Will Google and Apple ever merge?

[2298754]

the internet would implode if they merged together.

 

[MAvery]

Think about it. 2 huge companies. Apple makes superior hardware while Google makes superior software. Both could use each other in some way. They would dominate pretty much everything.

Short answer: no.

 

[johnjefferson]

So wrong I don't know where to start... But lets give it a go.


1) late 2007 - early 2013 is now considered a decade? For most its 5.5 years.

2) they are losing? they are still as single manufacturers go - the most successful smartphone maker.

3) but android has overtaken? Apple = one company offering a smartphone/tablet - Android = 100 (and more) manufacturers all offering hardware at different specs and prices. Inevitably android sales as a whole woud overtake iOS - Apple predicted it themselves...

But on an individual manufacturer level outside of Samsung nothing compares to Apples sales. Anylyst predictions are as inane as ever, for what they predict is just inevitability, it doesn't mean Apple are failing, it just means the market sector as a whole is growing bigger. That there are more people buying tablets and smartphones than ever before. Apple only faces serious concern when their hardware sales are no longer growing year upon year.... However currently they are still growing stronger than ever - but at the same time the industry as a whole is also increasing - which means despite growing; their market share will inevitably shrink as a whole.

The iPod is a mobile device and was released in 2001. So yes, over a decade. Apple's stock is down, they lose more marketshare every quarter, they throw lawsuits at any company making a profit on a device similar to theirs and they have given in to public pressure by making larger iPhones and smaller iPads. Things that Steve Jobs swore would never happen. Apple is clearly worried.

 

[The iGentleman]

Define superior software.

I like iOS better than Android for an operating system. As for software (apps) for the devices, I like Google's app for iOS, and I like Google services. Yet I like Apples software they have released for iOS as well. Some of them are amazing, like garage band for example.

That being said, the two merging would be awful for a consumer without competition products become stale.

I think the whole thought of the two merging is beyond absurd. So much so that it isn't even something worth committing much thought to. That said, I would agree with him in his assertion that Google makes superior software. Google tends to bring more cutting edge features, along with more functionality. Apple tends to be much more basic and vanilla in their approach. Take wifi for example, Apple's wifi implementation only allows you to connect to a wifi network. Google's wifi implementation does the same, but also allows for wifi direct connections, and miracast. Neither of which requires an existing wifi network to be present, to use the functionality.

 

[Zwhaler]

I really hope they don't. Two conflicting ideologies not to mention an Android iOS mashup would be horrible. Rather keep the 2 separate so they can compete and produce better things for consumers and professionals.

 

[Fireblade]

PLEASE not!!

 

[MRU]

The iPod is a mobile device and was released in 2001. So yes, over a decade. Apple's stock is down, they lose more marketshare every quarter, they throw lawsuits at any company making a profit on a device similar to theirs and they have given in to public pressure by making larger iPhones and smaller iPads. Things that Steve Jobs swore would never happen. Apple is clearly worried.

You can not bring the iPods into a comparison of smartphone and tablet sales.

All of the manufacturers are suing each other at any given time its just we rarely hear of it as it has little interest value in the consumer world. And if anything - under Tim cook have improved in this area.

Steve Jobs was a genius yes, but he was not always right.

And if you still don't understand how market share works after it was explained earlier then there is no point discussing it as the veil of ignorance you are wearing is much too strong for any logical arguments to penetrate..

 

[Zendokan]

Out of curiosity, how does someone get a virus on Android? Are they driveby exploits? As in you go to a webpage, and suddenly you're infected with a keylogger installed through an ad banner? Or does it come from installing flaky apps from the Play Store, or side loading weird programs you found on the internet?

If it's the latter, then it's really not an issue with the OS itself. Rather what people do with it.

It was through legit downloaded apps on the Google Play store, not pirated one.
The problem is on two fronts:
- the quality of certain apps and the overall quality control in the Google Play store is appalling. This falls under the user usage because I had to download them first, but I would expect that something you can download from the Google play store has been checked by Google before they make it available for the public.
- You have to install the app first before it is scanned by the anti-virus software, but once it has been installed it's already in run-mode. This is a operating system flaw/misdesign.
Other Linux distributions have a seperate "first run/sandbox"-mode. First the user gets prompted to install the software and then a second time when the user starts the software for the very first time. only after that, the new software has access to your system.

Now to be fair, iOS hasn't got either that "first run/sandbox"-mode, but here the App store iis a closed eco-system with a better quality and security check.

So for me to consider Android "superior software", Google should get the quality/security checks on the apps that they provide in their own Google Play store up AND build-in the sandbox between installment and first-run into Android.

 

[irDigital0l]

Yea in 2007.

 

[Chaela]

When commenting over whether Google or Apple wins depends on the criteria. I believe Apple is better when it comes to smartphones since i've had experience using both Apple and Android products.
Apple's smartphones are not as complicated to use. Additionally, I've never seen someone brag about having an Android.

Overall Google is a great company, the default browser on my Mac is Chrome (ironic right?)

Both companies provide quality products so I wouldn't have a problem with them merging. But the federal government has beef with monopolies.

 

[tbayrgs]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[LIVEFRMNYC]

Another factor to consider is that this would NEVER be allowed by the Federal Government.

I don't think they would have a good enough reason to block it. Both being two huge companies is not good enough. They are basically very differ .

Maybe on the mobile OS front, they have an agruement. But as long as the merge doesn't make Android or Google services closed out to other manufacturers, then there's really no reason to block the merge.

 

[MasterRyu2011]

So wrong I don't know where to start... But lets give it a go.


1) late 2007 - early 2013 is now considered a decade? For most its 5.5 years.

2) they are losing? they are still as single manufacturers go - the most successful smartphone maker.

3) but android has overtaken? Apple = one company offering a smartphone/tablet - Android = 100 (and more) manufacturers all offering hardware at different specs and prices. Inevitably android sales as a whole woud overtake iOS - Apple predicted it themselves...

But on an individual manufacturer level outside of Samsung nothing compares to Apples sales. Anylyst predictions are as inane as ever, for what they predict is just inevitability, it doesn't mean Apple are failing, it just means the market sector as a whole is growing bigger. That there are more people buying tablets and smartphones than ever before. Apple only faces serious concern when their hardware sales are no longer growing year upon year.... However currently they are still growing stronger than ever - but at the same time the industry as a whole is also increasing - which means despite growing; their market share will inevitably shrink as a whole.

Let's resurrect this thread again in three more years so that this rebuttal can be refuted.

 

[apolloa]

I doubt this will ever happen, they both are direct competitors to each other, in fact it would be THE worst thing EVER for us if it did happen, because they wouldn't be pushing each other on then to make new products etc.

I like both platform too, well iOS8 is a disaster but iOS9 should fix the bugs. Can't talk about hardware as Google don't really make any, the Nexus brand are licensed out. Although I place Android as being more advanced, iOS is catching is, even if it is copying some of Android's ideas to do so. But iOS has it's own nicety's too, I think it's app update system is better for instance.

Anyway, can't ever see them merging together. BUT you do never know.

Oooooohhhhhhhh....... I just saw the date on this thread... hmmm....

Ah well never mind, I've posted now hehe.

 

[TheGenerous]

Is like asking; will GAP and TOMMY HILFIGER ever merge?

 

[Vegastouch]

nevermind....old thread

 

[Chaela]

Sorry, couldn't resist.

HAHAHA. I appreciate that

 

[Technarchy]

No.

Repeat...

NO

 

[nickchallis92]

No thanks, im happy not using a 720p screen in 2015.

 

[Fireblade]

For some reason I wouldn't want Apple's influence on Android or the Google services, so I hope the won't...