My friends Andy Rubin and Rich Miner created Android with a single mission : to create an open mobile phone.
They were acquired back in 2005 by google. Consider what the mobile world looked like in 2005. In a nutshell it was lame.
Now thanks to Android and iPhone we see a tremendous growth and innovation in devices, applications and mobile services.
im forever grateful to apple for having the will and courage to stand up to the carriers and protect their relationship with the user. You can’t serve two masters. It’s clear where Apple stood in that equation.
android has delivered their end of the deal as well. They provide a platform that ranges from cheap pre-paid phones all the way things like the Kindle Fire. Fucking fantastic.
But the carriers aren’t happy. I wish they would remember what life was like before Android and iOS. There wasn’t a compelling reason to sign for 3G data plans for most consumers in those days
This morning I read that Verizon is blocking Google Wallet.
http://blogs.computerworld.com/19381/verizon_galaxy_nexus_google_wallet
If it’s true it’s a mistake.
It’s using the power of openness and then contaminating it. If Verizon will block Google Wallet does that mean they will block Square or other mobile payment apps ?
carriers have forever said that they don’t want to be relegated to “dumb pipe” status. I can appreciate that. But then they should take the challenge and create compelling apps and put them in the store.
(please excuse lack of links and typos. wrote this on my phone)