Cell phones have come a long way from their analog roots. Smart phones are slowly taking over the cell phone market. One of the big players in this emerging market is Google Android.
Android has grown from a cell phone fad on T-Mobile’s network to a force that is almost as popular as the iPhone. There are a few reasons why this has become the case. Here are just a few of those reasons.
Based on Linux
Linux maybe something that most people associate with Ubuntu and datacenter servers, but Linux really is all over the place. Linux has this amazing ability to be tailored to just about any device.
Android takes Linux and brings it into the cell phone market. This is not the first Linux cell phone to exist, but it is the most successful Linux based cell phone.
Expandability
Android has this amazing power to grow to other devices. We have already seen companies do just that. Barnes and Noble took Android and put it onto their Nook e-reader. Archos also took Android and put it on a small Internet tablet. This is just the beginning for Android based devices as well. Rumors run rampant that Android will start seeing it’s way to tablet computers.
Open platform
Having a Linux backbone is a huge advantage for Android. Anyone can take the SDK and whip up new front ends, customize Android to new hardware, or just change the colors of the default user interface. This openness allows more people to play and design for Android.
More options
Unlike RIM and Apple, Google has allowed Android to grow. More than just one phone maker are looking to Android as their OS of choice. HTC has taken Android and created some amazing phones like the HTC Evo 4G. Motorola also slapped Android onto their phones. The Motorola Droid is quite possibly the first Android phone to pull customers off Apple and RIM phones. Samsung has also recently entered the Android market as well. That is three cell phone hardware manufacturers that have just recently kicked out new Android phones.
The ability for Android to be on so many devices only increases its market saturation. Instead of being locked into one phone, one cell phone provider, or one market area, we see many vendors in many markets carrying Android based devices. This is only going to increase as time goes on.
iPhone 4 problems
Okay, there is no reason to go into all the hype surrounding the iPhone 4. There is a noticeable result coming from the iPhone 4 antenna hoopla. People are now looking at other options. Android has finally matured enough that consumers are now looking at it and questioning if it is time to try something new out. This is only possible thanks to market competition.
Where will Android go next? Speculation is starting to form that we will see Android based tablets soon. This seems unlikely as Google is pushing out Chrome OS. Most likely, we will see more and more cell phones on many carriers running Android. Competition is a good thing. Hopefully we see Android become a platform that pushes competitors to think about what they build into their smart phone operating systems.
