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Apple, Google vs. Big Wireless

businessweek.com — The tech giants' mobile software efforts could give developers the long-awaited upper hand over cellular carriers—and even Symbian and Microsoft.

Who dugg this? Made popular Oct 30, 2007

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  • HappyScrappy, on 10/31/2007, -1/+38Apple vs. Big Wireless?

    Apple isn't AGAINST big wireless, they're receiving $18/mo/customer for locking people INTO big wireless.

    Apple didn't fight them, they joined them.
  • fkr3, on 10/31/2007, -3/+15Apple is doing their best to lock everyone into cellular carriers, and Google's got a long way to go before they can match Windows Mobile and the apps available.
  • HappyScrappy, on 10/31/2007, -1/+8Fine, substitute another number in there. Doesn't matter. Apple is making money off the back end by locking you into AT&T. That's clearly why they are so anti-unlocking.
  • phoomp, on 10/31/2007, -0/+4at least then you'd have a choice
  • phoomp, on 10/31/2007, -0/+4Even if they aren't getting a penny from AT&T, they're still going through alot of effort to lock iPhone customer *to* AT&T/big wireless.
  • jazh, on 10/30/2007, -0/+3Accoirding to yesterday's financial times in the UK Google is DEFINTELY going to big for the 700 spectrum.
    Most income will be from mobile adverts.
  • HappyScrappy, on 10/31/2007, -0/+2Did you know there are other countries in this world? It's true.

    Ask anyone with $100/day data roaming bill from going overseas with an iPhone about their phone being locked.
  • pyrates, on 10/31/2007, -0/+2I wanted an unlocked iPhone without a 2 year contract. Apple says I couldn't do that, but I did anyways. No other cell phone maker demands this, why should Apple be allowed to?
  • deemzzzz, on 10/30/2007, -3/+4Seriously?
    Yes, both are supposedly bidding on the 700 spectrum but they are far from creating a cell network or upsetting the ecosystem.

    Apple has not opened up the iPhone - it has actually locked out third party apps in the last update.
    Google - I'll believe it when I see it. Looks to me like they are just as bad with the walled garden of google ads
  • ShutYourPieHole, on 10/30/2007, -0/+1Bidding ,and winning the spectrum, and actually building out a wireless network are two entirely different things. There are a lot of hurdles they will face, including the access fees they'll be forced to pay the local companies, such as Verizon and AT&T. Good luck to them, but its not an easy course.

    I do hope they bring Linux, on mobile devices. to the forefront. Funny part of the article, though, is how they want to mention Apple and Google in the same breath. Apple's OS, while it is based on BSD, is NOT the same as Linux. Its not like them both pushing forward is going to open this huge door for reuse. They do have a lot of similarities, but the difference between OSS and non-OSS is always going to be an issue.
  • inactive, on 10/30/2007, -0/+1How do they "match up" to anything? Saying that Apple gets this much, and then trying to work out details of the contract is stupid. No one in their right mind would attempt to do that. People who are very simpled minded do that.
  • jaybol, on 10/30/2007, -2/+2sybians rule! the wifi ones are the result of tai chi or some type of hoverboard technology
  • jaybol, on 10/31/2007, -2/+2don't agree or disagree, but please elaborate on what you mean by walled garden of google ads...
  • ferrariman60, on 10/30/2007, -3/+2Yeah, but it's from someone who actually took the time to make numbers that we get on the outside to match up. And it wouldn't surprise me at all if they were true.
  • HappyScrappy, on 10/30/2007, -3/+2I found that mildly funny.
  • synaesthesia, on 10/30/2007, -5/+4I saw a video of this chick using a Symbian once. Didn't know they were also involved in wi-fi.
  • digitalsol, on 10/30/2007, -4/+2With the U.S. telecoms industry in complete shambles, this is a welcome change!
  • someprogrammer, on 10/31/2007, -3/+1Google could change things unless they also get a sweet deal like the one Apple has with AT&T. Its just pure business no one really cares about the developer/consumer.
  • digitalsol, on 10/31/2007, -5/+2What other choice did it have? Even if it was released so that it can be used in any provider, it would be valid on two, AT&T and T-Mobile... Pick the lesser evil of the two.
  • cleverboy, on 10/31/2007, -6/+3The point of the article is that Apple and Google are generating ubiquity in a highly fragmented market. Microsoft is trying to keep its users on the same OS with "free" Windows Mobile 6 upgrades (depending on the vendor swallowing the nominal cost), but for the most part after all these years, fragmented Simbian-based offerings are winning out... and developers don't really seem to like Simbian much. Both gPhone and OSX will popularize the Unix-based platform in their own way, and spur innovation. All the whinners complaining about "Oh, why did Apple lock the iPhone... why? Why?" need to just chill out. Apple wanted a launch partner so they wouldn't fall on their face. Last round, they used Motorola, and that hardly worked.

    Apple wanted enhanced service product offerings (like Visual Voicemail) and non-carrier specific services (like their iTunes music service and iTunes home activation)... Verizon wanted VCast, so they said NO (talk about lock-down, ever look at the state of things in CDMA?) Apple is creating a unified user-experience globally, with the help of their various launch partners. Needless to say, that's just HUGE. "Total carrier freedom" is the next wave (its pretty obvious too). If you want it NOW (along with everything else), no problem... create your own service and phone and let us know when you're done.

    When the iPhone is officially available on AT&T and T-Mobile (maybe 2010-2012), and you compare the pricing on both networks, you'll probably be surprised. T-Mobile didn't even HAVE unlimited Internet until the last few months. *Shocker*
  • digitalsol, on 11/05/2007, -5/+1Lame!
  • inactive, on 10/30/2007, -8/+1That figure is nothing but a rumor, from someone who has no inside knowledge.
  • inactive, on 10/30/2007, -8/+1battle lines will be advanced based on wether or not they heavily leverage gaming and music platforms such as
    http://seeqpod.com/ipod
  • Weather, on 10/30/2007, -11/+2Apple sucks

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