Motorola, wth are you doing?

[Bateluer]

http://www.droid-life.com/2011/03/2...phone-os-android-shooting-itself-in-the-foot/

One of the sources close to the matter brought up Android as one of the reasons for Moto to consider its own mobile OS, stating that “Android is shooting itself in the foot.” How exactly are they doing that, you ask? According to this “source”, fragmentation, product differentiation, and issues related to Google’s support for its partners are the concern. Really?

Going to have to side with Droid Life's opinion on this. If they're worried about fragmentation, stop fragmenting it. You are the one's fragmenting it, not Google. Hopefully, they remember that their skin, Blur, is rated near the bottom of Android skins. Their actions will just fragment things more. I'm also going to guess their going to want their own app store too. MotoOS will end up with less than a few percent market share. Assuming the source is right.

 

[dguy6789]

Motorola = Amazing hardware, absolutely lousy software. Reason I got a Thunderbolt instead of waiting for a Droid Bionic is because Motorola still hasn't learned to make software. Play with an Atrix and then play with a Thunderbolt and nobody would believe that the Atrix has better specs. Good luck making an OS Moto.

 

[Anubis]

looks like my next phone definitely wont be a moto now

 

[CurseTheSky]

With my Droid X next to a Fascinate, Evo, or something similar, the Droid X feels much more sluggish. The hardware design is also a LOT less sleek; the industrial look was cool at first, but I'm sick of it now.

Needless to say, I'm very happy with Motorola's hardware and support, but MotoBlur has got to go. Chances are, my next phone will be from a different manufacturer.

 

[smartpatrol]

The issue of product differentiation is IMO worse than fragmentation. Motorola, HTC, Samsung, LG, Dell, Sony, and others are all cranking out Android device after Android device with practically nothing to differentiate them. And now we have Acer, Archos, Toshiba, etc. jumping into the Android tablet market.

The Android scene is quickly becoming like the PC market. We have a dozen Windows PC manufacturers all selling basically the same product. Profit margins are razor-thin, and most of them are built out of the cheapest possible components. Many try to differentiate their products by including all sorts of crapware, custom UI, etc. -- regardless of how it degrades the user experience. User experience is not as important as standing out from the crowd.

Motorola are wise to try and avoid the race to the bottom. Samsung already have their own OS. I'm sure Motorola aren't the only ones keeping their long-term OS options open.

 

[dpodblood]

So they are going to solve fragmentation by fragmenting the market further? :hmm:

 

[herkulease]

this coming from the company that brought us the utter garbage that is motoblur. Yeah sure.

 

[DivideBYZero]

As Moto are one of the biggest Android vendors, this would be a stupid move.

 

[cheezy321]

Every motorola phone ive owned has been an utter piece of shit (except for the startac, that phone ruled)

I went thru 3 RAZR's. That piece of shit would fall apart after just a couple months of regular use. After the whole RAZR debacle, i refuse to ever purchase another motorola phone again.

 

[Glitchny]

Well Moto is doing a damn good job of pushing me away from using their products. They should stop skinning shit and try to focus on adding value in other ways.

I really think HTC and Samsung are way ahead of Moto in this area.

 

[bucwylde23]

I'm sticking with HTC as long as they don't lock down their phones like motorola. I really think their build quality is shit.

 

[Medu]

looks like my next phone definitely wont be a moto now

Probably won't happen and if it does it will be years away.

Moto can't even make a skin and then want to build an OS?
Even if the OS is good, which it won't be, it will fail. If they wanted to do this they should of bought Palm.

 

[theeedude]

There is a distinction between differentiating and adding value. Just ask Nokia.
Differentiation is great if you spend the money to create something of value that only your company has. It's less than worthless if you spend a ton of money to create something that is not even as good as what every other manufacturer can get for free.

 

[Kabob]

I really think HTC and Samsung are way ahead of Moto in this area.

True, but Samsung's customer support is absolutely non-existant. I've got a Fascinate and I'm still waiting for Froyo...yeah, I was told it was going to be out "sometime in October" when I bought this phone.

All of the MFR's have stuff they could improve on. Motorola: Blur/Build. Samsung: Customer Support. HTC: Battery Life.

I'm sticking with HTC as long as they don't lock down their phones like motorola. I really think their build quality is shit.

As things stand, my next phone will be an HTC (unless LG brings the thunder in the near future). Unless of course there's a blingy new Google phone by then, if that was made by Samsung I'd go that route.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Every motorola phone ive owned has been an utter piece of shit (except for the startac, that phone ruled)

I went thru 3 RAZR's. That piece of shit would fall apart after just a couple months of regular use. After the whole RAZR debacle, i refuse to ever purchase another motorola phone again.

To be fair, Moto had some serious changes done after the RAZR generation. I had the Moto Q as my first smartphone, and it was crap. I don't know if it was due to WinMo, the hardware, or something else though.

My Moto Droid 1 has been a solid phone though. Not as good as my BB Curve prior to it was, but second best smartphone I've owned. This news though makes me not want to wait for the Bionic anyways even if the hardware is better than the TB.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Sounds like Moto is finally fed up with having its XOOM laggy, crash-prone, and unstable while Google just watches from the sideline.

 

[iahk]

sounds like a crazy rumor to me...... "sources close to the matter"

It was only a few weeks ago that Motorola said fragmentation was a good thing.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20110309/tc_infoworld/153898

 

[bucwylde23]

Sounds like Moto is finally fed up with having its XOOM laggy, crash-prone, and unstable while Google just watches from the sideline.

My Xoom was not laggy, crash-prone or unstable. Missing apps? sure.

Most of the problems with the Xoom are hardware related. Poor speaker placement, lower quality screen, poor lock/power button placement.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

True, but Samsung's customer support is absolutely non-existant. I've got a Fascinate and I'm still waiting for Froyo...yeah, I was told it was going to be out "sometime in October" when I bought this phone.

That could easily be Verizon's fault. I know At&t had the completed froyo update for the Captivate for months before they ever decided to release it.

 

[runawayprisoner]

My Xoom was not laggy, crash-prone or unstable. Missing apps? sure.

Most of the problems with the Xoom are hardware related. Poor speaker placement, lower quality screen, poor lock/power button placement.

Laggy is inevitable when there are too many widgets on the screen, and especially moreso when there is a live wallpaper. Yours had the potential to be laggy, I suspect you didn't use it long enough before returning to really see how much worse it could get.

Crashing is the same. It's something that builds up over time.

 

[Doboji]

The issue of product differentiation is IMO worse than fragmentation. Motorola, HTC, Samsung, LG, Dell, Sony, and others are all cranking out Android device after Android device with practically nothing to differentiate them. And now we have Acer, Archos, Toshiba, etc. jumping into the Android tablet market.

The Android scene is quickly becoming like the PC market. We have a dozen Windows PC manufacturers all selling basically the same product. Profit margins are razor-thin, and most of them are built out of the cheapest possible components. Many try to differentiate their products by including all sorts of crapware, custom UI, etc. -- regardless of how it degrades the user experience. User experience is not as important as standing out from the crowd.

Motorola are wise to try and avoid the race to the bottom. Samsung already have their own OS. I'm sure Motorola aren't the only ones keeping their long-term OS options open.

You don't differentiate yourself by skinning over an already effective OS. You CAN differentiate yourself with hardware, and well written apps. This is where everyone seems to be missing the boat. Look at the extreme effort and attention to detail that goes into the physical design of apple products. I am an absolute Fanboi when it comes to Android... But there is just no denying how much better physically Apple products are.

Moto needs to wake up, this is where they can differentiate themselves.... build truly beautiful products or go home.

 

[Kabob]

That could easily be Verizon's fault. I know At&t had the completed froyo update for the Captivate for months before they ever decided to release it.

A small part of it is VZW's fualt, but most is with Samsung. The earliest that any of the US carriers got a final release of Froyo was what, earlier this month? Verizon has been slow getting it to us from there, which is why they're the only carrier without (grumble grumble), but the Samsung CS was the one holding everyone in limbo.

Yeah AT&T had Froyo for a little while but they didn't get a final stable build until recently.

You don't differentiate yourself by skinning over an already effective OS. You CAN differentiate yourself with hardware, and well written apps. This is where everyone seems to be missing the boat. Look at the extreme effort and attention to detail that goes into the physical design of apple products. I am an absolute Fanboi when it comes to Android... But there is just no denying how much better physically Apple products are.

Moto needs to wake up, this is where they can differentiate themselves.... build truly beautiful products or go home.

Absolutely agree. I hate Apple as a company but I have alot of respect their products, everything is so sleek and well integrated and, as you said it, attractive. For that reason I still maintain that the iPhone 4 is still the best smartphone available. Android will catch up in the future, but they're not there yet (and not with Motorola bailing).

 

[Doboji]

A small part of it is VZW's fualt, but most is with Samsung. The earliest that any of the US carriers got a final release of Froyo was what, earlier this month? Verizon has been slow getting it to us from there, which is why they're the only carrier without (grumble grumble), but the Samsung CS was the one holding everyone in limbo.

Yeah AT&T had Froyo for a little while but they didn't get a final stable build until recently.



Absolutely agree. I hate Apple as a company but I have alot of respect their products, everything is so sleek and well integrated and, as you said it, attractive. For that reason I still maintain that the iPhone 4 is still the best smartphone available. Android will catch up in the future, but they're not there yet (and not with Motorola bailing).

Just curious... why are you running 2.1 on your Fascinate? I'm running 2.2.1 on my Fascinate using the SC 2.9.1 ROM.

 

[zerocool84]

You don't differentiate yourself by skinning over an already effective OS. You CAN differentiate yourself with hardware, and well written apps. This is where everyone seems to be missing the boat. Look at the extreme effort and attention to detail that goes into the physical design of apple products. I am an absolute Fanboi when it comes to Android... But there is just no denying how much better physically Apple products are.

Moto needs to wake up, this is where they can differentiate themselves.... build truly beautiful products or go home.

What we say sucks is not what the average consumer say sucks. It's just how it is. We may not like all these skins on top of Android but they seem to be doing fine with the average consumer which is what makes them money.

 

[poofyhairguy]

I have a friend who LOVES Motoblur (even though he has no clue what it is). He is Jonesing for a Wifi Xoom to get that experience in a tablet. I don't have the heart to tell him the truth...