When the iPhone was launched, there was nothing quite like it. More than its finger-friendly capacitive screen, it was Apple's genius User Interface that complimented it so well. Other manufacturers clearly did not have such polished software that could match the iPhone's UI. They started slapping similar big touchscreens in their phones to compete with the iPhone, but didn't really manage to get the UI right. Remember the case of the LG KM990 Arena back then or even the recent Nokia X6? It clearly showed that simply slapping a capacitive screen doesn't really do the trick.
The iPhone was released in 2007 but even until early 2009 no other mobile OS makers were anywhere close to making a touch-optimized UI. Microsoft was just releasing paltry updates to their stylus-driven Windows Mobile 6 that made no major improvement with UI. The same was the case with Nokia and their Symbian Series 60 5th Edition, which initially seemed nothing more than a ported version from their non-touch devices. Palm was busy making the Web OS, but everybody was doubtful whether its scale or reach would be big as Apple's. Ultimately they released the Palm Pre, a CDMA phone in the US but its GSM version didn't reach Indian shore-at least not officially.
At the same time (i.e. the beginning of 2009), Internet search giant Google also made an entry into the mobile space. Known as Android, they wanted to play their game differently. Following their "Don't be Evil" corporate slogan, they made their Linux-based mobile OS Open Source. This meant anybody was free to download the source code from Google and change it to their liking, and put it in the device of their choice. But its not like you can download Android and install it on your Nokia in a few clicks, the way you would download and install Linux on your PC. It meant manufacturers, big or small, could easily take Google's OS and put it in their hardware.
Android was just that key piece of the puzzle that manufacturers needed. Instead of creating a fragmented market by spending time and money in developing an in-house OS, companies could now take this potent OS, and concentrate on building the hardware around it. Initially, Android phones were perceived for geeks and DIYers, but not anymore. If you use any recent Android 2.1 laden phone, you'll realize that the OS has matured well. Of late, we're seeing a lot of people rooting on for Android. Every opinion poll that we ran in the last few months, the numbers were on Google's side. Check them here, here and here. But it is important that you be informed with the key aspects of Android, before you pledge your support for it. So, here are 7 things you should know about Android.
Just because it's an Android phone, it need not be awesome
Google's operating system may have come close to the operating ease of an iPhone, but it needs good hardware to make it work well. There are some rotten eggs that sit along with the good ones in the market. Take the case of the LG GW620 for instance. With the iPhone, you know that their hardware is tied in well with the software, but in the case of Android it may not be the same. So don't just jump out there and buy a phone with Android, and hope that it is a good phone.
All Android phones need not be expensive
We discussed this towards the end of our review of the Samsung Galaxy S. When Samsung could sell the Wave, which had almost exact internals for a good Rs. 10,000 less, it makes us wonder whether it could actually be feasible for them to sell the Galaxy S at a lesser price than Rs. 27,500. The iPhone created a benchmark price of Rs. 30,000 that all "mega-phones" or "super-phones" like it could sell.
But on the other hand you also have the Samsung Spica i5700, a phone with a feature set comparable to an HTC Hero, selling at an affordable Rs. 12,500. What we're trying to say is that just because it is an Android phone, it need not be very expensive unless the hardware demands that price tag. Many of the phones featured in my previous article about phone pricing co-incidentally are Android phones.
On a positive note, we're going to see many new launches that lie in the Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000 bracket. Be it HTC's Wildfire, Samsung's i5800 Galaxy 3 or the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X10 Mini/Mini Pro. So, if you're under the impression that a decent Android phone is not within your reach, then you just might be surprised in a few months.
Different Androids mostly have different User Interfaces
You ask Nokia-lovers why they are hesitant on changing the brand, and more often than not, you'll hear them say they are used to the interface. While change may be good, it may not be received well by all. Probably on the other end of the spectrum are iPhone users, for whom the basic interface remains the same year after year, despite a new iPhone launch every year.
But with Android, it changes at the blink of an eye. Android 1.5/1.6 had a default interface that changed a little with Android 2.1 (Eclair), which again changed a little with Android 2.2 (Froyo). Now they say Android 3.0 (Gingerbread) is going to have a major UI revamp. But what's more scary is the way manufacturers have the flexibility to tweak the interface according to their liking. HTC gimps Android to a great extent with their Sense UI. Motorola has Motoblur, Samsung has TouchWIZ, while Sony Ericsson has Timescape and Mediascape. All these shells behave differently, and have different features. Manufacturers are doing so in order to differentiate their phones from the rest. So don't expect consistent UI and functionality with any Android phone you buy.
Not all run the latest version of the OS
Android version 1.5 (called Cupcake) released on April 30th 2009. Then came 1.6 (Donut), 2.0/2.1 (Eclair) and 2.2 (Froyo). That's three OS revisions in just a year's time! We're already hearing that 3.0 (Gingerbread) is expected by the end of the year. Google is going at a blazing pace with updates to Android. Sounds good initially, but when you see many old phones still using Android 1.6 (in India, at least), it is of course natural to feel disappointed. Because unlike the way software say, like Firefox, instantly updates on the PC whenever newer versions are made available, it's not the same with Android phones.
There are two hurdles that the OS must pass through before it reaches the consumer. After Google releases a new version, it releases the source code. Since manufacturers customize the UI, bundle different apps etc., they need to take that code and make all the changes necessary for their UI rendition to work with it. In many countries - fortunately not ours yet - the operators also have dedicated menus that need to be hard-coded into it. For example, in the US, Verizon has their V-cast entertainment suite, or telecom operator '3' has its own services bundled in the phone's menu itself.
Then there's the confusion on the part of the manufacturer too. Since Google keeps throwing up new versions every few months, manufacturers are reluctant since by the time they might finish their work with one version, a newer version may already be on the verge of releasing. So I presume they might even sit it out till substantial improvements are offered in a new version.
This is one of the reasons why Google had released the Nexus One. Being a Google phone, it received updates as soon as Google released them. But with any other phone you buy, there is a good chance of delay till it finally gets to your phone. But we're saying that's not necessarily a bad thing. After all the Android 2.1 phones that we've used, we have little to complain. So it's advisable to buy one that runs Android 2.1 at least.
Of fragmentation and app incompatibilities
A lot has been said about Platform fragmentation. It is causing certain apps to work with only certain handsets. The first reason behind fragmentation are the constant OS updates. For example, the official Twitter app for Android works on devices with Android 2.1 or above. Almost 50 percent of Android phones in India currently run Android 1.6. Thus this app won't install on these phones.
The second problem is of screen resolutions. Initial Android phones sported an HVGA (480 x 320 pixel) resolution. Then there are phones with a lower QVGA (320 x 240) res; like the XPERIA X10 Mini/Mini Pro, HTC Wildfire and Tattoo. The higher-end phones like the Nexus One, Milestone etc. support a higher 800 x 480 (WVGA) pixel one. If that wasn't enough, now Samsung's upcoming Galaxy 3 i5800 has a WQVGA (240 x 400 pixel) resolution. Android 3.0 is also touted to support a higher (1366 x 768 pixel) res.
Higher processor speed does not necessarily mean a smoother Android operation
Try using an XPERIA X10, which has a 1 GHz processor and then a Milestone with a 600 MHz one. In my experience, the Motorola Milestone's operation was swift and snappy, while the X10's was laggy at a few places. Thus do not assume that a higher processor will automatically translate into a faster performance. Since Android gets optimized for faster performance with every version, it also depends on which one you're using. (FYI: the XPERIA X10 ran Android 1.6, while the Milestone ran 2.1) Then comes the amount of RAM and the presence of the a dedicated graphics co-processor etc.
Not all apps are free and you can't buy paid apps in India yet
You can get free as well as paid apps on the iPhone App Store. You can purchase paid apps with an International credit card even in India. While most apps on the Android Market are free, there are quite a few that have paid ones that unlock advanced features and/or remove the advertisements. Unfortunately, paid apps aren't supported in India yet; there are only a few countries that do at this point. So, you wouldn't be able to see those apps in the Android Market, even if you're willing to pay the asking price in dollars.
reference: http://www.techtree.com/India/Features/Things_You_Should_Know_About_Android/551-112462-899-3.html
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