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selinz
One thing for sure is that this latest crop of processors in smart phones are ...
InnocentEdward
You also can make iPhone a WiFi hotspot. Just download Cydia and Rock's MyWi app ...
Apple to take bite out of Moto
Mark LaPedus
9/7/2010 9:36 PM EDT
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- After years' of red ink and lost share, Motorola Inc.'s handset unit is making a comeback.
Motorola's Android-based handset line, dubbed Droid X, is apparently a big hit at Verizon. But in early-2011, Apple Inc. is expected to launch a new iPhone for Verizon. Right now, the iPhone is only available at rival AT&T.
What will be the impact? Gleacher & Co. analyst Brian Marshall believes the iPhone will launch at Verizon in the first quarter of 2011 and estimates ''11.5 million units for the year.''
In total, Verizon will ship 21 million smartphones in calendar 2010, growing to 32 million plus in calendar 2011, ''thus the iPhone could remove any growth for the rest of the Verizon vendors,'' said analyst Mark McKechnie of Gleacher & Co., in a new report.
''We estimate Motorla will ship about 6.2 million to Verizon of a total of 14 million Android units in calendar '10,'' he said. ''With Verizon being Motorola's top Android customer, Apple will clearly have an impact, but our high-level analysis suggests this can be offset by growth at other U.S. and international carriers, including China, where Motorola recently launched three new phones.''
Motorola's Android units to non-Verizon U.S. carriers is expected to grow from 2.5 million units in 2010 to 5.5 million in 2011, he said.
Motorola's Android-based handset line, dubbed Droid X, is apparently a big hit at Verizon. But in early-2011, Apple Inc. is expected to launch a new iPhone for Verizon. Right now, the iPhone is only available at rival AT&T.
What will be the impact? Gleacher & Co. analyst Brian Marshall believes the iPhone will launch at Verizon in the first quarter of 2011 and estimates ''11.5 million units for the year.''
In total, Verizon will ship 21 million smartphones in calendar 2010, growing to 32 million plus in calendar 2011, ''thus the iPhone could remove any growth for the rest of the Verizon vendors,'' said analyst Mark McKechnie of Gleacher & Co., in a new report.
''We estimate Motorla will ship about 6.2 million to Verizon of a total of 14 million Android units in calendar '10,'' he said. ''With Verizon being Motorola's top Android customer, Apple will clearly have an impact, but our high-level analysis suggests this can be offset by growth at other U.S. and international carriers, including China, where Motorola recently launched three new phones.''
Motorola's Android units to non-Verizon U.S. carriers is expected to grow from 2.5 million units in 2010 to 5.5 million in 2011, he said.
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chanj
9/7/2010 10:04 PM EDT
I am glad to see the comeback of Moto. Droid X is indeed a good phone. There are a couple of other models selling in Asia and Europe. They are all using Android OS. I am thinking what else Moto can do to come back to where it was; or, at least, become one of the top 3 mobile phone suppliers in the world.
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Rick Merritt
9/8/2010 12:43 AM EDT
Apple has been rumored to be on the verge of shipping an iPhone on Verizon's network for about a year. I'll believe it when I see it.
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eewiz
9/8/2010 12:49 AM EDT
I think motorola needs to seriously look into Asia/Europe GSM/3G market. Currently they releases top end android phones 6-8 months late in Asia market and supplies second grade firmware and with no updates. The US version handset OS/FW is regularly updated while the non US versions are ignored. I am glad that iPhone is coming to verizon.
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Kiran_NSN
9/8/2010 4:39 AM EDT
The analysis hits it right. If Verizon starts selling iphones then definitely many customers will chose Apple over Motorola. The only way Motorola could come back with in US is to make a special version for the US market and should be really cost competitive with iphone. Outside USA Motorola should improve their sales team and increase their share in the global market. I feel Motorola needs to invest big to get more sales guys so that they can come back and stand solid in the future.
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Frank Eory
9/8/2010 3:48 PM EDT
Like Rick said, I'll believe it when I see it. Meanwhile, the Droid X is selling faster than Motorola can make them, and Verizon customers are discovering that it is a superior hardware platform to the iPhone they've all been waiting for, that Android is a great mobile OS, and that the Google market has all of the most popular apps that the iTunes store has.
Yes, the iPhone will make a dent in Android phones when it finally comes to Verizon. But by then, perhaps 20 million Verizon customers who were unwilling to wait for Apple will have discovered that the Android phones are a very nice substitute for the iPhone.
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Luis Sanchez
9/8/2010 5:00 PM EDT
I haven't seen the Android latest version. How about the graphic's rendering and dynamics? has it come up to the iPhone's height?
What about the apps supply chain? does the android market guarantee "no piracy" to the app developers as apple does with the app Store and the iPhone does?
Don't forget iTunes... What's the Droid counterpart or iTunes?
The iPhone isn't just a mobile phone... is a whole market scheme!
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KB3001
9/8/2010 8:16 PM EDT
I agree with Kiran_NSN, Motorola will certainly try to counter this move by competing on cost (great news for Verizon customers) as well as expanding worldwide, something they have somewhat ignored so far.
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goafrit
9/9/2010 2:59 PM EDT
Verizon wins and Motorola loses margins. That will hurt a company that needs any help it can get now. I think Apple will win any competition because of the brand. My pity is the poor AT&T when Iphone goes to Verizon.
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bboyle
9/10/2010 12:02 AM EDT
Personally, I think the Android will do a lot better vs. the iPhone than you think. Several factors here. 1. You can tether an Android phone or make it a WiFi hotspot if it runs Froyo, Android 2.2. 2. There are more free apps in the Android Market than are in the iPhone market. 3. You aren't paying the Apple Tax.
FWIW, I own two Nexus One smart phones. My wife has an Apple 3GS phone (has had an iPhone since they came out) and loves it, but it can't do half what my N1 can. JMHO... :-)
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dspSurfGuy
9/10/2010 10:58 AM EDT
bboyle, 1. Free WiFi hotspots are found almost everywhere thesedays. I'm not sure whether internet tethering is actually a useful feature - infact I dont know a single android user who seriously uses tethering apart from just 'trying it out'.
2. Quality versus quantity. There isn't a strict vetting process for Andriod apps.
3. You have iTunes though!
Just out of curiosity what are the things that make your N1 phone twice more capable than the iPhone?
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InnocentEdward
9/10/2010 12:36 PM EDT
You also can make iPhone a WiFi hotspot. Just download Cydia and Rock's MyWi app and voila. So, all smart phones these days can do that. But I agree, Verizon bringing iPhone is a game changer.
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Ray2010
9/10/2010 1:57 AM EDT
I worked for Motorola. If Motorola wnats to come back, it needs a major change and restruturing. The Moto culture sucks, the quality of work in Moto is very poor. The people in Motorola are not very smart as compare to the other companies like Apple.
They are not open to innovation, the hiring standard is very low, the managers are technically weak and they don't want to hire strong people. The people don't work hard, if you work hard your work is not evaluated and there is no performance evaluation. Also, the culture is very political and the people ang groups don't share works.
This is why companies like Apple, Qualcomm and .. succeed but Moto is going down.
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stu02465
9/10/2010 7:31 AM EDT
If this does happen, it will no doubt boost iPhone sales. But Moto has more to worry about in the Verizon/Android space than Apple .. namely LG and HTC. Both have great Android offerings
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selinz
9/13/2010 1:35 PM EDT
One thing for sure is that this latest crop of processors in smart phones are very responsive. I played with a WinMo 6.5 and an Android 2.2 recently and was quite impressed with both. My friends with Iphones (including latest) have the same issues with battery life as some of the other people are complaining about. In all cases, you just turn off whatever features you really aren't using at the moment and all can be made acceptable.
It's my understanding that when the new WinMo comes out, Moto will have a cadre of phones supporting this. This would be wise for Moto, IMHO.
Sounds like Ray2010 may have been one of the recent victims of Moto's downsizing. Bottom line is that making money hand over fist has the effect of improving corporate culture. Let's hope Moto can continue in that mode...
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