Android is definitely moving into the mobile market place and achieving a dominant position that no one really expected. Android was expected to do well, but the way it has been embraced by nearly every cell phone manufacturer out there is something that no one could have predicted.
In retrospect the reason for Android’s success is rather easy to understand. Because Android is open source it makes it easy for anyone to make minor tweaks to it to give their device an identity while still enabling it to be compatible with Android apps and other mobile devices.
Until Android came along every manufacturer had to create their own operating system and this created issues with what those cell phones could do. Android freed manufacturers from those limitations and has given life to a new boom in technology.
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Already Owns Half of Mobile Market
Just how far will Android go? This is the question that everyone is asking. Currently Android has moved to take over half the mobile market and doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.
It is totally conceivable that by 2015 Android will indeed control over 80% of the mobile market which is a staggering number to begin with. Once you add in the fact that there is a rapidly growing number of smart phone users, it is easy to see that Android may be one of the biggest events since the assembly line.
Why Can Android Dominate so Quickly?
But what is it about Android that has allowed it to dominate the mobile market so quickly? Well, the answer lies in one simple fact, open source software.
Open source software: This is kind of like free software that anyone can use. Not only can anyone use this source software but they can make changes to it in any way they want.
- This means that no matter who is manufacturing a phone they have an operating system that they can get relatively cheaply, make the changes they want to give their product a unique identity, then release it out to the public.
- Once the public gets a hold of the phone then they can use that same open source software to download and create apps that perform about every function imaginable.
- While there is no doubt that open source software is a large part of the reason for Android’s success, another big part of it is apps.
Small programs: Android apps are small programs you can download and install on your phone. The programs can be games, word processing programs, or about anything else.
User Community: While apps are a part of any smart phone, the reason they drive Android is because of the user community behind them. Almost anyone who has a little time on their hands and the willingness to learn can create an app and put it up on any number of app marketplaces.
Once an app is available for download, chances are at least a few people will check it out. That is the genius behind Android
Android Marketplace is Growing
Because almost anyone can potentially develop the next big app, users from all over the world are getting into the Android marketplace. While there are a lot of app developers out there, what makes Android run isn’t the fact it is easy to make apps for, it is the community behind the apps.
Developers talk to one another about what they are doing and about problems they are having. When one developer gets stumped he turns to another and they work together to find a way past the problem. This in turn creates a community, and it is that community that is behind Android.
This community is growing very quickly with people from all walks of life jumping in to be part of what Android has to offer.
Android Community is Growing
Android is growing and the community behind it is growing as well. Moms, Dads, sons, daughters, they are all joining together to create apps and explore the capabilities of Android. While there are some natural limits on technology, these people are pushing those limits further and further away.
The Android started as just another smart phone but because of its user community it is now able to do more and do everything better than any other smart phone on the mobile market today. Because people are constantly working towards new and innovating apps that improve the Android in some way. Manufacturers don’t have to spend billions of dollars in research and these savings are passed onto the customer making it very affordable for almost anyone to get an Android no matter what their budget.
While no one is giving away Androids smart phones for free they are not unbelievably expensive either.
There is no doubt that Android has what it takes to make to the eighty percent mark in the next two years. It is the right product, at the right time, and definitely has the right people. While some people might scoff and say that Android is a fad that will burn out soon, what they fail to recognize is that Android will always stay relevant as long as there is a user community behind it.
Android has revolutionized not only the smart phone industry, but every business in the world can take a page from this time in history and learn from it. Where so many businesses look at people as a problem, Android embraces them with open arms and gives them a sense of place.
In return those people support the products and this enriches everyone. This isn’t a hard model to follow but so many people let greed stop them from making it happen. Open source is the way of the future, you can’t stop it, and Android is only the first step. Android is going to change the way everyone does business, it is going to change the way we live our lives, it is going to change almost everything.
Android isn’t going to do this just because it is one person, or a small group of people, Android is going to do this because Android is everyone, you can make faces and roll your eyes all you want but go take a look outside and see what people are doing. It won’t take long before you see someone using an Android smart phone.