Best Thing That Ever Happened to iPhone Users? Competition from Android.

[androidluvr2]

I chose an Android because at the time, I had 4G LTE in my area and wanted a 4G LTE phone. Nothing against iPhones, in fact I bought my mother an iPhone 4S since she doesn't use much data so 3G was fine for her at the time.

Anyhow, the main point I wanted to make is that competition between sellers is good for the consumer. I am certain that the price of an iPhone has been kept in check by the presence of Android phones on the market. Now the carriers subsidize that price so you might not have paid more for your phone itself, but you would have paid more for your service if the subsidy went up.

And I am sure that Apple has more incentive to innovate because of the Android OS.

All consumers win when there is more competition in the marketplace. Monopolies and oligopolies are bad for the consumer, which is why our wireless services are so expensive - the wireless industry is an oligopoly.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Yep, that's right, but I would like to add one thing. Consumers dictate price and not the companies. Unfortunately, far too many of us are unaware of it and cave in to paying what companies' asking price.

 

[androidluvr2]

Consumers dictate price and not the companies.

Tell that to the oil companies, lol!

Seriously, I see your point, in that things are worth what people are willing to pay for them, but to some extent it depends on whether something is a necessity vs. luxury.

 

[Just_Me_D]

Tell that to the oil companies, lol!

Seriously, I see your point, in that things are worth what people are willing to pay for them, but to some extent it depends on whether something is a necessity vs. luxury.

Very true...

 

[taz323]

Tell that to the oil companies, lol!

Seriously, I see your point, in that things are worth what people are willing to pay for them, but to some extent it depends on whether something is a necessity vs. luxury.

When it comes down to a new cell,does it matter. Lol

 

[mulasien]

Competition is indeed always good for the consumer. I have no problem with each OS 'borrowing' aspects from the other to give a more rounded experience to the end user. It also keeps one company from getting lazy and not actually innovating (because they don't need to).

I'm also going to go on a limb and hope that Apple 'borrows' a few more aspects of what makes Android attractive for iOS7. "Good artists create. Great artists steal."

 

[John Yester]

Absolutely correct, competition is a great thing. With the introduction of Jelly Bean, I can't wait to see how Apple will respond. Particularly, because Google is providing a great experience at a much lower cost point.

But without Google, I doubt some of the things we see in iOS6 and 5 would be there and that is a great thing. 

Just my .02

 

[pr1nce]

Competition is great for consumers. It forces all the products to be the best. Better devices is a huge win for all smartphone customers. Competition makes everybody stronger.

 

[BlackBerry Guy]

Agree with you all. Competition brings out the best in everyone, and it is the consumer that wins at the end. We're at that point right now where every major OS has a compelling offering...

 

[phonejunky]

iOS 7 should be good considering how good JellyBean is with the proper device (Nexus). Google Now has also stepped the game up a bit. So I'm excited to see what Apple will fire back with this next release time.


Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk

 

[natasftw]

Competition is indeed always good for the consumer. I have no problem with each OS 'borrowing' aspects from the other to give a more rounded experience to the end user. It also keeps one company from getting lazy and not actually innovating (because they don't need to).

I'm also going to go on a limb and hope that Apple 'borrows' a few more aspects of what makes Android attractive for iOS7. "Good artists create. Great artists steal."

The ability to acquire already created tech encourages innovation based on a lack of need for innovation?

 

[omniusovermind]

Yep, that's right, but I would like to add one thing. Consumers dictate price and not the companies. Unfortunately, far too many of us are unaware of it and cave in to paying what companies' asking price.

I agree. I see a lot of people who work at mediocre jobs making mediocre salaries running out and buying or leasing Lexus/BMW/Benz cars purely because they belong to a bling subculture. They'll put themselves deeply into debt for no better reason than to project false appearances of their material wealth. There's no incentive for Apple to lower their prices in Western countries with easy access to credit cards debt, high mortgage debt and car dealer financing debt.

 

[anon(4698833)]

I love how freely the term "innovation" is thrown around these days. Let's be honest, none of the manufacturers and developers are really being innovative these days, they're just polishing and expanding what is already there. We haven't seen anything really innovative from anyone in years.

 

[androidluvr2]

I love how freely the term "innovation" is thrown around these days. Let's be honest, none of the manufacturers and developers are really being innovative these days, they're just polishing and expanding what is already there. We haven't seen anything really innovative from anyone in years.

Innovation isn't limited to revolutionary improvements. Innovation simply means new. It doesn't even have to be an improvement, just something new.

Innovation - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary

 

[EauRouge]

I love how freely the term "innovation" is thrown around these days. Let's be honest, none of the manufacturers and developers are really being innovative these days, they're just polishing and expanding what is already there. We haven't seen anything really innovative from anyone in years.

They're all being innovative, but in different ways. Samsung is being gimmicky innovative (we'll see how well their features actually work). Apple is innovating by mainly polishing what they have (however, some may like to see some brand new features). BlackBerry totally revamped everything with a gesture based operating system (and is being criticized as being unintuitive- different strokes for different folks). Windows phone has their "live tiles" thing, which I think doesn't make use of screen space well.

They're all innovating, they have to. The competition is superb!

 

[androidluvr2]

BlackBerry totally revamped everything with a gesture based operating system (and is being criticized as being unintuitive- different strokes for different folks).

That is a good point about the criticism. People say they want revolutionary changes, but then when they get them, there is a learning curve and then they say things like it is unintuitive but what they mean is it is different and now I have to learn to do something I am not used to.

Even if the change is better, some people don't like to learn new things. So you can't please everyone. Small incremental changes are appreciated by many folks who don't like to be overwhelmed by major changes. Others want major changes every year, or at least they say they do. When they get major changes, a lot of them say things like unintuitive because of the learning curve whenever technology changes in significant ways.

 

[return_0]

I love how freely the term "innovation" is thrown around these days. Let's be honest, none of the manufacturers and developers are really being innovative these days, they're just polishing and expanding what is already there. We haven't seen anything really innovative from anyone in years.

Nope, some companies are still innovating. Apple has almost completely stopped innovating. So has Microsoft. Samsung will soon follow the trend, while at the moment it's coming out with features that are innovative but useless. Google and Asus? They're pretty much taking it to the next level and revolutionizing the market, with crazy good software features and development for the former and new form factors for the latter. There's no denying that innovation still exists in the world today.

 

[Richard Nieves]

The ability to acquire already created tech encourages innovation based on a lack of need for innovation?

I don't think this was worded right but I think I understand. I believe that improving upon already created ideas is just as important (if not more important) than new ideas because it keeps products evolving. Google now is a great example. Not only does it do most of the helpful stuff Siri does, it sounds a lot better and has tons of nifty assistant features like pulling boarding passes from emails, letting you know about traffic, keeping you posted on favorite sports teams, all without asking.

 

[phonejunky]

I don't think this was worded right but I think I understand. I believe that improving upon already created ideas is just as important (if not more important) than new ideas because it keeps products evolving. Google now is a great example. Not only does it do most of the helpful stuff Siri does, it sounds a lot better and has tons of nifty assistant features like pulling boarding passes from emails, letting you know about traffic, keeping you posted on favorite sports teams, all without asking.

Not to be an ahole. But it is very funny how Apple markets so well they get there own customers to believe or talk is if they started something. Great example SIRI. People Vlingo was out tons of other voice assistants were out before Apple acquired the Siri application. Google was already the front runner on voice search when Siri was released. Google now wasn't being built or advanced off of Apple's Siri. That's far from the truth. Great marketing by Apple to have people believing Siri did it first though.

 

[kilofoxtrot]

features that are innovative but useless

Until you try those features first hand... how do you know that they are useless? Some of those features values are based on a personal choice. Just because a feature isnt available on the iPhone doesnt make the feature useless. Or was Cut/Copy Paste a useless feature before iOS 4????