Android 2.2s Role in Googles Success
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5. It will transition customers to Android 3.0
Android 2.2 will eventually give way to Android 3.0. When that
happens, Google will want to make sure that consumers are excited to see what
the next version of the mobile OS will offer. That can only happen if Android
2.2 is well-liked by those customers. Android 2.2 is certainly not the last
mobile OS version Google will release. But it will be the gateway to an
entirely new version of the software. And its success will have a direct impact
on the success of Android 3.0.
6. Consumers are being pushed in that direction
As HTC Droid Incredible
owners know, more and more vendors are trying to get Android 2.2 to their
customers. This is, in part, because it's a better operating system than is
Android 2.1. But it's also because it's the next logical step for Android
customers. However, when users are pushed in a direction, they expect a certain
level of value. It will be interesting to see if the majority of Android
customers (who currently aren't running Android 2.2) will see value in Google's
latest OS when they are offered it.
7. The old stuff doesn't work
Android 1.5 and Android 1.6 might have been fine at one time,
but, today, they
are hobbled operating systems that deliver little value to customers. And
the longer they sit on a user's phone, the harder it will be for Google to get
folks to move to Android 2.2. It's just as important for customers to get to
Android 2.2 as it is for them to like it.
8. It's the go-to OS for future devices
Going forward, several tablets and smartphones running Android
2.2 will be making their way to the market. As Google transitions its customer
base to its new operating system, those folks will decide if they really like
it or not. If they do, they will tell friends, who might be more likely to pick
up one of those new devices. But if they're not satisfied, they might tell
others to opt for something else. Google's success today with Android 2.2 will
determine the success of future Android-based phones running the software version.
9. BlackBerry OS 6 is just fine for companies
Android 2.2 is being billed as the most corporate-friendly
version of Android OS in years. That might be true. But it still has a long way
to go if Google wants to see it take on the BlackBerry in the enterprise.
However, that doesn't mean that the corporate world isn't important. In fact,
it could help Android become even more successful. Google needs to start
marketing Android 2.2 to the enterprise. It won't help it beat the BlackBerry,
but it should help sales considerably.
10. Sales will dictate success
Android
2.2 smartphone sales will determine the future success of Google's mobile
operating system. Although some folks are excited about Google beating
Apple, Android 2.2 has yet to get into the hands of the vast majority of
current customers. Once that happens, the industry will get a better
understanding of what consumers like and don't like. Then device sales will
either increase as consumers find value in the OS, or they will decrease, as
consumers find issues with it. In the end, hardware sales will determine the
success or failure of Android. And, for now, Android 2.2 will be the key to
whether or not consumers choose an Android vendor's product or something else-like
something from Apple.
