Samsung vs Google: A New War in Mobile?

shiverz

shiverz

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It appears that the long standing marriage between Samsung and Google may be coming to an end. According to Forbes, the Galaxy line creators will allow its users to download a beta version of Nokia Here Maps in October 2014, when the rounded Samsung Galaxy Gear S hits store shelves, and this might be the beginning of the end for Google’s OS on Samsung devices.

Samsung is pushing hard to replace Android with Tizen, their own, Linux-based operating system, which is as much Google-free as only possible. The adoption of Here Maps is the cherry on top of this rather turbulent relationship. It’s obvious that the whole story between the two companies is about money. Google is pushing OEMs to use its own sets of instructions regarding applications, and its really hard to imagine a situation where a Samsung, Sony, or any other phone is sold without Gmail, Chrome, or Hangouts present. To access Google Services, OEMs must create their own firmware with Google’s influence. The position of Google Search, Gmail, Hangouts is fixed, so companies like Samsung can’t move them. What hurts Samsung the most is not being able to put on their own search engine, ads, and other commercial software–and we know how much OEMs love bloatware.

A few weeks ago, Amazon released their very first smartphone, the Fire Phone. FireOS is nothing more than a skinned Android 4.0.3 without Google services. AOSP is a great thing and we all know how many things can be done with its source code. Good things. The majority of ROMs we see here on XDA are built from source, and some corporations have decided to do the same thing. Google may be a victim of their own strategy, but to be honest, it will never happen. Google is simply too big, too powerful, too greedy, and has the best managers in the world to fall into oblivion and leave the field for other companies.

This leads us to another question: What will happen with Samsung and other OEMs that try to release themselves from Mountain View’s clutches? An answer seems to be interesting. CNN reported that Xiaomi overtook the Samsung’s position in China, the biggest mobile market in the world. This fact may lead to conclusion that Samsung is slowly losing its position as a mobile world leader. We already see devices from OEMs like Oppo, OnePlus, and other Asian OEMs that play a fair game (*knock, knock Mediatek…*) and find many thousands of buyers. It’s only a matter of time to find these devices in carrier deals–not just in North America, but also other continents. Samsung might be forced to reduce the price of their devices or simply look for another sector of the market to make big money. Leaving Android to Tizen is a reflection of the bad situation the OEM is currently in.

Tizen is a good OS for smartwatches, maybe even better than Android Wear, because it doesn’t require so much energy. Samsung has been working hard to push the Samsung Z, the first Tizen-based phone, to the Russian market. The company didn’t manage to make it yet and we are seeing pretty much the same Bada OS story in new guise. Tizen is much more user friendly than Bada, but this OS is not a threat to Android in any kind. Android will remain as a major force in mobile ecosystem for a long time, because Google will do everything to keep their OS on top.

HTC is having the same problem, as they decided to focus only on premium devices by abandoning the low-end device market. This could also be considered a mistake, because despite their lower profit margin, cheap devices can be sold by the millions. Look what Sony did with Xperia X8 or LG with their L3 models. Samsung is putting too much attention on premium devices, while the Asian market is getting some cheaper alternatives from rising competitors.

It remains unknown whether the decision of pushing the Nokia Maps to Android is a good or a bad move. Google may feel threatened and exclude Samsung from its other programs. But overall, this is simply a shame, because the Samsung Galaxy Nexus was a decent device.
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Source: XDA
 
This will come back to bite Samsung hard in the ass + cause irreparable damage to their phone division.

Can't see myself ever buying a Samsung phone with Tizen on it, but rather a HTC, Moto, LG or Sony with Android on it.

Samsung is busy shutting down all the "Samsung Hub" services they offered with the Galaxy phones and tablets, which must tell you something about Samsung's success when going on their own.

I really hope sense will prevail and they will sort out their differences with Google.
 
I have a feeling that Samsung will lose half their customers overnight if they ditch Android.Why dump a operating system that millions of people are familiar with for one nobody knows,and the Android appstore is mature with a million apps.
 
jacques is hier said:
I have a feeling that Samsung will lose half their customers overnight if they ditch Android.Why dump a operating system that millions of people are familiar with for one nobody knows,and the Android appstore is mature with a million apps.
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More than half. What was Samsung in the mobile industry before galaxy?
They make/made windows phones (Ativ) but can't compare sales figures to Galaxy range.
 
jacques is hier said:
I have a feeling that Samsung will lose half their customers overnight if they ditch Android.Why dump a operating system that millions of people are familiar with for one nobody knows,and the Android appstore is mature with a million apps.
Click to expand...

Lots of people I know, does not know what operating system their phone use.
 
Robertvv said:
Lots of people I know, does not know what operating system their phone use.
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Yeah they just get the S5 to say they got the S5 now. I know a guy who got an S4 as soon as it was released. It must be like 1.5 years on his contract now. Stock home screen. Absolutly Untouched.
 
Robertvv said:
Lots of people I know, does not know what operating system their phone use.
Click to expand...

No they dont, but they buy phones based on what other people tell them. I & many others would not recommend a Tizen phone right now.
 
I own a Tizen watch and quite like it :)

Anyway, My personal issue with changing os is quite simple, couple of Hundred bucks worth of apps and the possibility that the apps I want won't be available.

But I am not OS loyal, never have been and never will be.
Whatever works best for my needs is what I will go for. Currently that is Android, in the future? who knows.

Remember how loyal we all once were to Nokia, BB?
How many of you were die hard Symbian fanboys at one stage or another?
 
This is such utter crap.

In January this year Samsung and Google signed a 10year agreement.

SEOUL— Samsung Electronics Co. 005930.SE -0.74% and Google Inc. GOOG +0.62% signed a broad cross-licensing deal on technology patents, strengthening an existing alliance as they try to fend off stiff competition in the market from rivals such as Apple Inc. AAPL -0.62%

Samsung and Google, which are closely allied as the primary backers of the dominant Android mobile operating system, declined to disclose financial terms of the deal, which covers the two companies' existing patents, as well as those filed over the next 10 years. However, the agreement doesn't transfer ownership of patents, and as a consequence won't allow Samsung to use Google's patents to defend itself in litigation with other companies such as Apple.
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Source

Don't believe everything you read. That's my opinion.
 
AstroTurf said:
I own a Tizen watch and quite like it :)

Anyway, My personal issue with changing os is quite simple, couple of Hundred bucks worth of apps and the possibility that the apps I want won't be available.

But I am not OS loyal, never have been and never will be.
Whatever works best for my needs is what I will go for. Currently that is Android, in the future? who knows.

Remember how loyal we all once were to Nokia, BB?
How many of you were die hard Symbian fanboys at one stage or another?
Click to expand...

Exactly the same. I might seem like the biggest DroidFan, but I once owned an iPhone, and told everyone that it was the best thing since sliced bread. Back then, it was. Things change. If someone overtakes Android with a better OS, I'll happily leave Android behind and move forward.
 
Can't believe that XDA would post such a crap article. Oh well.

While Samsung may be promoting more Tizen products (as they should, or they spent the money on it for nothing, and can't remain beholden to Google forever) and lessening their presence in the Android space, it just means that the other OEMs can obtain a greater foothold into the market. I'm pretty tired of Samsung dominating sales.
 
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