Samual Jamie Rogers
COMM 4330
2011.2.18
Best Device Recommendation
To be able to recommend a device that meets the needs of clients in the corporate, finance, medical, and communication fields seems like a daunting task, at first. There are countless devices on the market that all have similar features and can accomplish numerous related tasks. Apple, HP, Samsung, Motorola, LG, Toshiba—These are all companies at the forefront of technology and all want to produce "the next big thing" that will meet consumers' needs as well as spawn a line of lucrative devices that will bring in revenue long into the future. The issue with this plan is that the future is a year, a month, or even a week away. Some customers who bought the first-gen Motorola Droid (me) were upset (definitely me) when a newer, faster, sleeker, better Droid-branded smartphone was released less than six months later…and then another two in the following months. First-gen iPad users, whether they were early adopters from April 3, 2010 or they received one from their sweetie on Valentine's Day 2011, will be holding, presumably, an obsolete device when (if) Apple's rumored announcement next month reveals the second-gen iPad. (P.S. I heard it will have cameras!) As a consumer and a tech-nerd I've found the battle with technology and devices to be ongoing and endless. The only satisfaction comes when I unwrap and power on that new device—albeit it's a short-lived feeling.
To make this assignment slightly more organized, I took the three mentioned companies—Apple, Google, and Palm—and broke down what each is putting out in the form of devices and also looked at what each companies are doing in terms of operating systems and features for the devices. Essentially I looked at this assignment not only as a device recommendation, but as an OS/feature recommendation. After all, it will mostly be the apps and features of the devices that make them more able to withstand inevitable obsoleteness and make them more able to meet the needs of the clients.
I will also be looking at the consumer values as defined by Dr. Randal Chase in his Digital Trends book, well help determine if each manufacturer and OS can be recommended.
HP/Palm
With HP's purchase of Palm in 2010 for $1.2 billion, according to hp.com, the company has taken an aggressive move to re-enter the smartphone and tablet PC market. The recent announcement of the webOS powered TouchPad tablet, Pre 3 and Veer smartphones, gives HP comparable products to Apple's iPad and iPhone, and similar Android-based tablets and smartphones such as Motorola's Xoom tablet and Atrix smartphone. Features included with these devices will include video-calling, multitasking, downloadable apps, and, what HP is calling, Touchstone technology. This allows the HP devices to seamlessly transfer content back and forth simply by touching them together. The webOS devices will also have the ability, either by Wi-Fi or mobile 3G/4G networks, to connect to the internet.
HP will also offer various apps to download to its devices and lists some of them on their website at palm.com. Facebook, The Weather Channel, and Time Magazine are among the featured apps that will be available for HP's webOS. These devices have a tentative release date for the summer of 2011.
| HP: webOS devices | Convergence | Consumerism | Interactivity | |||
| Access | X | Choice | | Individualism | | |
| Utility | X | Convenience | X | Control | X | |
| Fair Value | | Performance | X | Security | | |
Google
Google has arguably become Apple's biggest competitor in the tablet and smartphone market with its open-source Android OS. According to various sources, including cnet.com, in the third quarter of 2010 Apple held a 95 percent share of the tablet PC market with its iPad. By the end of the fourth quarter, with the introduction of various Android tablets such as the Samsung Galaxy Tab, Apple's market share had dropped to only 75 percent. These numbers only account for units sold and do not include the reported 15 percent return rate of the Galaxy Tab. These rumors supported early reviews of the device that claimed the OS was laggy, and that Samsung may have rushed the device to the market.
Another upcoming Android tablet is the Motorola Xoom that will be powered by Google's latest version of the Android OS—Honeycomb—that developers made specifically for running on a tablet. It differs from other Android tablets because the Xoom's OS didn't start on a smartphone and move to a tablet as it did with the Galaxy Tab. Along with Honeycomb, or Android version 3.0, the Xoom will have a dual core processor, dual cameras, multitasking, Adobe Flash support, and connectivity to the Verizon Wireless 4G network when it becomes available.
Along with tablet PCs, Google's OS is also currently available on numerous smartphones from every major cellular provider in the U.S. (flagship models include Sprint's HTC EVO 4G, T-Mobile's Samsung Galaxy S 4G, and Verizon's HTC Thunderbolt 4G), eRearders such as the Barnes and Noble Nookcolor, and standalone media players. A feature included with all Android devices is access to downloadable apps via Android Market. According to androidlib.com, there are over 250,000 apps available for download to Android devices. The Atrix is a smartphone, slated for release in late-February 2011, is a device that Motorola claims has the power of a full-size laptop in the convenience of a smartphone. It will be one of the first smartphones to be powered by a dual core processor and run the Android OS. The feature that will set it apart from other smartphones will be the ability for the user to dock the device with a screen/keyboard combination that gives it the functionality of a laptop. The Atrix will be offered on AT&T's wireless network with fast, 4g speed, while similar devices are scheduled to be released, including the Motorola Droid Bionic for Verizon Wireless. If effective and successful, these types of devices could bridge the gap between smartphones and laptops, essentially with one device.
| Google: Android devices | Convergence | Consumerism | Interactivity | |||
| Access | X | Choice | X | Individualism | X | |
| Utility | X | Convenience | X | Control | X | |
| Fair Value | | Performance | X | Security | | |
Apple
There is very little evidence that Apple, along with its flagship devices—the iPhone and iPad are going anywhere. In fact, most consumers still look at Apple as the company that has set the benchmark that all others are still trying to reach when it comes to mobile devices. This is evident by the record-breaking sales related to the Apple iPhone, which has become an annual event for the newer, upgraded version; and the iPad which reports say Apple has sold 15 million units in only 9 months.
Recently reports from Nielsen Ratings indicate that Google's Android OS had the most adopters throughout 2010 which was up to 40.8%, while Apple's adopters slightly increased to 26.9% and Blackberry's users dropped to 19.2%. This could be attributed to the explosion of Android devices that flooded the market from numerous manufacturers. The same research showed, though, that in the 4th quarter of 2010, Apple, Blackberry, and Android were nearly equal in terms of market share for smartphone users with 28.6%, 26.1%, and 25.8%, respectively. Basically, even with the market being saturated with numerous Android devices being built by nearly manufacturer, Apple still held the top spot with, essentially, only one device.
Apple has established itself as a consumer-favorite with a long line of dependable, user-friendly portable devices starting with the iPod in 2001. This trend, though, is what makes Apple, as well as other mobile-device manufacturers, incapable of creating a device with consistent fair value. Like clockwork, consumers have come to expect an annual Steve Jobs-led keynote address from Cupertino that announces a new version of the iPhone and operating system. Knowing this, though, may have been the cause of underwhelming sales of Verizon's recently released version of the iPhone. It broke sales-records for the company, but was nowhere near the volumes sold by AT&T in past years. Many consumers may anticipate a new version coming in only a short six months, deciding to hold off on the iPhone 4 for Verizon.
| Apple: iOS devices | Convergence | Consumerism | Interactivity | |||
| Access | X | Choice | | Individualism | | |
| Utility | X | Convenience | X | Control | X | |
| Fair Value | | Performance | X | Security | | |
Recommendation
Based on the consumer-value model, all three manufacturers offer solid devices that meet most needs. Ubiquity is achieved essentially by most of the mobile devices because of their hardware allowing them to be used wherever and whenever mobile 3G/4G service and/or Wi-Fi locations are available. Motorola's concept of making a smartphone as "powerful" as a laptop/tablet has potential to change consumers' needs for full-size devices. If a person can carry the "core" of their device in their pockets and also have the option of docking it with a larger screen to view documents or movies, for example, the need to also have a laptop or tablet would essentially be reduced.
With devices being able to meet the majority of consumers' needs, Fair Value and Security are two areas that seem to have sacrificed in the name of convenience and device-evolution. Recommendations for the clients named in the assignment—corporate, finance, medical, communication—come based on the devices that offer the most utility. Apple's iOS that is available on the iPhone, iPad and other mobile devices offers more apps and uses than the other two mentioned operating systems. Google is making a formidable push to offer numerous devices from different manufacturers and service providers that run a capable, open-source operating system, but numbers show that consumers still prefer Apple. HP, although has been amongst the leaders in desktop and laptop sales, is still in its infant stages in developing competitive devices to Apple and Google. Recently, Apple's App Store reached over 350,000 iOS compatible apps. If there is a need, Apple meets it. If there isn't an app for something, there, more than likely, will be. Financial calculators, medical-based apps, bar-exam-prep tools, medical dictionaries, VoIP providers, social media apps, tax-assistants, stock-monitors, full-voice broadcast apps, and more are available at a few touches of a consumer's finger, and many at no-cost. Exceptions include several from AppCraver.com and the list of the most expensive iOS apps of 2010: BarMax CA and BarMax NY-$999, MyAccountsToGo SAP BusinessOne-$449, and Luci Live-$399. Although pricey, these apps confirm the capabilities of Apple's iOS devices and can be of use to professionals in almost any accupation. Apple almost can't make it more simple or convenient for consumers. With the push that Google has made over the past year, 2011 may prove to be different for mobile devices, but with Apple's rumored upcoming iPad 2, and 4G iPhone models, it won't be easy for any manufacturer to win the mobile tech-wars.
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