I don’t have to pretend to be a futurist (this has happened before ), but, its worth noting. As it stands the Apple Iphone is the 8001b gorilla in the mobile device space. They have over 50 million devices and are racking up record sales numbers every quarter. However, as they have stumbled in the past, they are about to stumble again. I am assuming that Jobs prefers having Apple as a recognizable quantity rather than a sizable one. Apple is going to lose the mobile desktop, just like how they lost the PC desktop. This time, it may be more painful as there are far more investments depending on Iphone dominance. Hopefully, this post can get some folks to avoid major investments. The truth is that within 2 years Android and Maemo will be on more devices than Apple currently has in the wild. In fact, I predict that Verizion wireless alone, will have more Android devices sold in 5 years.
This is not a hard prediction to make as I have seen the movements occuring in the last year. I am quite surprised by how quickly Android has matured in less than a year. I am also surprised by how much better Android is than other phone stacks from its launch. Android is a game changing platform, because, it is the first mobile stack that gives a desktop experience to the mobile market. This is a sea change that will be replicated though not with as much success. The Verizon development was the killer launch for Android. The largest mobile phone provider in the United States is putting its entire heft behind a single platform.
The Windows Mobile and Iphone teams must have simultaneously gasped at this announcement. If not, the end of year reports on Android device sales will. Let me be the first to encourage Microsoft to enter the Android development business and stop wasting money on a platform that has not achieved the quality of Android’s first iteration in its umpteenth iteration. There will be plenty of room in the mobile device space for all competitors, but, soon it will consist of Android devices and those that are not Android devices. Android will set the trends and will be the platform to match in order to be successful. Apple neither has the technical capability nor the corporate mindset to compete with Android. Microsoft is also facing an also ran status, but, will continue to have a sizable market share. However, it will become harder and harder to justify purchasing an Iphone.