Thanks for everyone to who voted for me yesterday, I did win the election, I am now the President of HighOnAndroid community for the next 4 years. Thank you thank you.
Also being high on android was just legalized in the state of Colorado, congratulations to everyone who live there and those who are now moving there.
Android now controls 75% of the global smartphone market.
Some notable features Android has over other smartphones:
- Growing app market, there’s over 700,000 apps now nearly 1 million.
- Cool features like NFC payment system which countries like South Korea have been using for almost a decade. Many credit card payments systems now support it including many fastfood chains like McDonalds and even my local Korean grocery. This is the future.
- More cool features like Android Beam and S Beam, allows you to easily transfer files between two smartphones for dummies.
- Even more cool features like Sphere camera, which I am running on my Galaxy S3 and older Android smartphones already. The beauty of Android is that software upgrades allow older smartphone users to take advantage of also.
- New features can easily be hacked onto existing phones before its release through rooting and custom ROMs.
- Talking about rooting and custom ROMs, Android has the #1 open source development and this culture is becoming mainstream. In 5 years there will be more people high on Android. yes.
- Open market – Google allows businesses to make Android logos, plushies, use of their logo and Andy character without license fees. That’s even more people high on android.
- Better and larger screens than others, most Android smartphones nowadays provide at least full 720P HD resolution plus there’s more options for customers so you can get a phone like Galaxy Note 2, which acts as both phone and tablet nevermind its multi-window and S-pen note taking features.
- Windows 8 phones? Still too early to tell, less than 5% of the world uses Windows smartphones even after Microsoft put billions into advertising. People will buy smartphone that gives them more features for the money they pay. Simply, Windows 8 phones lack behind Android in # of apps, features, and you will be the guinea pig for the next 2-3 years while Windows 8 makes it better. There’s still hope but you don’t need to be their beta customer and miss out on all the cool features Android can do.
Predictions for next 3 years?
2013 – Android will be near 80-85%
2014 – Android will be near 90-95%
2015 – Android will be near 100%, we are taking over the world.
HTC revenue 61% down from last year.
Some of their problems lie:
- No microSD card slot
- No removable battery
- Instead of copying, innovate
- Quietly disappearing
- Bootloader unlocking HTCDev.com sucks, takes literally 30 minutes to unlock and root HTC. Before HTCDev.com, it was much quicker easier by letting developers hack it instead. Just get rid of it or make it like Google’s fastboot method.
Motorola
- Providing development devices separately is an insult to consumers. In the end, it’s the consumers who will be rooting and installing custom ROMs.
- One thing good about Motorola phones? The built-in micro HDMI allows you to easily mirror, stream your phone to HDTV. I do this very often now with my Droid Bionic that has a extended battery to watch Korean dramas using CrunchRoll, very effective, I don’t have to worry about a separate power supply with MHL adapters Samsung and others use, just plug in and go and there’s no need to buy a separate expensive $100 wireless AllShare modules, just buy a micro HDMI cable for $1 on Amazon.
- For future, Motorola also needs to step up and provide unlocked bootloaders and stop being a whore to Verizon. It seems like Verizon is the entity controlling Motorola on bootloader policy. This is clearly evidenced my Verizon Galaxy S3 which is the only Galaxy S3 that comes with a locked bootloader but a great thing we have great open source developers who did crack it within days. Still, Verizon needs to stop this hitler-crap.
Predictions for Android manufacturers?
Samsung will keep increasing their market share, I predict Samsung will actually surpass iPhones by year 2013 or 2014 in number of flagship devices sold. I am talking specfically about Galaxy S3 or Galaxy Note 2. They will definitely sell more of these than iPhones shortly.
HTC? They better get their act straight soon and listen to its own customers like myself! No more permanent battery, bring back microSD, and get rid of HTCDev.com! UGH!
Motorola? Well, I do have high hopes for Moto since it’s part of Google. But please stop the non-sense developer edition. Please just make bootloaders like a Nexus phone, fastboot zip done.
People should have to pay a premium to root and install custom ROMs their own phones. There’s good hope for Motorola if they can also get a better control over their own company, not be affected by Verizon or their own greed.
Featured video of the week
Check out Galaxy S3 Waterproof Video at wwjoshdew!
Question of the day?
Why do you buy Android over other smartphones like Apple, Nokia, and Crackberry?
And don’t forget, we are giving a Samsung Galaxy Note 2.
Have a question?
Please post all your questions at the new Android Rehab Center at HighOnAndroid Forum, thank you for understanding!Join the HighOnAndroid VIP Fans List for free help from Max and discounts on Android accessories.
