How worried are Google and Microsoft?

[maflynn]

Competition is great but i wouldnt say Apple has caught up. They still have a ways to go but they got closer....til Googles next convention to show whats new this year.

I think they leap frogged Google in some instances and caught up in others (the notification) The continuity feature is great and its something that google really can't match too well since they don't make computers (I don't consider the chomebook as a viable alternative)

 

[Dolorian]

The continuity feature is great and its something that google really can't match too well since they don't make computers (I don't consider the chomebook as a viable alternative)

Very much every Google app has a form of continuity already. You can leave your computer and pick up your tablet to open any tab you had opened in Chrome on your Desktop/Smartphone, if you are writing a note in Keep or a document in Docs/Sheets, you can go from any of your devices into another and open the app to pick up right from where you left off. The same with Gmail, if you are composing an email on one of your devices and need to move into another, you can resume writing that email there as well. And in Hangouts your chats are synced across devices.

Sure, the way Apple has it now is a tad more convenient because it requires fewer steps; but I don't think the fact that Google doesn't makes the hardware means they can't match something like that. All that is needed is a tighter integration between Android and Chrome (both of which Google controls) and such indeed is what seems to be coming if Project Hera is any indication.

 

[unlinked]

I think they leap frogged Google in some instances and caught up in others (the notification) The continuity feature is great and its something that google really can't match too well since they don't make computers (I don't consider the chomebook as a viable alternative)

What part of continuity requires you to build hardware? The first thing Apple mention on their continuity page is just drafts which Gmail has had since I don't know when, probably 2004 when it launched.

 

[bobenhaus]

The problem is Google has no long term answer. They flooded the market with Android devices, but there does not seem to be a long term strategy, I'm sure they have it, but it's not clear where their future lies.

They don't have an answer to Windows and OSX; those platforms are slowly moving into the mobile arena.

Yeah you work for Google and know what Google needs and don't needs. WOW how much is Google you to be their advisor?

 

[Robstevo]

What part of continuity requires you to build hardware? The first thing Apple mention on their continuity page is just drafts which Gmail has had since I don't know when, probably 2004 when it launched.

Isn't it a more powerful version though that uses a form of location sensing ? As in you walk up up to your computer as your on a website or document and it automatically gives you the ability to go on that document with just one touch.

Is the feature also an Api? If it is it could turn out to be even more powerful. As in I am doing an excel or work document or even just watching Netflix and it will automatically allow to pick up were I left off on an iPad or the iphone.

 

[spinedoc77]

The headphone jack is oudated...in what way? If Apple switched out the 3.5mm jack in favor of Lightning headphone connections, do you believe you would notice a difference?

The standard for all consumer (wired) headphones is analog 3.5 or 1/4 in. jacks. There's nothing wrong with it and absolutely no reason to replace it.

One of the biggest downsides to this is Lightning will NEVER be standardized in mobile devices other than Apple's own. Whether it's because Apple doesn't want to license it or the industry refuses to accept it, it will not be showing up on other devices. This would simply be Apple further locking you into their ecosystem.

If the headphone jack is holding the phone back from being thinner then I'm all for ditching it. It's not the first time the technological world has changed from an ingrained hardware model to something newer and we've all adapted just fine.

I agree it sucks to be locked into the lightning adapter, but on the other hand it's so much superior to other power options I don't mind in some ways.

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Ah, ignorance. I love it. Cheerio, no sense talking with the blockheaded. Enjoy your POS Bluetooth and claiming they're totally just as good.

You and Apple will get along fine digging your own graves insisting everyone will jump in with you.

Nope, I never said they were as good. Reading comprehension is an important skill to have in life, I think there is a sale over on hooked on phonics. No POS Bluetooth here, it sounds quite nice and suits my needs. I'll tell you what, enjoy YOUR POS apple 25 cent headphones and/or your humungous Beats headphones that give everyone a black eye every time you turn your head.

PS: You do know there was a certain level of sarcasm in my posts? I will give you the benefit of the doubt and instead of instantly labeling you stupid I'll chalk it up to it being difficult at times to detect sarcasm in a typed post on a forum.

 

[Switchback666]

This will go the firewire route, the industry its not gonna pay 1 usd for each new headphones they make.

 

[Vegastouch]

If the headphone jack is holding the phone back from being thinner then I'm all for ditching it. It's not the first time the technological world has changed from an ingrained hardware model to something newer and we've all adapted just fine.

I agree it sucks to be locked into the lightning adapter, but on the other hand it's so much superior to other power options I don't mind in some ways.

The headphone jack is 3.5 mm.The battery is thicker than that. Just how thin do you want these phones anyways? The 5s is already being bent because of its thinness.

 

[Dolorian]

Seems this thread has gone off rails.

 

[SomeGuyDude]

the headphone jack is 3.5 mm.the battery is thicker than that. Just how thin do you want these phones anyways? The 5s is already being bent because of its thinness.

i want my phone to be 0.5mm and i want to be able to fold it up and keep it in my pocket which i will have to do because it will have absolutely no battery life. Thin is more important than being able to use it.

 

[fr33 loader]

Isn't it a more powerful version though that uses a form of location sensing ? As in you walk up up to your computer as your on a website or document and it automatically gives you the ability to go on that document with just one touch.

Is the feature also an Api? If it is it could turn out to be even more powerful. As in I am doing an excel or work document or even just watching Netflix and it will automatically allow to pick up were I left off on an iPad or the iphone.

Netflix already does this for quite some time. You stop in the middle of your movie and continue where you left off on your phone, tablet, computer, streaming device or game console that has the app.

 

[spinedoc77]

The headphone jack is 3.5 mm.The battery is thicker than that. Just how thin do you want these phones anyways? The 5s is already being bent because of its thinness.

As thin as it can be but still have the battery life of the 5s, which I'm satisfied with. With the rumors having the ip6 almost as thin as the ipod, but probably having a better battery because of surface area I'm not too worried. Battery technology is improving as well.

Also this whole bending the 5s is hilarious and I've posted on that before. I call BS, utter and pure BS. If people want to put their phone in their back pockets and sit on them then they 100% deserve to have a bent phone, if anything they should be grateful for the engineering that kept the phone from being broken in half.

Hey, at the end it's consumer demand that drives things and I'll bet a thin phone will drive sales much more IMO.

 

[Robstevo]

Netflix already does this for quite some time. You stop in the middle of your movie and continue where you left off on your phone, tablet, computer, streaming device or game console that has the app.

Yea I know but it's just cool the location sensing feature. As I would only have to walk up to a mac while playing a movie on Netflix and it will automatically promt me to play it on the Mac with one click. Instead of going on the mac, opening up safari, then opening up netflix and doing what you have to do.

But I'm not just talking about netflix anyway, its all the other things that might open it up.

The location sensing of the Mac and iOS seems like it could bring heaps of great features one day and that potential alone would make things scary I think for Microsoft.

Think of being near your Mac , and thanks to continuity , location sensing and the touch id , instead of typing in a pass word all the time , your Mac can use your touch id to automatically sign in.

 

[gotluck]

Continuity is very compelling, but I can't help but think its a shot in their own foot too. I realize many people own macs. But most business' dont. Even if I had a Mac I could never use continuity at work ( which is interesting because enterprise is an iOS strength, unlike Mac). In a way, now I feel like if I want to switch back to iPhone, I need to buy a Mac too. Or you just miss out on too much. In the past, icloud.com had enough functionality to not piss me off about not having a Mac. It seems continuity will just flat out not be platform agnostic at all. Or at least I didn't see any browser based continuity in the keynote.

 

[Jibbajabba]

Um.

It's not innovation if someone else already did it, man. Like that's basic English, hahaha.

It is called sarcasm mate

 

[Black Magic]

Continuity is very compelling, but I can't help but think its a shot in their own foot too. I realize many people own macs. But most business' dont. Even if I had a Mac I could never use continuity at work ( which is interesting because enterprise is an iOS strength, unlike Mac). In a way, now I feel like if I want to switch back to iPhone, I need to buy a Mac too. Or you just miss out on too much. In the past, icloud.com had enough functionality to not piss me off about not having a Mac. It seems continuity will just flat out not be platform agnostic at all. Or at least I didn't see any browser based continuity in the keynote.

You do realize that continuity carries over to the iPad as well right? Having an iPhone 5 then turn around and use your iPad to text and make phone calls negates the need to buy a 5.5" iPhone 6. That is a useful feature. That is innovation regardless of what these armchair CEOs think.

 

[mib1800]

You do realize that continuity carries over to the iPad as well right? Having an iPhone 5 then turn around and use your iPad to text and make phone calls negates the need to buy a 5.5" iPhone 6. That is a useful feature. That is innovation regardless of what these armchair CEOs think.

Do you know why phablet is so popular? Because you can't carry tablet in your pocket. Since I got the Note3, I have no need for tablet anymore. Screen is big enough for almost anything that I need to do. I dont see much use for continuity.

 

[spinedoc77]

You do realize that continuity carries over to the iPad as well right? Having an iPhone 5 then turn around and use your iPad to text and make phone calls negates the need to buy a 5.5" iPhone 6. That is a useful feature. That is innovation regardless of what these armchair CEOs think.

Unless you don't want to carry 2 devices with you.

 

[gotluck]

You do realize that continuity carries over to the iPad as well right? Having an iPhone 5 then turn around and use your iPad to text and make phone calls negates the need to buy a 5.5" iPhone 6. That is a useful feature. That is innovation regardless of what these armchair CEOs think.

That's all fair and good, but I really want the features on my work PC. I'm very used to pushbullet notification mirroring / airdroid.

 

[beosound3200]

Do you know why phablet is so popular? Because you can't carry tablet in your pocket. Since I got the Note3, I have no need for tablet anymore. Screen is big enough for almost anything that I need to do. I dont see much use for continuity.

who told you phablets are popular?

its a compromise device, not a phone, not a tablet - a phone thats too big and a tablet thats too small. its nowhere near the word popular.

 

[khha4113]

who told you phablets are popular?

its a compromise device, not a phone, not a tablet - a phone thats too big and a tablet thats too small. its nowhere near the word popular.

Forbes, for one as well as others including IDC.

 

[Lloydbm41]

who told you phablets are popular?

its a compromise device, not a phone, not a tablet - a phone thats too big and a tablet thats too small. its nowhere near the word popular.

Hmmm, according to several research companies like IDC, phablets (anything larger than 5") accounted for 100 million of the 300 million phones sold last quarter.

If you want to include phones that are 5.5" and bigger, it was still a hefty 35 million phones sold last quarter.

Might be a big reason Apple is rumored to be making a phablet at 5.5". But don't let this info dissuade your opinion of what is popular.

 

[mib1800]

who told you phablets are popular?

its a compromise device, not a phone, not a tablet - a phone thats too big and a tablet thats too small. its nowhere near the word popular.

It is a small compromise compared to carrying around tablet and a phone and the hassle of switch between both. Screen too small for what purpose? I can't think of any. Too big? My note3 fits nicely in the hand and pocket. You can't beat the convenience and practicality of having one device.

the other poster already addressed the popularity point.

 

[spinedoc77]

who told you phablets are popular?

its a compromise device, not a phone, not a tablet - a phone thats too big and a tablet thats too small. its nowhere near the word popular.

Conversely a small phone and a tablet are a compromise. Carrying 2 devices, more weight, more things to secure and worry about, more things to sync information between, more things to have to charge the battery on, one is too small to be used as an internet device/browser/document view/creation, etc., the other is too large to be used as a phone.

Dunno, I see a LOT more compromise in having the phone/tablet setup. But I guess that's why I use a phablet.

 

[beosound3200]

Forbes, for one as well as others including IDC.

Hmmm, according to several research companies like IDC, phablets (anything larger than 5") accounted for 100 million of the 300 million phones sold last quarter.

If you want to include phones that are 5.5" and bigger, it was still a hefty 35 million phones sold last quarter.

Might be a big reason Apple is rumored to be making a phablet at 5.5". But don't let this info dissuade your opinion of what is popular.

i was looking at this chart pie

It is a small compromise compared to carrying around tablet and a phone and the hassle of switch between both. Screen too small for what purpose? I can't think of any. Too big? My note3 fits nicely in the hand and pocket. You can't beat the convenience and practicality of having one device.

the other poster already addressed the popularity point.

Conversely a small phone and a tablet are a compromise. Carrying 2 devices, more weight, more things to secure and worry about, more things to sync information between, more things to have to charge the battery on, one is too small to be used as an internet device/browser/document view/creation, etc., the other is too large to be used as a phone.

Dunno, I see a LOT more compromise in having the phone/tablet setup. But I guess that's why I use a phablet.

to each their own i guess. but phablets (5.5+) are too big to be used as phones and to small to be properly used as tablets. but if you always need to have both devices with you, then you need to make a compromise...

surfing and watching movies below 10-15 inch IS a compromise

talking, messaging and taking photos on a 5.5+ device IS a compromise

i personally dont like mish-mash, middle, somewhere in between, wanna be all products, too much compromise. this whole world was built on specialisation. but i understand the public transit commuters...

i guess we have a different understanding of a word compromise. i care about a quality user experience, you care about practicality. this is funny because this is precisely the difference between ios and android