple products," with the figures seemingly proving their point conclusively...

Head of Android Talks About Tablets, Steve Jobs, and Siri

Alex Heath ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Andy Rubin, Senior VP of Mobile at Google, is considered the head of the Android platform. He leads the team that develops the Android OS for the plethora of handset makers that partner with Google.

Rubin sat down with veteran journalist Walt Mossberg at the AsiaD conference yesterday to talk about Android and his view of the mobile consumer market. He talked specifically about the state of Android tablets, his view of Apple post-Steve Jobs, and Siri...

Samsung Says Galaxy Nexus Designed to Bypass Apple Patents

Cody Lee ∙ October 20, 2011

For those that don't follow Android news, the Galaxy Nexus handset is the new flavor of the month. Built by Samsung, the new device sports a ridiculous 4.65 Super AMOLED HD screen, and about every other feature you could ask for.

However, Samsung's mobile president Shin Jong-kyun believes the phone is missing something — Apple's patents. Just before the new Nexus was unveiled Tuesday night, Shin told reporters that Apple shouldn't have any problems with this one...

Why Google Should be Nervous About Android’s Future

Cody Lee ∙ October 17, 2011

Google's Android operating system has certainly rocked the mobile industry over the last three years. With multiple manufacturers offering hundreds of feature-packed handsets around the world, the little green robot certainly has a lot going for it.

However, stiff competition from Apple and Microsoft, along with dozens of lawsuits coming from seemingly every direction, look to stop Android's explosive growth dead in it's tracks. How long can the mobile OS survive in this hostile industry?

Steve Jobs Patent Helps Apple Score Major Legal Win in Australia

Cody Lee ∙ October 13, 2011

Popular tech patent-analyst Florian Mueller is reporting that Apple has just scored a major legal win in Australia. The Cupertino company has been battling Samsung all over the globe, and it just scored a major victory in Sydney.

On Mueller's blog, FOSSPatents, he discusses the importance of a recent decision by the Federal Court of Australia in the Apple vs. Samsung patent dispute. The court has just ordered an interim injunction over Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1...

Microsoft: The iPhone Doesn’t Give Enough Choice and Android is Chaotic

Oliver Haslam ∙ Updated November 12, 2018

Those crazy folks at Microsoft seem quite keen on this new release of Windows Phone 7 they've been working on, and with good reason. Windows Phone 7.5, or "Mango," is starting to find its way onto new and old handsets alike, and people seem rather taken with the changes the Microsoft has made.

With that success behind him, Windows Phone boss Andy Lees spoke to The Seattle Times, and he couldn't help dissing Apple and Google while upholding Windows Phone as the best option out there for consumers...

Android Users Still Don’t Get It

Cody Lee ∙ October 10, 2011

For years, skeptics have viewed Apple enthusiasts in a prejudice light. Dubbed "fan boys," this herd of sheep would throw down money for any product bearing the fruit-shaped logo, and would defend the company to the death if necessary.

And it seems like the more successful Apple has gotten, the more vocal the cynics have become — especially in the mobile phone space. And I don't think that there is any group louder than the Android users...

Android Apps Running On an iPad, World Doesn’t Implode

Oliver Haslam ∙ October 7, 2011

Great news for the two of you that want to run Android apps on your iPad!

Alien Dalvik, the software layer that allows all Android apps to run on the Android platform, is being ported to various different platforms, including BlackBerry's PlayBook. More importantly, and certainly more interestingly, Apple's iPad is also on the list of devices that will soon support Android apps...