Google's newest challenge, Amazon's Android devices...

[Pliablemoose]

http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/17/google-versus-amazon-android/

It's oing to be an interesting Christmas season...

Amazon-centric phones and tablets are going to be one of the most interesting Android OS'd devices IMHO.

I really like what Amazon has done with their app store, Amazon Android devices will likely be similar high quality devices.

 

[Dulanic]

I don't see the issue. This seems more like another hardware suplier than a OS supplier. People can use the Amazon app store currently, new hardware doesn't change that. If anything this will help sell more android devices to the masses through Amazon which benefits Google in the long run. Google doesn't make the big bucks off Apps...

 

[smartpatrol]

Things are definitely going to get interesting! Google released Android and watched their market share explode. . . only for its most profitable components (search and app store/in-app ads) to be siphoned off by its competitors. I can only hope this will give Google the kick in the butt they need in order to clean up their app store.

Anyway, an Amazon Android "Kindle tablet" with a hybrid LCD/e-ink display would be a dream gadget for me.

 

[s44]

Google's main stick is the cutting off of Gapps -- Market, GMail, Maps. Amazon at least has the first one covered, it could connect the second through Google's exchange server (as iOS devices do), and, I dunno, get lots of money from Microsoft to use its version of the third. Mind you, I don't think it'll come to this, but they do have a pretty good bargaining position here.

iPad2 vs Kal-El Super-Kindle by Christmas? Bring it on!

 

[Glitchny]

I think it would be stupid for Google and Amazon to fight each other. I could see a partnership being very beneficial to both sides and wouldn't rule out something along those lines being worked on.

 

[theeedude]

Amazon will make a niche for themselves. They also can cross subsidize hardware with content, cloud services, and advertising for their wares, so it may be a profitable niche for them. It will also probably going to result in Google sitting on the source code longer to give their preferred partners a nice head start over Amazon. Google is also driving introducing new APIs into Android, so that will give it an advantage over Amazon with new apps which its Android will support and Amazon's won't initially. But a lot of Amazon customers will be fine using Amazon's solutions instead of Google's, and will trade having the bleeding edge Android features for it.

 

[alent1234]

I don't see the issue. This seems more like another hardware suplier than a OS supplier. People can use the Amazon app store currently, new hardware doesn't change that. If anything this will help sell more android devices to the masses through Amazon which benefits Google in the long run. Google doesn't make the big bucks off Apps...

amazon can take the existing source code aka. free OS and build a device around it without licensing google apps and tie it to their amazon market as the primary app market place. currently google gets $15 per android device that has their licensed apps and they share ad revenue with OEM's and carriers. amazon can break this model.

most people don't care if they are on the latest version of the OS. amazon can take the last released version and build a device around it and not spend R&D dollars helping google with the latest version

after 3 months with android i'm interested in what amazon is doing. my Inspire 4g will get 2.3, but even if it didn't i won't care

 

[Deeko]

Amazon already has their own Android app store, Android music store/player, Android book store...I would not be surprised if they released their own custom version of Android with those things, and NOT the Google alternatives. If Google gets pissed and denies them Maps and gmail access....well, Amazon will probably just write their own email client & sign on with Bing for maps. I'm sure that will get some people in the anti-Bing-nerd-community pissed off, but I doubt Amazon is targeting them anyway.

It could get very interesting indeed.

Remember, in addition to the app store revenue they'd be losing, Google's big money maker is data and advertising. If Amazon goes Bing with this too, Google will be earning nothing from these phones.

 

[theeedude]

I think people do care if their apps use API calls that the old version of Android doesn't support. Google can create API calls that tie into its services. Amazon (or some other party) would then have to replicate those or have some app functionality neutered. Google can sit on the API spec until it's services are ready and relevant patents are filed, so it would have a many months head start on Amazon attempting to implement support for those APIs and integrate them into its Android branch. Ultimately, he who pays the piper calls the tune, and if Google is the one paying for the Android R&D, they are going to call a tune they can dance to better than anyone.

 

[Patranus]

What Amazon should do is open a large scale store for jailbroken iOS devices to really push Apple.

Not really sure why Amazon needs to push the e-reader market with more expensive hardware. The Kindle is simply a mechanism to sell digital books. They were first to the market and enjoy the largest share.

Now they are trying to push into a market with many established players. Now, if Amazon prices their tablets like they do with the Kindle, this could be dangerous as there is no locked in business for apps, music, or movies unlike the Kindle where you are pretty much stuck with the Kindle book store.

I just don't see consumers getting on board with multiple stores/media sources depending on which Android device you choose unlike Apple where you buy it once and use it on all your devices without any hassle.

 

[zerocool84]

What Amazon should do is open a large scale store for jailbroken iOS devices to really push Apple.

That makes no sense. It`d have no market penetration.

 

[Patranus]

That makes no sense. It`d have no market penetration.

Going against Google makes no sense either.

If you are going to release a 3rd party app store you might as well target new markets, not do something that has already been done (on a large scale).

What Amazon is going to end up doing is fragmenting purchases via software and content if they move away from the Google platform.

This is where Apples "walled garden" approach has been VERY successful. You buy it in the App Store, iTunes, ect. it just works across ALL your devices.

Now we end up with this Amazon device divorced from Google. You buy Angry Birds on your Amazon tablet and then want to play it on your Google branded Android phone...well...I am sure it is possible to sync it all across Android but not out of the box and not easily.

 

[Deeko]

Going against Google makes no sense either.

If you are going to release a 3rd party app store you might as well target new markets, not do something that has already been done (on a large scale).

So...you think it makes sense to go after a small, trivial market that will have very little impact than to go into the large, growing market of smartphone sales?

Interesting stance.

 

[zerocool84]

Going against Google makes no sense either.

If you are going to release a 3rd party app store you might as well target new markets, not do something that has already been done (on a large scale).

Creating their own phone/tablet makes sense. Creating something that a miniscule amount of the Apple market can access does not make sense. The amount of people that jailbreak is too small. It won't be able to reach the average person which is who they're trying to reach.

I see you added some stuff and yes it IS easy to tranfer your Amazon app stuff on different devices. Just download the app store and downloads the apps you bought. It`s just as simple as doing it with any app store. We obviously don't know anything about seperate Amazon devices so I can't comment on that though.

 

[smartpatrol]

Not really sure why Amazon needs to push the e-reader market with more expensive hardware. The Kindle is simply a mechanism to sell digital books. They were first to the market and enjoy the largest share.

But Amazon doesn't just sell digital books. They sell mp3s, cloud storage, video on demand, and of course advertising.

Face it, the future of tablets/smartphones is going to be one company owning a whole ecosystem. Google already has a massive database of searchable scanned books. They could easily open a digital book store. They are already working on a music service, and of course they own Youtube.

It won't be long before Amazon and Google are competing head-to-head in just about any digital service imaginable. Amazon pretty much has no choice but to get into the tablet game.