Unfortunately, marketing only goes so far:  a solid product that generates very positive word-of-mouth is what permits a single vendor the opportunity to potentially dominate a market segment.  And to get there, it isn’t about any one single factor, but a holistic product which in today’s parlance means slick vertical integration.   And that’s exactly what the iPad … and now also now the Kindle … has shown.

-hh

ZTE – profit crash
Huawi – profit crash
LG – profit crash
HTC – profit crash

Samsung – profit up

There is only one phone manufacturer making money off android Samsung for everyone else it’s killing them.

Soooooooooooooooooooooo many valid points in his three sections.  Why is the kindle doing well?  It’s cheap, and relatively easy to use.  The android tabs aren’t going to compete with the ipad at their high prices, unless they offer a superior experience.

Sadly, if I was an app developer, I would probably feel more secure developing for apple.  It’s going to take a lot for the development/marketplace in android to catch up with apple.  BUT the release of instagram on android doubling facebook’s offer– that’s the best piece of news that I think we as android enthusiasts could get from this situation.  If anything, right now, android has numbers, and numbers mean hope. 

And motoroogle– totally valid points.  Forking would still lead to direct competition with motorola and google, and leaving android altogether would just be starting over from square one.  It would be such a dumb idea for manufacturers to leave for windows phone when the numbers just aren’t there.  

Notice how much opposition you’ve created here?  That’s what opinion pieces are all about–stating the things a lot of us are afraid, or unwilling to admit.