Sorry for the delay in posting but I have been rather busy with work and recovering from the drunken madness that was a Panda Birthday week.
A lot of excitement going on in the mobile space with Dual core, updates aplenty and the like and I think this is the perfect time to talk about something that Mobile customers have continued clamoring for.
A stock Google experience device….
yep.. no Motoblur, no Sense Ui, no Touch wiz… just as the day Google made it.
But here doesn’t every carrier give their customers a device like this?
because at the end of the day the people that make these calls in product, marketing and the like want a “unique” customer experience for each device. They understand that they arent going to sell 5 million stock devices no matter how much the vocal twitter community asks for it.
“but Sprint has the nexus S” yea I know and its a nice device for last years specs.. Truth be told a dual core currently stock monster in the waiting in the wings more then likely going to be outsold by one running a “fun and enjoyable UI” on top of Android.. Because in mobile its become all about exclusive devices and services..
Ask those who got excited about the Nexus One bout disappointment…
Sadly as Nexus sales show customers do not want a stock device that they have to tweak to their liking. They want a device they can turn on and quicky setup Facebook and other services that normal people use.
I have actually started advising Verizon customers looking to get a device to go for a droid charge or HTC Thunderbolt. The Sony play is almost stock but specs are rather lacking for a long two year commitment.
Or if you really want Stock.. that G2X is looking rather nice and Tmobile is service is quite decent in some areas but as always Verizon is the gold standard..
So the next time twitte dude that roots his devices (I dont root) and keeps yelling AOSP (90% dont know what they means) ask him how many soccer moms he knows that want to run stock android..
So thats what a panda has today..
Tune in soon for a update on the upcoming droid line.. Charge, Bionic and the like..
Panda..
Opinions and Confessions of a Tech addict... 
Sad news Panda, sad indeed. I’d prefer stock, I love my OG Droid, but it is dying a slow death at this point. Now I wait anxiously for your next post to find out what comes to see how long I need to wait!
Well looks like i may be jumping to tmo. You mentioned it, and its absolutely true, all these companies want to differentiate and stand out and right now a stock android device IS different than most others. Probly 20 skinned phones for every 1 stock android phone.
This is a huge let down. At least HTC has made sense a little better with sense 3.0. And the elimination of the one year contract is almost enough for me to leave. Why do carriers have to be evil?
yeah I’m just about done with Verizon
So much for a stock device on Big Red being the geek’s Messiah. I love on OG Droid, but it is showing its age. Hmm…..guess it’s gonna be a Bionic or the infamous “another”…..assuming that unlimited data hasn’t been yanked out from under us first. Any advice/thoughts?
So if I read that correctly, Verizon has a dual core stock phone in the works, but it is likely to be skinned (I’m thinking HTC Sensation). It’s unfortunate, which is why I’m still going to go with the Droid Bionic. I’m really looking forward to news on that! Thanks again, panda
This is about more than just marketing…
Verizon benefits from these various skins because they ultimately force customers to renew their contracts and upgrade their device if they want the latest version of Android. By requiring skins, VZW adds a significant amount of labor to OS updates and with new devices on the market, there is less incentive for the carrier and manufacturer to provide updates in a timely manner.
However, this is the wrong way for VZW to look at things. As new technologies are developed and supported by Android, the manufacturers and the networks, customers will be incentivized to upgrade and renew their contracts for a new device. Some examples of improvements that require new hardware:
* 4G data capable phones
* NFC capable phones
* VoLTE capable phones
* 3D capable phones
* Gaming optimized phones
* Generally, phones with more powerful hardware and better displays
* stuff we haven’t even thought of yet…
P.S. Has there been an Android device that out-sold the original Droid? If there was, I’d bet that it’s because the tech was so immature, if not, then I don’t really buy the excuse about differentiation.
You know i see how dipshit execs make the call to cover all android phones with heavy skins but if they are not going to give us a stock device they can at least give us some to pick from that are not locked down six ways from sunday!
Yea I’m really getting tired of vzw’s antics of late. It’s really sad, it’s now no longer for the customer. As a matter of fact vzw has pretty much shit on us as customers. I mean look what they have done since the damn iphone came. I think when my contract is up I will be moving on to another carrier. Vzw is slowly shooting itself in the foot.
Off topic, but do you know if big red will be getting the galaxy s 2?
It has always seemed to me that the “unique” experience about Verizon is the network rather than the devices. Knowing that when you pick up the phone the call will connect…and stay connected. Is LTE is the new experience that will sell the devices? Here’s hoping the marketing department will find some exciting new devices to keep us connected to the network.
This is indeed sad news. My upgrade for my Droid isn’t until Aug. but i was really hoping to hear good news that a Stock, Dual core, 4G phone was coming. VZW is making me really reconsider keeping them. Its clear as day that they(vzw) have NO clue what the costumer wants, especially now with axing the 1 year contract and NE2.
Any chance VZW has surveys where we can tell them what we’re looking for in a phone? We all bitch about how they fail to capture it but I feel like we have no voice.
I’m interested and hoping the reference to “another” is the SG2 because I’m really trying to hold out for it. But if it’s too long a wait I’ll get Bionic.
Isn’t the XOOM stock Honeycomb? Or you just talkin’ phones?
I was actually just talking phones. As google wasnt even finished honeycomb code when the Xoom was released and it was to be the flagship it wasnt skinned. but as builders get time.. oh the skins will come…
I’m also curious about the Galaxy S2 for Verizon. seems to be a rumor going round about that. Any word?