3 things Google needs to fix for Android to catch up to iOS - ZDNet

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There's nary mistaking that Android is the ascendant planetary mobile OS. With a 71.72% marketplace stock crossed the world, it doesn't look similar iOS volition ever overtake Google's OS. However, if you look astatine definite markets (specifically the US and Japan), iOS dominates.

What's the deal?

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Well, Android's planetary domination is made imaginable due to the fact that of countries similar India, which person monolithic populations that cannot spend the much costly iOS devices. 

Because Android devices tin beryllium made and sold cheaply, specified populations truly person nary different prime than to spell with Google's mobile OS.

But wherefore does iOS predominate countries similar Japan and the United States? Given the numbers, 1 would deliberation the desktop operating strategy would play a ample relation successful that. However, MacOS lone holds a 14.66% marketplace stock worldwide and lone a 26.92% marketplace stock successful the US.

Clearly, desktop operating strategy usage doesn't dictate mobile operating strategy usage.

So, what gives? Why can't Android summation overmuch much of a foothold successful wealthier countries?

I person a fewer ideas connected this taxable I'd similar to share.

Let's spell for a ride.

It starts with the ecosystem

One happening that Apple does amended than anyone other is its ecosystem. Sure, Google wants you to deliberation it has the champion ecosystem connected the planet, what with Android's choky integration into Google Workspace. But that's not the ecosystem I'm talking about.

Everyone has a unreality option, truthful Google can't truly involvement the assertion that Android is peculiar due to the fact that of Google Drive, Photos, Docs, Gmail, etc.

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The ecosystem to which I americium referring is much astir instrumentality interconnectivity. When you usage an iOS device, it seamlessly integrates with your MacOS devices and your WatchOS devices. That integration is overmuch much important than Google thinks. 

Consider this: Just syncing an Android instrumentality with a desktop is not lone much analyzable than the mean idiosyncratic wants to fuss with, but the integration is besides minimal astatine best. And arsenic acold arsenic the Android telephone and ticker integration… you amended person an app installed connected your telephone oregon it's not going to happen. 

Also: How to nexus and sync your Android telephone with Windows 11 

Here's an example. Prior to buying a Pixel Watch, I had a Samsung smartwatch. To summation immoderate level of integration with my phone, I had to instal 2 antithetic applications: Samsung Health and Galaxy Wearable. With those apps installed, I could way fitness, judge telephone calls, person notifications, and more. Without those apps? Nothing. 

The aforesaid happening holds existent with the Pixel Watch. To get a akin level of integration, I had to instal the Fitbit app. Even then, the integration wasn't astir what you'll find betwixt an iPhone and Apple Watch. What's adjacent much maddening is that my Pixel Watch is paired with a Pixel phone. You would deliberation that integration would beryllium built in… but no. 

To get immoderate benignant of integration with my desktop, I person to spell done the hoops of installing third-party software. And conscionable due to the fact that Linux is my OS of prime doesn't matter. It's the aforesaid if you usage Windows oregon MacOS. 

Review: Google Pixel Watch: Not the Apple Watch of Android (yet)

Android simply isn't built to integrate good with desktop operating systems and is hardly susceptible of integrating with wearables without installing much apps. Even integrating an Android telephone with a Chromebook is awkward astatine best. Google needs to hole this with the pursuing solutions:

• Create an authoritative desktop app that is easy installed connected each operating systems.
• Make Pixel Watch and telephone integration built-in and complete.
• Bake successful different fashionable wearable instrumentality enactment (such arsenic Samsung watches) into Android.
• Ensure Android tablets seamlessly integrate with Android phones and wearables.
• Improve integration with IoT devices.

That's a sizeable to-do list, but it's besides 1 that should person been taken attraction of a long, agelong clip ago. Because of this hesitation, Android is mode down iOS successful the realm of ecosystems.

Innovate amended and faster

Here's the thing: The Pixel 7 telephone is superb but it's taken 7 iterations to get there. Google's archetypal Pixel instrumentality should person been much similar the seventh. Unfortunately, Google doesn't look to recognize that consumers successful wealthier countries similar the US and (especially Japan) spot big, bold, and accelerated innovation arsenic the cardinal to success. Where Apple makes unthinkable strides and does with precise evident innovation, astir of Google's biggest steps guardant are recovered nether the hood. 

Also: Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro hands-on: The commencement of Google's walled garden

Take, for instance, the Pixel 6 Pro. That instrumentality introduced the Tensor chip. Although it was an important measurement forward, bash you truly deliberation the mean user cared astir specified a thing? On the different broadside of the coin, Apple introduces AirTags and consumers spell crazy. 

Google introduces a caller and improved camera with the Pixel 7 that takes unthinkable photos, yet it can't look to summation the traction Apple has acknowledgment to the fig of filmmakers creating with iPhones. That, my friends, speaks volumes. The cred iPhones person from well-established filmmakers creating connected Apple devices not lone makes consumers judge they tin bash the same, but it's besides a superb selling strategy.

Another innovation that Apple volition astir apt usage to crush Google is the foldable device. Personally, I spot precise small worth successful a instrumentality that has a surface that volition astir apt crease implicit clip but consumers privation this benignant of innovation. And it looks arsenic though Google is acceptable to denote the Pixel Fold, and Apple is rumored to beryllium heading successful the aforesaid direction.

Also: 5 ways AirTags tin simplify your life 

You tin stake that Apple volition triumph this contention to the fold. And fixed its way grounds with hardware, the iPhone Flip (or immoderate it volition beryllium called) volition astir apt beryllium superior to the Pixel Fold. And remember, Google isn't each that large astatine archetypal iterations. The archetypal Pixel telephone wasn't astir what it should person been. And though the Pixel Watch is simply a beauteous decent archetypal release, it's inactive airy years down the Apple Watch.

Marketing

I'll extremity with this. Few companies connected the satellite are amended astatine selling than Apple. And fewer planetary companies are arsenic atrocious astatine selling arsenic Google. If you person immoderate uncertainty astir this, ticker the latest iPhone commercial and comparison it to the latest Pixel Phone commercial. One of those commercials has immense user entreaty and the different falls level connected its face. 

Also: The 5 champion iPhone models 

Google is conscionable not bully astatine this game. The lone clip Google ever had a decent Pixel Phone advertisement was for the Pixel 2. All of a sudden, Google looked cool. That didn't past long. All the while, each iPhone commercialized looks arsenic though it was created by a brilliant, originative Hollywood manager with a monolithic budget.

If Android is ever to drawback up to iPhone successful wealthier markets, it's going to person to up its selling crippled to beryllium connected par with Apple. I bash not foretell that happening immoderate clip soon.