It's been a bittersweet week for the two biggest hitters in the mobile communications world. First, Time Magazine named Google Glass as one of the "Inventions of Year" only to have Google Now take the crown as "Innovation of the Year" in Popular Science. Then, as USA Today reports, Apple has been taking a beating on Wall Street for it's perceived "over-expectations." Regardless of the good press Google has seen lately and Apple's economic drop as of late, it cannot be argued that, as far as mobile communications go, this is a two-horse race right now. Hell, it's a one-horse race in China, but never-mind that for now.
Oh Yeah, Blackberry, I Remember Them
Enter Thorsten Heins, who believes that RIM's Blackberry 10 offering (whenever that may come) will "have a clear shot at being the number three platform on the market." Blackberry's precipitous fall has been well-chronicled, however, many smartphones users today (if they're old enough) probably owned at least one Blackberry, so a comeback by the Canadian OEM wouldn't take place in territory that is totally alien.
WP8? Never Heard of It
That said, Steve Ballmer made waves this week with more of his crazy-pants talk about how Microsoft's Windows Phone would truly become the third wheel that RIM wants to be.
Ballmer called the Android ecosystem “wild,” “uncontrolled” and susceptible to malware.He called the Apple ecosystem “high-priced” and “highly controlled,” further noticing that iPhones cost upwards of $1,000 internationally.
He truly believes that Microsoft can wedge itself between the two to be successful with diversity and organization. As Ballmer describes Windows 8, Surface and Phone, he says that the products have been done right and the company is working very closely with developers, unlike his counterparts at Apple and Google.
- TechCrunch
With the Surface tablet, rumors that Microsoft may be making its own phone, and the big wager that Nokia has made with WP OS, Microsoft has shown the public that they have become heavily invested in this endeavor to be the third pretties girl at the prom.
This Week's Question
With two tech "Davids" taking on the "Goliaths" that Apple and Google's Android have become in their respective ecosystem, this week's FBQ is clear. Is there really any room for a third party? If so, is WP8 the answer or Blackberry 10? Could you see yourself ever ditching Android for either? Why/why not?
Hit us up, and Happy Friday!
