If you couldn't use iOS or Android, what would you be most interested in?

[Calidude]

Whilst 10% might be accurate in terms of total handsets sold over the years including legacy ones floating around it certainly isn't accurate in terms of quarter to quarter shares. According to IDC Blackberry accounted for less than 5% of smartphone handsets shipped last quarter and this is still in decline.

Source: http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS23638712

Yeah, because Blackberry has no touch interface comparable to iOS. People don't want what RIM is currently offering, but they do want something like you see in this video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzof2I9pj0A

When this comes out, Blackberry will stop its decline and then start to peck away at Windows Phone. You can't just say RIM will fail, because RIM isn't even in the game yet, but it will be, when Blackberry 10 comes out.

Tizen doesn't yet have a product and Meego/Moblin/Maemo haven't done anything to this point so there is no reason to believe a frankenstein-like mashup of them will do much in smartphones either.

People out there are DYING for an open source alternative to Android. This one is backed by the Linux foundation so when it comes out, you'll see it steal Android users, bit by bit, slowly but surely.

Firefox OS currently seems like nothing more than research or some academic project. It's a non-product looking for a market which I don't think exists.

Oh yes, it does exist. It's called the "people who don't trust Google or Apple or Microsoft" market. This OS will definitely grab some people away from Android as well as people who are currently too paranoid to buy a smartphone because of the corporations involved.

Don't get me wrong, the more players the healthier the system but with iOS and Android accounting for 85% of smartphone shipped last quarter it just seems like too strong a duopoly to break.

I'd argue that there hasn't really been any competition to begin with. Windows Phone is the only real competitor and that phone's interface doesn't even seem like a good alternative to most people. Once all the OS's you see in my poll reach the market, you'll see that 85% start to move around, along with the other 15%.

 

[VulchR]

I am content with iOS, but Tizen sounds interesting to me. I am wary of Google, and hence Android. If there were an alternative open-source mobile OS that didn't have Google's tentacles wrapped around it, it might be worth a look.

 

[sentinelsx]

People out there are DYING for an open source alternative to Android. This one is backed by the Linux foundation so when it comes out, you'll see it steal Android users, bit by bit, slowly but surely.

The one thing that ticks me off about Tizen is how samsung has managed to touchwiz that too. Ugh.

 

[cube]

BB10 supports Android and Qt apps.

On the other hand, there are a lot of shills on the internet spinning WP.

 

[Calidude]

The one thing that ticks me off about Tizen is how samsung has managed to touchwiz that too. Ugh.

Eh, I'm sure it won't look exactly like Touchwiz, and besides, there's nothing simpler than Touchwiz other than iOS.

 

[Fernandez21]

BB10 or webos if someone picked that up.

 

[sentinelsx]

Eh, I'm sure it won't look exactly like Touchwiz, and besides, there's nothing simpler than Touchwiz other than iOS.

I am not sure about simpler, but it ranks high on the ugly factor for me. Tizen so far looks quite close.

 

[Calidude]

I am not sure about simpler, but it ranks high on the ugly factor for me. Tizen so far looks quite close.

Tizen actually looks like Touchwiz, Android 4.0 stock and iOS were mashed into one. It looks pretty decent. I would definitely use it over Windows Phone's interface, that's for sure. When the final version ships I think a lot of people will adopt it to get away from Google, except for the consumer sheep out there.

 

[anonymouslurker]

webOS, hands down.

The OS was way ahead of its time, had awesome multitasking and notifications, and has had a number of its features end up in android and iOS.

If the application selection had kept up anywhere near android and iOS, I'd still be using it on my phone too, instead of just on my Touchpad.

Open webOS should be even better, with a community behind it making improvements.

 

[sentinelsx]

Tizen actually looks like Touchwiz, Android 4.0 stock and iOS were mashed into one. It looks pretty decent. I would definitely use it over Windows Phone's interface, that's for sure. When the final version ships I think a lot of people will adopt it to get away from Google, except for the consumer sheep out there.

I also think it is sort of a backup plan for Samsung, but i am not sure what is intel trying to achieve with their x86 plans for android at the same time as tizen. HTML5 does seem to offer a decent future, but it will also have competition from Boot2Gecko etc.

Anyhow, the first device will probably come out next year so we have to contend ourselves with iOS/android/WP for another year i guess. May be RIM will get their BB10 ready in time to offer a healthy choice from current options. One can hope.

 

[Calidude]

webOS, hands down.

I personally think that Samsung should have bought WebOS for a low price and merged it into their Bada platform, which is now being merged into Tizen.

Imagine if Tizen had inherited everything that WebOS had and then continued to receive development from the open source community that way. It would have made Tizen an absolute powerhouse.

Right now, WebOS probably has the best chance of dying outright. There's no room for a 6th platform with no official company support.

 

[anonymouslurker]

Right now, WebOS probably has the best chance of dying outright. There's no room for a 6th platform with no official company support.

Breaks my heart, but you're absolutely right.

 

[skunnykart]

BB10

I just have a soft spot for RIM.

WebOS for me.
I cried when Palm folded.

Hope RIM bounces back with BB10.

 

[Grolubao]

A friend of mine just bought a Zte Tania Windows Phone for 150€. It has a good screen resolution, 5mp camera, 4gb storage which is more than enough for casual use, and I was surprised by Windows Phone being so fluid and most of the apps, if not all of them are in the Windows Marketplace.

Of course, you will not get the same amount of games, etc, mas overall everything is in the Windows Marketplace.

That god me thinking... So for 150€ I get a really fluid OS (comparable to iOs), good camera, nice size 4.3", good resolution for 400€ less than what I paid for my iPhone...

For the same price you get a Gingerbread Android which we all now it's not exactly the most fluid Os ever.

 

[ChazUK]

A friend of mine just bought a Zte Tania Windows Phone for 150€.

There are some amazing deals on the pre-paid and sim free WP7 handsets.

The Lumia 710 is only £99 contract free in the CarphoneWarehouse over here.
http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/mobile-phones/NOKIA-LUMIA-710

As of now at xe.com:
99.00 GBP = 125.399 EUR
99.00 GBP = 156.243 USD

Unbeatable value for a surprisingly good piece of kit!

 

[Grolubao]

There are some amazing deals on the pre-paid and sim free WP7 handsets.

The Lumia 710 is only £99 contract free in the CarphoneWarehouse over here.
http://www.carphonewarehouse.com/mobiles/mobile-phones/NOKIA-LUMIA-710

As of now at xe.com:
99.00 GBP = 125.399 EUR
99.00 GBP = 156.243 USD

Unbeatable value for a surprisingly good piece of kit!

Exactly! I really think Windows Phone has a real value in the low end market, where Android is really poor with it's outdated OS.

I agree, I wouldn't give 500€ for a Windows Phone, seems to much, but in the low end it's great specs and great OS.

 

[Calidude]

Unbeatable value for a surprisingly good piece of kit!

It costs that little because essentially, you're buying a discontinued product that can never be upgraded.

 

[Grolubao]

It costs that little because essentially, you're buying a discontinued product that can never be upgraded.

What are the options? Samsung Galaxy mini with Gingerbread? Sure, I can try to find a Ice cream sandwich rom that will fit, but c'mon... in fact it's the same

 

[clark85]

it's pretty obvious that windows phones are out of the race already...I've found an intresting grafic about the use of windows phones..actually this page has a lot of iphone stats too...

 

[Calidude]

it's pretty obvious that windows phones are out of the race already...I've found an intresting grafic about the use of windows phones..actually this page has a lot of iphone stats too...

Microsoft won't allow Windows Phone to be out of the race. They'll just keep funneling that Android money into it until they force it to be popular.

 

[Carl Sagan]

Windows phone. In fact unless Apple doesn't pull there finger out with ios7 I'm moving to it.

 

[SurferMan]

I personally think that Samsung should have bought WebOS for a low price and merged it into their Bada platform, which is now being merged into Tizen.

Imagine if Tizen had inherited everything that WebOS had and then continued to receive development from the open source community that way. It would have made Tizen an absolute powerhouse.

Right now, WebOS probably has the best chance of dying outright. There's no room for a 6th platform with no official company support.

agree

 

[ChristianVirtual]

The next logical variant to play with would be Windows 8 for me; beside being be hopeless Apple Fanboy I guess I will get a Windows 8 Tablet just to play with and "learn".