Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp • Hacker News Board

Re: Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp

#61

Post by bitmapbrother » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 7:50 AM UTC

PierceJoy wrote: post #58

ariwilson wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For a contrasting perspective, I went Android to iPhone and I can say it sent me running back to Pixel as fast as I could for basic usability.

Funny, I've never had a problem using my iPhone. Care to elaborate?

The long list of iOS 11 bugs and performance issues probably has something to do with it. I mean, it's just getting ridiculous now[1].

[1]https://youtu.be/61XqTT6xea4?t=45s

Re: Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp

#62

Post by Yetanfou » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 7:52 AM UTC

scriptingnerd wrote: post #6

Apple comes across as people friendly, a hardware company who provides a tangible, usable set of products. Google comes across as what they are, an ad company with a semi-decent search engine and an OK web mail and docs platform. I stick with my i-devices and Fastmail.

What Apple or Google or any other company comes across as is mostly in the eye of the beholder and can be influenced by many, sometimes trivial things. As an example my perception of Google has changed in recent years, not so much due to them shedding projects but more due to the intense politicisation of the place and the censorship which followed. I don't use the search engine directly, preferring to go through a third party to gain a semblance of anonymity. The Android project still gets my vote as long as AOSP remains viable, as soon as that road is cut off I'll jump ship to something else. To me Apple seems to be more in the business of herding their flock of users, trying to extract as much profit from them as feasible. They know which strings to pull to make keep most users from leaving the flock but recently more and more have strayed to the edge and beyond.

Re: Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp

#63

Post by bitmapbrother » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 7:56 AM UTC

cpeterso wrote: post #48

Why would HTC sell 2000 engineers to Google if they plan to still make smartphones? This move suggests HTC management felt they would be unable to produce $1.1B value with those engineers (which should be a warning to investors).

HTC has been losing money each quarter and needed an infusion of cash to sustain their operations.

Re: Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp

#64

Post by colordrops » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 7:58 AM UTC

PierceJoy wrote: post #58

ariwilson wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For a contrasting perspective, I went Android to iPhone and I can say it sent me running back to Pixel as fast as I could for basic usability.

Funny, I've never had a problem using my iPhone. Care to elaborate?

Android has three buttons rather than one, reducing menu fatigue. System settings are more customizable and generally easier to and more intuitive to use. Launcher screen be replaced by 3rd party app. Keyboard can be replaced by 3rd party app. Browsers can run any engine they want. Apps can host code. Terminal is a first class citizen. Phones can have the bootloader unlocked legally. Supports launch screen widgets. Better integration with Google services.

Sorry if iPhone now supports any of these. It didn't when I switched over from a 4.

Re: Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp

#65

Post by bitmapbrother » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 7:58 AM UTC

thisisit wrote: post #2

I don't understand, how is this different from Google acquiring and then selling off Motorola Mobility?

This was more of a acquihire while the Motorola deal was more about the patents.

Re: Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp

#66

Post by bg451 » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 8:05 AM UTC

ariwilson wrote: post #56

elvirs wrote: post #7

after being an iPhone user for 6 years and recently switching to android (first a pixel, then one plus) I can say with confidence Google's hardware approach sucks. Android can do a lot more than iOS but it does most of the simple things in a user unfriendly way

For a contrasting perspective, I went Android to iPhone and I can say it sent me running back to Pixel as fast as I could for basic usability.

I recently switched from a pixel to the iPhone X since the pixel 2 seemed very underwhelming to me. I'm honestly surprised how easy the switch was and how much more I like the X/iOS than the pixel/android. The one thing iOS is sorely missing is the notification bundling.

Re: Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp

#67

Post by TheAceOfHearts » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 8:05 AM UTC

zamalek wrote: post #60

PierceJoy wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Funny, I've never had a problem using my iPhone. Care to elaborate?

People are used to how their phones work, it's a form of lock-in. I can't figure out how a Mac works, never mind an iPhone. I just get annoyed in the first 10 seconds and give up. If iPhone could be made to work more like Android, I'd switch to the superior Apple privacy story. As it stands I really hate using Apple UIs.

Have you given macOS a serious chance? When I first tried it out, almost 10 years ago, I HATED it. But eventually I was convinced by my brother to give it a genuine chance for a week. Since then, I haven't gone back. Whenever I setup a linux PC, the first thing I do is fix the hotkeys to match macOS.

Re: Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp

#68

Post by TheAceOfHearts » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 8:08 AM UTC

ac29 wrote: post #30

sigmar wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Google's hardware approach sucks What is wrong with the Pixel hardware? (Have never owned one and have only heard good things)

Some people value headphone jacks, micro-SD expansion, dual-SIM support or other features that dont exist in the latest Pixels. These are all features that modern iPhones don't have either, so its a little hypocritical to call out Google if that is whats meant by the "sucks" part.

I have no idea what I'm going to do once my OG Pixel stops being supported. The lack of headphone jack is a serious concern to me. It truly blows my mind that so many people are capable of accepting this!

I can accept the lack of removable storage and battery. But the headphone jack? That's just the end of the line for me.

Re: Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp

#69

Post by hocuspocus » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 8:09 AM UTC

chisleu wrote: post #37

elvirs wrote: post #7

after being an iPhone user for 6 years and recently switching to android (first a pixel, then one plus) I can say with confidence Google's hardware approach sucks. Android can do a lot more than iOS but it does most of the simple things in a user unfriendly way

Yep. Back when they were much more simple (like gingerbread?) I felt they hit the usability peak. My Pixel 2XL has a lot more features. It's certainly faster and better in almost every way, but it has so many trivial user experience bugs that it blows my mind that QA isn't fired.

Android's QA has always been terrible. As a Nexus user, I guess being a beta tester was part of the deal, but there's no way I'm spending $900 on a Pixel 2XL to replace my Nexus 6P. Nothing justifies the premium price really.

Re: Google closes its $1.1B deal with HTC Corp

#70

Post by izacus » Wed, Jan 31, 2018, 8:10 AM UTC

shaklee3 wrote: post #33

ac29 wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some people value headphone jacks, micro-SD expansion, dual-SIM support or other features that dont exist in the latest Pixels. These are all features that modern iPhones don't have either, so its a little hypocritical to call out Google if that is whats meant by the "sucks" part.

Those don't exist in the iPhone either, so I'm not sure what you're arguing for. There's a reason most flagships don't have those anymore.

You forgot about Samsung Galaxy devices, which have all of that and are the most successful mobile phones right next to iPhone.