Don Ferguson wrote:
> I love the predictions of doom and gloom. So easy to make, especially
> in blogs like this one where they need symmetry. As has been said here
> over the years, it has been said over the years, since year one, that
> Palm was doomed. Yet still here we are! I still see 700p's, 755's and
> Centro's everywhere. Windows Mobile still has all the old UI problems
> that damn it to third place (behind Palm and Blackberry), for me.
>
> I would like to see some market share numbers of Palm vs. the other
> smartphone providers individually, and PalmOS vs. WinMob vs. Blackberry
> market share growth/shrinkage percentages in recent years/quarters.
> Does anyone know where such numbers can be had?
>
Yep. Start here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone
> Numbers, not blog predictions, might give me room for concern. Then
> again, if Google's platform is really all that great, maybe it will win
> and justifiably so. There are 300 million people in this country,
> though, and everyone over the age of 10 seems to have a cell phone.
> There are over 6 billion people in the world, so any new product can
> penetrate a long way before anyone loses significantly. SO FAR, though,
> nobody offers a combination of features, functions and form that even
> comes close to Palm, for me.
>
> Cheers,
> Don
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
> Paul Blumstein
> Sent: Monday, November 05, 2007 1:28 PM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [Treo] Palm makes the loser's list
>
> http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=6873&tag=nl.e589
>
> November 4th, 2007
>
> Google's big mobile splash: Handicapping the winners and losers
> Posted by Larry Dignan @ 1:37 pm
>
> Google is reportedly rolling out its mobile operating system and one
> thing is clear: It's going to make a big splash. The question is who
> will drown in Google's wake?
>
> The reports about Google's Android phone software are multiplying at a
> rapid rate. The New York Times did a big profile of Andy Rubin, the
> guy behind Google's mobile plans (you don't think that access would
> have been granted if this launch wasn't happening do you?). Rubin
> joined Google when the search giant bought his company-Android-in
> 2005. News.com's Tom Krazit reports that Google will announce its
> mobile phone software stack Monday and has some detail on the 30
> companies lined up as partners.
>
> But once the details emerge the real handicapping begins. What's the
> impact of Google's mobile moves? Will Google really reshape the
> wireless industry? Here's a look at some of the winners and losers and
> a few companies left on the fence:
>
> Winners:
>
> * Google: The search giant has managed to line up a big chunk of
> the wireless industry, cordoned off some mobile advertising inventory
> and may have found away to commoditize the wireless operating system.
> If reports are to believed Google's operating system won't appear
> until the middle of 2008. Couple Google's Android plan with its
> OpenSocial movement and the search giant looks like it can rally
> partners with mutual interests.
> * Sprint: The wireless carrier is struggling and needs a plan. By
> aligning with Google-by most counts Sprint will be on the partner
> roster-Sprint may give itself a much needed spark. This effect may be
> magnified if Verizon Wireless isn't on board with Google. AT&T isn't
> expected to get cozy with Google yet.
> * Developers: Google's mobile software stack is giving developers
> some open field to play with. I'll be one of the many who will be
> curious to see what they do with it. At the very least, Google is
> giving developers another software development stack to tweak. This is
> part of Google's new openness-moving away from proprietary software
> where it makes sense, meaning accelerating the growth of the Web
> overall, breaking down the old order and creating more inventory to
> monetize.
> * Open source: Google's Android is expected to integrate parts of
> Linux. This is a mobile victory for the open source movement in what
> remains a proprietary wireless world. The leading mobile software
> players are all proprietary.
> * Handset makers: Google's mobile software stack sounds like it'll
> come cheap-like free. This fact enables handset makers to push the
> envelope on the hardware side of the equation. Add it up and you may
> get cheaper phones with more features and maybe even a cut of ad
> revenue.
>
> Yet to be determined:
>
> * Apple: A few folks have taken Google's leap to surmise that
> Apple will be hurt somehow. There may be some potential impact, but
> there's a cure for this line of thinking. Repeat after me: Apple sells
> hardware. Apple sells hardware. Apple sells hardware. Think about it.
> Apple's game is selling Macs, iPods and iPhones. Sure software helps,
> but Apple lives and dies by hardware sales. With that perspective,
> Google's mobile operating system doesn't look like that big of a
> threat. Apple wasn't planning for OS X to dominate the mobile world
> anyway. And if Google gets too much mojo Apple could just sell you
> iPhones with Google preloaded. After all, Google CEO Eric Schmidt is
> on Apple's board of directors.
> * Microsoft: The open source supporters and technology's talking
> heads will try to lead you to believe that Windows Mobile is toast.
> Don't hold your breath. Windows Mobile is entrenched, has a big
> footprint in the corporate world and is a key partner to wireless
> carriers and developers. Whatever Google cooks up isn't likely to
> change that equation overnight. Just like Windows vs. Linux it's not a
> zero sum game.
> * Consumers: Mobile phone users will apparently get better
> software out of this Google move. But if the trade off is more ads on
> your phone it may be a wash for some.
>
> Losers:
>
> * Palm: Man it gets tiring kicking Palm, but it's clear this
> former high flier has major problems. Wasn't Palm trying to cook up
> its own Linux based operating system? Yup. It's late to the party and
> looks like Google will get any momentum that may come its way. The
> Palm OS is rapidly becoming a footnote to the history of the wireless
> market.
> * Wireless carriers' current business model: Wireless carriers
> have a model that is extremely controlling. These companies tell you
> what handsets you can buy, what you download and impose limitations.
> Google's software could pry the standard wireless model open. What
> carriers wind up in the loser category vs. yet to be determined
> remains to be seen. AT&T and Verizon Wireless are entrenched and
> aren't going to be immediately impacted. Sprint will be a winner. In
> the grand scheme of things, Google is nibbling away at the standard
> wireless business model.
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
