by elvirs on 1/31/18, 4:08 AM
after being an iPhone user for 6 years and recently switching to android (first a pixel, then one plus) I can say with confidence Google's hardware approach sucks. Android can do a lot more than iOS but it does most of the simple things in a user unfriendly way
by thisisit on 1/31/18, 3:38 AM
I don't understand, how is this different from Google acquiring and then selling off Motorola Mobility?
by eanzenberg on 1/31/18, 5:18 AM
Google doesn’t understand least-friction products like apple and HTC isn’t going to get them there.
Their customer first and formost are ad-buyers and what they sell is your data. Apple’s customers are users, and it shows.
by scriptingnerd on 1/31/18, 4:07 AM
Apple comes across as people friendly, a hardware company who provides a tangible, usable set of products. Google comes across as what they are, an ad company with a semi-decent search engine and an OK web mail and docs platform. I stick with my i-devices and Fastmail.
by cpeterso on 1/31/18, 7:04 AM
Why would HTC sell 2000 engineers to Google if they plan to still make smartphones? This move suggests HTC management felt they would be unable to produce $1.1B value with those engineers (which should be a warning to investors).
by nicetime on 1/31/18, 5:57 AM
For sure, the only reason I’ve been on Apple devices these past few years is because Ubuntu is such an abomination. Windows is plainly unthinkable. And if you have my laptop, the mobile devices fall like dominos. I don’t love iPhones, but even at premium prices it’s worth it to integrate with OS X.
Android really makes me sick though. Touted as free and open, but you still have to root your phone with shady exploits, payloaded over some sketchy USB shell. And then when you do, the custom roms are trash. And I wouldn’t even be rooting these devices if I could just efface some of the stock brand and bloatware, but no, every mobile provider wants me to sign into their analytics package, and billboard their logos all over the place. It’s a wasteland in all directions.
by coliveira on 1/31/18, 5:06 AM
Another me-too from Google. It doesn't matter how much money they put on it, it won't work until they do something innovative. Apple had to do it to get where they are.
by guhan_ganesh on 1/31/18, 4:32 AM
Though Apple is lagging behind in innovative features in recent times, I think they are at a higher level because of the excellent hardware that complements their software and vice versa. I think Google feels let down by the other mobile manufacturer's hardware and hence wants to bet big on improving its in house hardware expertise.
by r00fus on 1/31/18, 5:38 AM
Gotta say as an iPhone user throughout (I own a nexus5 v1 ), I'm pretty impressed with HTCs design. However it's not clear that google will integrate them well.
I see this as more of a sign that Google doesn't care about scaring the hardware manufacturers anymore.
by aphextron on 1/31/18, 6:42 AM
I wish Google would just buy HTC already and put out a Fuschia based phone so I can be done with iOS.
by paulcole on 1/31/18, 4:21 AM
Apple has built a brand that’s cool and stylish. Google’s got a long way to go to get there. More brains aren’t the answer to this problem.
by fnord77 on 1/31/18, 5:58 AM
Google has always been tone-deaf when it comes to how they treat their users. Apples treats their users as something special. Apple delights - google, well it's fast, but it sometimes creeps you out.
throwing more bodies at the problem isn't going to fix it - this is a top-down issue.
by sparkie on 1/31/18, 7:14 AM
How come the title was changed? Original title from the article was "Google Bets a Billion Dollars More Brains Can Help Take On Apple".
My thoughts when reading this title: https://i.imgur.com/Y6Js3Ju.jpg
by freeOpenBloat on 1/31/18, 5:44 AM
For sure, the only reason I’ve been on Apple devices these past few years is because Ubuntu is such an abomination. Windows is plainly unthinkable. And if you have my laptop, the mobile devices fall like dominos. I don’t love iPhones, but even at premium prices it’s worth it to integrate with OS X.
Android really makes me sick though. Touted as free and open, but you still have to root your phone with shady exploits, payloaded over some sketchy USB shell. And then when you do, the custom roms are trash. And I wouldn’t even be rooting these devices if I could just efface some of the stock brand and bloatware, but no, every mobile provider wants me to sign into their analytics package, and billboard their logos all over the place. It’s a wasteland in all directions.
