Should Google be concerned about Samsung?

[Timzer]

It's getting to the point where Samsung Galaxy and Android are becoming interchangeable for average joe smartphone buyer. The death grip Sammy has on Android is just Unbelievable. There is nobody, and I really mean, nobody that even comes in a distant second. It may very well be the reason Google chose LG to make the current Nexus. Need to spread some the Android love.

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[aneftp]

It's getting to the point where Samsung Galaxy and Android are becoming interchangeable for average joe smartphone buyer. The death grip Sammy has on Android is just Unbelievable. There is nobody, and I really mean, nobody that even comes in a distant second.

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No is the short answer. No is the long answer.

Where us Sansung going to go if they leave Android? Windows? Samsung has to pay Microsoft licensing fees for windows while android is free. It will cut hugely info profit margins.

 

[MacDawg]

Why should that worry Google?

 

[Timzer]

Why should that worry Google?

Well I'm betting a majority of the people that buy the Galaxy line are becoming a little smitten with the line. And let's say Samsung decides to bring out their own OS and maybe call it.....oh I don't know, Tizen maybe? Now perhaps Samsung puts on their own very recognizable skin, Touchwiz on it. That way it looks like any Galaxy phone running Android. And who knows, maybe Tizen will have the ability to run Android apps as well. Do you think a majority of those users will know or more importantly care that they aren't running an Android phone? Android is Google's egg. Nobody wants their eggs all in one basket (Samsung). Yeah, you bet, Google has reason for concern.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

It's pretty sad but true. Samsung's Galaxy line of smartphones are all pretty crappy. From performance to looks to build quality, it's all pretty terrible. I wish HTC, LG and Nokia got more spotlight. Nokia made some of the best phones back in the day. HTC still impresses with their Droid DNA/Butterfly smartphone. They are in stark contract to the ****** cheap plastic crap that Samsung is known for.

I don't think Google should be concerned. They aren't the primary hardware company. They just want to spread Android since Android is an extension of Google services like Gmail, Google+, search, etc. I mean sure Tizen could run Android apps but that is a temporary measure. It's still Android apps. Android still needs to exist.

 

[DanteMann]

No is the short answer. No is the long answer.

Where us Sansung going to go if they leave Android? Windows? Samsung has to pay Microsoft licensing fees for windows while android is free. It will cut hugely info profit margins.

Why should that worry Google?

Well you know, there is the chance that having one OEM dominate your OS may not be a good thing.

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Well I'm betting a majority of the people that buy the Galaxy line are becoming a little smitten with the line. And let's say Samsung decides to bring out their own OS and maybe call it.....oh I don't know, Tizen maybe? Now perhaps Samsung puts on their own very recognizable skin, Touchwiz on it. That way it looks like any Galaxy phone running Android. And who knows, maybe Tizen will have the ability to run Android apps as well. Do you think a majority of those users will know or more importantly care that they aren't running an Android phone? Android is Google's egg. Nobody wants their eggs all in one basket (Samsung). Yeah, you bet, Google has reason for concern.

DING!!! DING!!! DING!!! DING!!!
Winner Winner, chicken Dinner.

 

[marc11]

Every company should be concerned with every company in the same space. You should never ignore the competition no matter how insignificant they may seem today.

 

[Carl Sagan]

Yes. Android is nothing without Samsung. That's a great deal of leverage to have, even the threat of turning to another OS should keep Google up at night with cold sweats.

 

[Raggsokk]

Yes. Android is nothing without Samsung. That's a great deal of leverage to have, even the threat of turning to another OS should keep Google up at night with cold sweats.

Actually Samsung's smartphone department is nothing without Google. They have no other OS to turn to. Windows Phone is no option as the whole "Choice" thing Samsung has used for their marketing would've been ruined be Microsoft and their (to this date) Sub-par OS.

And there are no other OS's, unless Samsung creates their own. Touchwiz considered that would be a horrific experiment.

Also, a company like HTC could easily take Samsung's place given the opportunity.

 

[Carl Sagan]

They were doing well before Android, and they could just use WebOS which is now open source. Google needs them, without them there is no Android market proven by the fact that Samsung are the only company making any real money in it.

 

[mouser45]

I don't think Google needs to worry. Barrier of entry is too high. You think developers are going to support a whole 'nother OS?

 

[cynics]

Google doesn't need to worry. Android department might but not Google. Google still makes more money from iOS Google searches and in app Google admob advertising then it does from Android. Even better googles total mobile revenue is a drop in the bucket compared to its total revenue....

 

[vikingjunior]

Google has Motorola they don't need Samsung!

 

[SlCKB0Y]

Google needs them, without them there is no Android market proven by the fact that Samsung are the only company making any real money in it.

Why don't you tell us how many android handsets had shipped prior to Samsung really rising to prominence with the S2?

As much as you love to hate Google, I'm not sure how you can't see you've got it the wrong way around ... Samsung were nothing in the smart phone sector before Android and they now makes billions in profit per quarter from it.

Also, no one here has adequately explained why they would take the huge risk of doing this...

 

[sentinelsx]

Considering the average joe only cares about the galaxy phone ("what's android? is what i hear from lots of galaxy owners lol), i guess they should be concerned.

People either buy iPhones or galaxies, with either of them loaded with their apps (which are common in 95% of cases too). Whether it is android or not underneath means little to your average consumer. Whether or not it is an iPhone or galaxy does.

 

[DanteMann]

Considering the average joe only cares about the galaxy phone ("what's android? is what i hear from lots of galaxy owners lol), i guess they should be concerned.

People either buy iPhones or galaxies, with either of them loaded with their apps (which are common in 95% of cases too). Whether it is android or not underneath means little to your average consumer. Whether or not it is an iPhone or galaxy does.

This is my point.

 

[chris2k5]

It's pretty sad but true. Samsung's Galaxy line of smartphones are all pretty crappy. From performance to looks to build quality, it's all pretty terrible. I wish HTC, LG and Nokia got more spotlight. Nokia made some of the best phones back in the day. HTC still impresses with their Droid DNA/Butterfly smartphone. They are in stark contract to the ****** cheap plastic crap that Samsung is known for.

I don't think Google should be concerned. They aren't the primary hardware company. They just want to spread Android since Android is an extension of Google services like Gmail, Google+, search, etc. I mean sure Tizen could run Android apps but that is a temporary measure. It's still Android apps. Android still needs to exist.

Exactly. Samsung overcharges for the plastic crap they use to make their phones. HTC and Nokia actually give you more bang for your buck and use higher quality materials.

 

[KnightMan]

Exactly. Samsung overcharges for the plastic crap they use to make their phones. HTC and Nokia actually give you more bang for your buck and use higher quality materials.

Just curious, what materials do the HTC and Nokia offer that are of higher quality than the polycarbonate used in the S3?

 

[onthecouchagain]

Google is concerned about their operating system exploding in adoption and popularity thanks to Samsung?

Please.

 

[cynics]

Exactly. Samsung overcharges for the plastic crap they use to make their phones. HTC and Nokia actually give you more bang for your buck and use higher quality materials.

I completely disagree.

The difference in expense of the phone has little to do with the outer shell but more what's inside it. HTC's always have too small of batteries and IMO Sense is terrible compared to the current touch wiz. I'd hardly consider getting more bang for your buck by compromising hardware and software so the outer shell feels better in your hand.

I keep my iPhone 4S in a lifeproof case which feels like really cheap plastic. My point of mentioning that is if I keep one of the best feeling phones ever (my opinion) in a case what does it matter? Unless you are the type that doesn't use a case then maybe it will matter? I still wouldn't trade the material of the shell for software/hardware. IPhone 5 turns into a mess without a case and that supposedly "nice" material.....yeah, no thanks...I'm waiting for the next iPhone BECAUSE of build material. Coated aluminum is fine but you'll need to do it like Motorola for me to buy into it..

 

[chris2k5]

I completely disagree.

The difference in expense of the phone has little to do with the outer shell but more what's inside it. HTC's always have too small of batteries and IMO Sense is terrible compared to the current touch wiz. I'd hardly consider getting more bang for your buck by compromising hardware and software so the outer shell feels better in your hand.

I keep my iPhone 4S in a lifeproof case which feels like really cheap plastic. My point of mentioning that is if I keep one of the best feeling phones ever (my opinion) in a case what does it matter? Unless you are the type that doesn't use a case then maybe it will matter? I still wouldn't trade the material of the shell for software/hardware. IPhone 5 turns into a mess without a case and that supposedly "nice" material.....yeah, no thanks...I'm waiting for the next iPhone BECAUSE of build material. Coated aluminum is fine but you'll need to do it like Motorola for me to buy into it..

I use my phones without a case and my iPhone 5 is spotless since I got it on release day. My Note 2 is 3 weeks old and there are dings all over the plastic and scuffs on the back cover already!

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Just curious, what materials do the HTC and Nokia offer that are of higher quality than the polycarbonate used in the S3?

Substantially thicker plastic that is rubber coated on HTC phones which does not scratch nor creak. Then on the Nokia's they also use thicker plastic with a unibody design.

HTC and Nokia devices most definitely feel more substantial in the hand compared to the latest Galaxy phones.

 

[matttye]

A tiny tiny little bit maybe, but not a great deal and definitely not in the immediate future.

If Samsung did release the S4 (or S5) with Tizen, there's no guarantee there would be any kind of mass exodus. People might keep their existing phones because they like Android. The choice for a lot of people is usually the latest Nexus or the latest Galaxy Note/S, so they may just go with the Nexus instead if Samsung moves to Tizen.

Also, Samsung is doing really well on Android. I'm not sure they'd want to jeopardise that.

I think that, if anything, they will bring out a couple of phones that run Tizen (not flagships but maybe similar spec'ed) and SLOWLY start to transition their line to it if it seems successful.

They could probably just sell for Tizen alongside Android rather than in place of it.

 

[b166er]

Google may be a giant, but their real game has never been hardware. I doubt they really care about Samsung beyond the tons of money Samsung is generating for Google with the proliferation of the Galaxy line. Yes Android itself is free, but when you use it you generate money for google regardless of which hardware you choose.

 

[sviato]

It's pretty sad but true. Samsung's Galaxy line of smartphones are all pretty crappy. From performance to looks to build quality, it's all pretty terrible. I wish HTC, LG and Nokia got more spotlight.

They don't want more spotlight. If they did they would spend as much on advertising and marketing as Samsung did last year (re: 4billion, highest in the industry). Samsung pushed the Galaxy brand hard and it actually worked. The other companies either don't have these kinds of resources or are waiting for a miracle - or both.

As for Google, they could be worried. Tech guys on forums know the difference between the Galaxy and Android brands but the general consumers (you know the ones that make up Android's huge marketshare but don't know much about tech) do not. I've talked to a few people over the last month who told me they want to try the Galaxy phones because they heard that "Galaxy was better" than their iPhones. No one mentioned Android.

There were rumors that Samsung wanted to drop Android in favor of their own OS. With TouchWiz become more useful and popular, Samsung may be able to pull it off in the future. They'll lose the Android guys, but keep the consumers hooked on the Galaxy brand - and there will be a lot of them by that time. Then Google should be concerned.

 

[chris2k5]

They don't want more spotlight. If they did they would spend as much on advertising and marketing as Samsung did last year (re: 4billion, highest in the industry). Samsung pushed the Galaxy brand hard and it actually worked. The other companies either don't have these kinds of resources or are waiting for a miracle - or both.

As for Google, they could be worried. Tech guys on forums know the difference between the Galaxy and Android brands but the general consumers (you know the ones that make up Android's huge marketshare but don't know much about tech) do not. I've talked to a few people over the last month who told me they want to try the Galaxy phones because they heard that "Galaxy was better" than their iPhones. No one mentioned Android.

There were rumors that Samsung wanted to drop Android in favor of their own OS. With TouchWiz become more useful and popular, Samsung may be able to pull it off in the future. They'll lose the Android guys, but keep the consumers hooked on the Galaxy brand - and there will be a lot of them by that time. Then Google should be concerned.

LOL. I hope Samsung drops Android and goes to oblivion! Cocky thinking like that will only sink them. Android made Samsung successful in the smartphone market. They were nothing in the market before Google came along.