tech

What would the iCar look like? It's fun to dream

21 Comments
By BREE FOWLER

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21 Comments
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Umm... Google has made 1 OS, and it spreads everywhere. Apple makes 1 OS, it doesn't spread everywhere.

Google made one OS, and opened it to be used on phones/devices by anyone who wants to. Apple made one OS, and kept it for themselves, and never tried to release it to anyone. This is why saying Android has a larger market share than IOS is an incorrect comparison. Again, no one phone running Android has the same market share as the iphone.

Concerning market share, Google has a better strategy.

Google has a different strategy, you can't claim it's better. The proof is in the pudding. Both companies are worth roughly the same value, yet Google is spread out over a significantly larger number of industries. IE their phone division does not bring in as much as Apple's phone division.

The fanboys can keep going on about it's all about the profit, but how will that exactly benefit them, as consumers?

It doesn't. That's the point. Who is going to buy a phone for the reason that the company making the phone is making big profits? And every iphone user knows the phone is expensive, and that they can get cheaper phones if they switch to Android. And yet they keep buying the phones. So if it's not about profits, and it's not about money, what's left? Quality.

Not really. The fanboys are a minority. They will always stick with Apple no matter what. Making good products may create fans, but not fanboys.

You say potato...

The point is, if it wasn't a good product, you wouldn't see the market loyalty that Apple has. Look at Blackberry - they had a HUGE following, people vowing by them, saying they were the best thing ever - until something better came out. And Blackberry pretty much died. Apple is no different - if they put out a bad product or two, they will lose any loyalty they have. But as long as they put out products people are happy with, they will maintain the numbers that they do, and those numbers speak for themselves.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

signclops, please remove your apple-tinted blinders. My 2-year old Android OS smartphone is still higher spec than the latest top-line iphone 5S. That's not to say that Apple products are crap, but cutting-edge they're not. What Apple-ites are is akin to cult followers. Does Apple have a successful marketing strategy? Absolutely, but the premium image is a flimsy facade. Apple is today where Blackberry was a few years ago, but their saving grace is a broader product line. In case you haven't kept up with news, sales of Android OS platforms is outpacing Apple. Without Steve Jobs, Apple is rudderless.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@Eiji Takano

You're making a strawman argument here. I'm not an Apple fanboy - I love tech. I own both an iPhone and a Galaxy Note. The point i was making was, Apple products are expensive, but you get what you pay for. You'd be hard-pressed to find hardware made to a better standard. That said, Apple are not perfect. iOS lacks handy features that Android has had for years. Apple are also incapable of making a decent mouse. Even diehard fanboys will admit this.

Google sells ADS. 98% of their revenue is ADS. They don't care about what Android phone you buy or what computer you use at home. They only want to you to click on more ads. Apple still makes something like 4x their profit. In fact, Apple is more profitable than Microsoft and Google COMBINED. The iPhone business alone generates more revenue than any other company in the US.

Now you tell me - who has the better strategy?

By the way, your comment "Making good products may create fans, but not fanboys" makes no sense.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Strangerland

How many android phones have anywhere near the market share of the iphone? Or if you want, you can find any android that has anywhere near the market share of any one iphone. Comparing Android to IOS is like saying Ford has more cars than the Chevy Blazer.

Umm... Google has made 1 OS, and it spreads everywhere. Apple makes 1 OS, it doesn't spread everywhere. Concerning market share, Google has a better strategy. The fanboys can keep going on about it's all about the profit, but how will that exactly benefit them, as consumers?

The fact is, Apple has fanbois because they make a good product.

Not really. The fanboys are a minority. They will always stick with Apple no matter what. Making good products may create fans, but not fanboys.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Say that to the 75% of the market share that Android has, versus 15% for iOS.

How many android phones have anywhere near the market share of the iphone? Or if you want, you can find any android that has anywhere near the market share of any one iphone. Comparing Android to IOS is like saying Ford has more cars than the Chevy Blazer.

The fact is, Apple has fanbois because they make a good product. Image alone is not going to keep the market share that Apple gets, with the loyalty that they have, if they didn't make a good product. You can only convince so many people with the glitter, if it's not backed up with substance, people will jump ship. Yet apple users do not jump ship very often. On the contrary, most mac users are former PC users, and most iphone users previously owned other phones, yet once they start using macs and iphones, they generally keep buying their products.

I have no loyalty to Apple the company whatsoever. In fact, it bothers me that they charge as much as they do while being super profitable. But I can't imagine going back to using a PC, and while I've seen Android phones that interest me, I haven't seen one yet that makes me want to jump ship (and I've played with a lot of them). If I were to jump ship it would be on my phone, and next time around when I'm ready to change, I'll do the same thing I've done the last three times I got a new phone - go out there and play with every phone I can find to get the one I like the most. But the last three times I ended up going with the iphone, so we'll see what happens the next time.

-2 ( +1 / -2 )

Sorry, but not only are you wrong, but you're not nerdy enough to participate in this discussion.

lol, says the Apple fanboy who only favors Apple.

Apparently you only care that Apple is making profits. There's no denying that, as Apple tend to over-charge their products, but what's in it for you? Perhaps you're an Apple shareholder? Or are you just being an Apple fanboy.

-> Apple Care - 3 year warranty in any country in the world (that Apple operates in). Need I say more?

That only comes with the extended care that you have to pay extra for. Normally it's 1 year.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Eiji Takano

Your argument is flawed for a number of reasons, least of which:

-> I used to build PCs. While yes, internally they share much of the same components, there is simply no comparison regarding hardware & overall polish. Trackpads are another great example - name one PC notebook with a decent trackpad? There are none. Also, OS X dominates with gestures.

-> Apple Care - 3 year warranty in any country in the world (that Apple operates in). Need I say more?

-> Google makes the Chromebook Pixel, Nexus Q, Google Glass, Chromecast among others... Google bought Motorola for their patents. You should know this!

-> 75% marketshare, sure. Samsung is the only Android OEM making any real profit. I was arguing the hardware-software business model, not marketshare. If you'd like to go down that road, I'm game. Let's look at PCs - biggest PC manufacturer, HP, makes a profit margin of around 8-9% per machine. Dell, less than that. Apple makes 40%. Market share is irrelevant (and always has been to Apple). Phones - Apple makes 40% ~ 60% margin on most mobile devices. Android OEMs on the other hand, have to pay Microsoft $5 per phone and $10 per tablet for royalty reasons. There are so many costs associated here that the margins are tiny. Look at Samsung's competition. All failing. Microsoft makes 4x more money on Android royalties than its entire WP business!

Sorry, but not only are you wrong, but you're not nerdy enough to participate in this discussion.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

sighclops

LostinNagoya is right. Sorry to say, but there's just nothing premium about an Android device OR most Windows PCs. Shoehorned OSs on hardware made to a budget more than anything else. I just forked out almost 300,000 yen on a new Mac - my last Mac lasted 7 YEARS. Still useable. No way would some sh*tty PC even last half that long. You get what you pay for.

lol I love how you think that a Mac lasting an amazing 7 YEARS! is something to brag about. Most PCs do last that long. And Macs are basically PCs. They're no different.

And what's happening now? Google is starting to build its own hardware, and so is Microsoft. Samsung is starting to develop its own OS (Bada) and will eventually move away from Android.

Google is NOT building its own hardware. They just sold off Motorola to Lenovo. Microsoft is a dumb and a failing company. Samsung will not likely to move away from Android any time soon.

Bottom line is, they're all copying Apple's business model. It works.

Say that to the 75% of the market share that Android has, versus 15% for iOS.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@Jean ValJean

LostinNagoya is right. Sorry to say, but there's just nothing premium about an Android device OR most Windows PCs. Shoehorned OSs on hardware made to a budget more than anything else. I just forked out almost 300,000 yen on a new Mac - my last Mac lasted 7 YEARS. Still useable. No way would some sh*tty PC even last half that long. You get what you pay for.

And what's happening now? Google is starting to build its own hardware, and so is Microsoft. Samsung is starting to develop its own OS (Bada) and will eventually move away from Android. Bottom line is, they're all copying Apple's business model. It works.

Not to labour the point, but Apple has its brand loyalty for a plethora of reasons.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

LostInNagoya, have you not ever seen the cultish iSheeple lining up for each release of the mediocre iDevices? Sheeple or Automatons, you can decide. Bet you love that 5C.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Jean: I think this sort of comment like yours is quite dumb. Where did you read in the survey that there are automatons out there buying Apple devices? Calling people who are spending their own money on things they rely on "automatons" just shows you lack intelligence and solid arguments.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

" Apple users will simply buy iDevices without even considering…"

As automatons are programmed to do.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

If Apple ever launches an iCar, my guess it's gonna an ultra-compact, very comfy and iDevices friendly, of course. It would a smart move. A recent survey in England showed that Apple retains more (search" Apple blind loyalty") customers, 78%, than any other company in the world. Apple users will simply buy iDevices without even considering other brands. A dream every company wishes come true. That said, imagine the impact an iCar would cause. I certainly would think seriously about having one.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

It will only take you to Apple-approved destinations.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Right Zichi,

And with a new, patented process, you will be able to download one from the iTunes store.

Of course, downloading an electric car will take a bit of time.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Apple envy!? LOL you may be getting pitty mistaken for envy.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Bree Fowler,

Why the sarcasm?

Apple envy?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Ha! First, they have to patent the idea of rounded corners on a car as their "original" idea. My guess is it'd look like an AMC Pacer, very stylish in a fishbowl way.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

First sentence, rumours. Second sentence, citing a another news article about rumour. Third Sentence, no one is talking. Fourth sentence, a fact, hopefully researched. And then writing a lot about nothing. Thanks Bree Fowler for publishing your imagination.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

iCar? I already saw a smart car by TOYOTA:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxat4x7VhMU

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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