Verizon CEO Suggests "3-4" OSes Ideal For Mobile Phone Diversity

[mkrishnan]

http://www.informationweek.com/news...cle.jhtml?articleID=216402551&subSection=News

How many mobile phone operating systems are too many?

Verizon (NYSE: VZ) Wireless, which currently uses eight or nine, believes the ideal number is three or four.

...

McAdam's comments triggered immediate speculation about Verizon's surviving operating systems. Microsoft's Windows Mobile obviously will make the cut, because Microsoft has the search contract for Verizon Wireless and because, well, Microsoft is Microsoft and it dominates computing generally. The LiMo open source OS is also a likely survivor, because Verizon Wireless has in the past blessed it with special status.

Google (NSDQ: GOOG)'s Android is closing fast and Research In Motion (NSDQ: RIMM) has a commanding position in enterprise mobile messaging. Symbian is strong, and it's certain to grow as it opens up its offerings to more developers. Apple's iPhone also is strong, but it's used exclusively in the United States byAT&T (NYSE: T). And Palm has recently beefed up its offerings with new handsets.

"We will not be in a position where we shun one operating system in favor over another operating system," McAdam said, signaling the marketplace will likely work out the dilemma. "We want to see what works well over time."

I find it mildly amusing that this is coming from a company that is developing its own new OS, although I guess that, to the list's credit, just WM, Android, iPhone OS, and BB OS comes to four already without any real provision for non-smartphones.

I guess, if I had to pick three to survive right now, I would bet on Apple and RIM and then leave the third one a question mark.

 

[zap2]

3 or 4?

I'll pass....this is likely one where the market should decide...how many will buyer buy enough to get support?

iPhone OS
Windows Mobile
BlackBerry
WebOS(assume it well enough to keep Palm around)
Android
LiMo
Symbian

Also for a network made big announcements about "open devices' not to far back, this is a step I don't really see supporting those words

 

[ravenvii]

I guess, if I had to pick three to survive right now, I would bet on Apple and RIM and then leave the third one a question mark.

Symbian has the vast majority of the market right now. More than 60% if I recall correctly.

 

[theBB]

Microsoft will never give up on WinMo even if its market share tanks for many many years. Together with Apple and RIM, that already makes three. In the short term, Palm might have a fighting chance as well. I don't see Nokia giving up soon, either. I don't think Samsung or HTC would want to be stuck with WinMo as their only OS alternative and I don't know if Symbian is a good fall back, as it is more or less controlled by Nokia. They may support one of the Linux variants on the side, most probably Android thanks to Google's marketing and support.

If the field is going to narrow down, it will happen through the smartphone companies without their own OS picking one exclusively or through one of the other players falling apart like Motorola. Palm is in the weakest financial position. If Pre does not sell well, I don't think they can stay in business for more than a year.

 

[zap2]

Symbian has the vast majority of the market right now. More than 60% if I recall correctly.

47% in late 2008


I think its dropped since then.

Still a lot!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Market_share_of_mobile_os_s_2008.JPG

 

[SactoGuy18]

I think in the end, smart cellphone operating systems will be down to:

iPhone OS--because of the extreme popularity of the iPhone
Windows Mobile--because of the ease in synchronizing with Windows-based machines
Blackberry OS--because of the strong popularity of Blackberry smartphones
Android--because of the fact it's a true Open Source OS and the marketing power of Google behind it
Symbian--because ot its large installed user base and the fact the #1 cellphone maker in the world (Nokia) still supports it

 

[mkrishnan]

47% in late 2008


I think its dropped since then.

I'm not sure what Symbian's future is, to be honest. It was great in comparison to what was out there, when phones started bowing with it at the beginning of the decade. Since then, while it continues to offer smartphone features, it seems that more people buy those Nokia phones with Symbian and use some of their features but don't particularly use them in the MO of a modern "smart" phone. That line is being blurred a lot, anyway, since the "non-smart" phones can often sync calendars and contacts and send e-mails.