Comments on: Android Ecosystem — This Week in Android

By: Ratnok

Ratnok — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 13:54:04 +0000

You guys seem to forget that the Droid on Verizon is a result of iPhone envy, and last year Verizon conned many of their own subscribers to buy into the Blackberry Storm 1 hype. Hey, I almost bought into it myself, but refused to pay the absurd data costs that Verizon customers have to bear. So you have a couple million Crapberry Storm customers locked into 2 year contracts that even though they realize that the Droid is a far better phone, won’t pay full price for it, are distrusting of Verizon after buying/testing the buggy Storm, and are waiting until their contract ends to see the winner of the Android Wars. Let’s not forget that the Droid Eris launched at the same time, is an incredible smartphone, and is priced $100 cheapr. The Blackberry Storm 2 is out as well, which again, serves the same potential touchscreen smartphone customer base. The Pre was launched on Sprint with no competition. Since then, the Android Hero has been outselling the Pre. It’s easy for phones like Storm 1, Pre, and even the original Android G1 (which broke records at T-Mobile)to sell strongly when there’s no competition.

By: Tenounce

Tenounce — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:25:52 +0000

the Droid launch reminds me of a rapper “dropping” an album & everyone expects it to go 1x platinum the 1st week. but when the numbers come out & it only sales 1/4 that everyone is stunned.

while the Pre/Droid launch might be considered successful because they are the only smartphones able to sales hundreds-of-thousands at launch. i think VZW had much much higher hopes for the Droid. theres no way they expected a smaller company (Palm), smaller network (Sprint) to perform nearly the same if not better…

besides the iPhone, i doubt we will ever see blockbuster launches (100,000+ 1st week) like the Pre/Droid again. the market is getting ready to become HEAVILY saturated with smartphones. this was VZW 1st & only coming out party, they should have done much better.

oh by the way, HTC Hero is absolutely flopping on Sprint. thought it was suppose to be the new Flagship after Pre? it will be interesting to see the Eris numbers…

By: autobahn

autobahn — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:29:44 +0000

BluLeth,

I think the difference is that Palm has many followers and generally only one new device out at a time while the Driod phone if just one of many new, cool android phones. And, you can get Android phones on different carriers so if someone was really hot for one they could switch carriers.

By: BluLeth

BluLeth — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:46:08 +0000

its funny how Palm moved over 350,000 units in less than 2 weeks while Droid has moved even less, has 2x the network size, had a HUGE ad campaign.

yet the Palm launch was considered a flop & Droid is a “smash success”? i think this is a big part of why the general public doesnt take news seriously & bloggers even less seriously. every news organization forms different opinions in order to fit their own agenda (whos your friends, wheres your paycheck come from, whos your advertisers, favors, personal bias, etc).

personally, ive always felt the Palm launch was ho-hum, but the Droid launch is an absolute flop. considering everything it had going for it, namebrand Google/VZW, network size, ad campaign, there is NO way VZW execs are very happy right now. i guarantee you they expected a 1m+ launch opening week but didnt expect to overthrow Apples 1.6m. they have to be choking on that 250,000 number right now.