Apple News, Analysis and Podcasts

Today’s car drivers want to be more connected. New laws around the country are prohibiting drivers from using their smart phones with their hands while on the road. The car industry is trying to solve this by adding hands free electronics to their cars.

Auto companies are adding full computers to their dashboard electronics. Honda has their i-MID system with navigation, SMS text messaging, music and voice recognition. SYNC is Ford’s computer system with even more features. The rest of the industry will be sure to follow, but should they?

QuasiDisk was updated Monday morning with a secret feature. It allowed iPhone users to tether their 3G connection to their Mac. Redmond Pie was one of the first to pick up the news and had a video tutorial on how to set it up. Without that information, it would be hard or impossible to figure out it even had tethering.

It was not long after the news broke about the secret feature that Apple pulled the application from the App Store. While the setup to tether was a little long, it did work for those that were able to purchase the application before Apple pulled it. Yet, does QuasiDisk have full tethering?

Last week Sony announced three new back-illuminated stacked CMOS image sensors. In simple terms, Sony announced better camera capability for smartphones and mobile devices, but they're likely to cost the competition much more than Apple, whle lagging behind in overall speed.

The iPhone 5 is not coming out until at least this summer or fall. Yet, we are starting to see some possible component upgrades that will be in the next iPhone. One of those components is the camera sensor. Apple has switched suppliers a number of times as they pick the best camera for that year. Since the iPhone is the number one selling smartphone, building camera sensors can be a profitable business.

The current iPhone 4S iPhone uses a Sony camera. While Sony does make their own line of high end cameras, their biggest market is camera sensors. Currently, a number of Nikon high-end cameras use Sony sensors. Sony is now taking what they are learn from high-end sensors and building a line of great smartphone sensors as well. Despite its high resolution, the sensor in the iPhone 4S is excellent, with low noise and good detail. Sony is not standing still.

 The iPhone is a great tool for traveling. It can replace a phone, camera, notebook, maps, and travel books, all in one small package. Traveling out of the country does present some problems since most iPhones are locked to a specific carrier. Yet, even with this disadvantage, the iPhone is the one device that travelers should always carry with them.

Apple's built-in iOS applications for the iPhone are some of the best tools for traveling. The maps tool is the best tool for finding one's way in a new place or when trying to find a specific location. Safari (Apple's Web browser), is still the best tool for looking up information while on the go. Having access to a browser while traveling allows users to use their time wisely to find information on locations they are visiting. Apple's clock application comes in very handy as a travel alarm clock. While these tools are great, adding tools from the App Store makes the iPhone a master multi-function device. Some of the top applications for traveling are:

 Apple has a great and focused line of products. Each one fills a need for their customers. They have focused on each line to create a product that is significantly better than their competitors.

While all their products have gone through a great deal of research and development, they can't focus on all of their products at once. Apple has to decide which products they need to focus on and which can wait. For 2012, Apple needs to focus on their top three products. Those three products are:

Cult of Mac claims to have learned from their visit to CES that iPad 3 is going to be thinner than the iPad 2. This information flys in the face of a cadre of far east rumors claiming the contrary. Cult of Mac is keen to point out that Apple creating a thicker iPad woud be bucking a trend in their iOS device world, having always made device after device, thinner and thinner and thinner.

Only from the mouths of our trustworthy DigitTimes foks (yes, that's heavy sarcasm) have we learned that the iPad 3 was to be slightly thicker than that of the iPad 2... What makes far more sense is an iPad 2 wanna-be, perhaps from Samsung or Google, would be slightly thicker than an iPad 2. Meanwhile, the logical assumption is that Apple – yet again – will scream by their competition with a svelt iPad 3, dominating the space for at least another year.

I recently had lunch with a friend who had purchased a Kindle Fire for his wife. "She's always on the iPhone, surfing or on FaceBook, so I got her a Kindle Fire." he said. His statement was somewhat shocking, but on the surface of things, his decision made a lot of sense to me, in that a larger screen device just made more sense. But I questioned why he didn't go iPad? He had thought of going iPad, but the iPad is $500, just so his wife can surf around and check FaceBook? "The Kindle was just $200 bucks..." he said, so he went for the Fire.

The iPhone has a big advantage over its point-n-shoot counterparts. It can take a photo, edit it, and share it without leaving the phone. The big component to this process involves editing the photo.

There are many photo editors in the App Store. With so many editors, it is hard to decide which one to get. This article will answer that question by picking the top three photo editors for the iPhone.

The iPhone is a great gaming device. Whether one has a minute to kill waiting in a line or an hour on an airplane, there is always a game to play. Games range from quick and easy to use to hardcore.

A lot of games come and go, but the best games are the ones that stand the test of time on the iPhone. The top five games that stay on my iPhone are:

Smart-phones have been replacing point-n-shoots as the main camera for most people. The iPhone is the most popular smart-phone and has one of the best cameras. The camera is even more useful with the applcations in the App Store.

The iPhone has been one of the hottest selling consumer devices in recent history. Apple has continued this trend with the iPhone 4S as more and more consumers are switching to Apple's iconic device.

There are many applications in the App Store and finding the best ones can be overwhelming for new users. There are tons of applications not worth buying, but there are also many that make the iPhone even more useful. The Top 5 must have applications for the iPhone are:

Many people have given up their point-n-shot cameras for the camera that is always with them, the iPhone. The iPhone has become the top camera on photo sharing sites like Flickr and Facebook.

Many developers have created their own camera applications to take full advantage of the iPhone camera. With so many camera applications in the App Store, it is hard to decide which ones are the best to buy. Are any of these really worth it or is the best one already on the iPhone?

In November 2011, Mozilla's arrangement with Google — to make Google the default search engine and home page when launching the open-source browser — came to an end. The relationship was renewed for another three years for an estimated couple hundred million dollars. The fact that Google still needs to (and is willing to) pay Mozilla for mind-share indicates three things about the "State of the Google" as we head into 2012:

Erik Schmidt, former CEO and now Chairman of Google, proudly announced that within 6 months, "We [Google] in the next six months plan to market a tablet of the highest quality." Translation can be found here from the Italian site Corriere.it.

On the surface it would appear that Google is going to compete with its recently acquired Motorola Mobility division, which also manufactures tablets that use Google's Android OS. In reality, the forthcoming product (along with Schmidt's initial announcement) should be viewed as nothing more than hype for Google's latest Android 4.5/5.0 tablet OS, due to hit the market in the June time frame.

The idea's a great one. Go to Apple's website after 9 PM, select an iPhone, carrier of choice, and reserve it for pickup the next day. Just one hiccup. It doesn't work.

The iPod accessory market is huge and very profitable. Most of the market is based on the docking connector or cable. Those docking stations were nice when it was an iPod. Now, as the iPhones replace iPods, that same connector is a pain because users do not want to leave their phone in one spot.

That is all changing with the release of AirPlay and Bluetooth 4.0. These two technologies will make manufacturers very happy, as users replace their old docking station setups with new wireless versions.

Analysts have been coming out of Cupertino lately, ratcheting up their iPhone sales figures. The Street predicts roughly 29 million iPhones will be sold for the quarter, while AT&T's CEO recently commented on seeing a record number of iPhone sales for the December quarter being highly likely.

A recent article by CIO.com titled, "Apple in the Enterprise: Breaking Microsoft's Grip", makes the keen observation that Microsoft is starting to lose their dominant grip in the corporate space. Apple's iPhone and iPad are breaching corporations the same way that Research In Motions Blackberry's did — through the Sales & Marketing Door. iPad's and iPhone's work well on most corporate networks, so it's been difficult for the IT department to prohibit the use of iOS devices within sales and marketing groups. The result has been an explosion of Apple's iOS devices being used in Microsoft's seemingly impenetrable fortress: corporate environments.

Steve Jobs was an amazing visionary... or was he? If you think about it, the senior managers at Infinity Loop may just have been great fans of Star Trek. For example, we all thought the touch interface used on the iPhone and iPad was revolutionary. But you don't have to look far to see this was really just a copy-cat of something envisioned in the 80's...

Start the countdown, because the next TV you are likely to buy, or want to buy, is going to be made by Apple. And it isn't just because this TV has some elegant design and brilliant looking screen, it'll be because the interface and content that comes right out of the box, and the way in which you control it, is going to blow you away.

Jobs Says So
The question isn't if, it's just a matter of when Apple's holistic television solution will arrive. Steve Jobs said as much in his autobiography, and his "I finally cracked it" comment and additional color on the topic, may be the only time during Jobs reign at Apple that he leaked a single grain of data about a forthcoming product. Don't think this is Jobs throwing in the towel or not caring because he was leaving us. On the contrary, this is perfect Steve Jobs start-the-hype stuff. It's all about the mystery and creating a pent-up demand for something we don't know we even want – yet. Jobs delivered a glimpse into Pandora's box, but since he's gone, we can't dig deeper, and since it didn't officially come from Apple don't count on Cook and company rapping eloquently about this any time soon.

I've been an advocate of Macs since my first introduction to a Mac Plus in dorm room back in 1986. Ever since then I've never seen the reason behind PeeCees — whether MS DOS or Windows. DOS was just plain ugly. I shutter to think if Apple hadn't brought us the Mac, then we'd probably all be running MS DOS version 31 — and would it ever be blazin' quick to see a directory! And then there is Windows. In my mind Windows has always just been a Mac user interface knock-off. Sure Windows improved on some items, but its essence is still a second rate knock-off. Let's not even get started with security woes or viruses (or is that viri?) that plague the PC world.

Renton, WA, South Center Mall Apple Store: Over 200 people lined up to get their hands on one of Apple's newest – or less expensive (dare I say cheap or free!) – iPhones. Apple Stores are handing out voucher coupons similar to the iPad launch, but on a more sophisticated level. Apple employees need to know which carrier, configuration and color of iPhone is wanted. The Apple employee then hands out a voucher for that device (see image above).

The voucher program appears to indicate that Apple will not have enough iPhones on each carrier to meet demand. This does not match rumors that were claiming Apple had been producing new iPhones for well over a month in the 150k per-day range.

The shock of Wall Street not seeing the terminology "iPhone 5" on Apple's latest iPhone offering sent the stock careening in Tuesday's trading, down as much as $17 a share to $357.32 before bouncing back in late day trading.

Punditslooking for link-bait notwithstanding, the fears of some analysts and investors seem to be turning a corner today, from emotionally disappointed, to looking at the facts – Apple has put together a world-wide iPhone lineup that attacks every pricing segment head on with iOS devices:

Let's waste no time and just dive right into why Apple's 'Let's talk iPhone' special event is going to be huge:

We T-GAAP-ers really appreciated your open letter of advertisement yesterday, showcasing the Samsung Galaxy S II and HTC Amaze. Errrrrt! We really appreciated your open letter, explaining why T-Mobile is having difficulties in obtaining the iPhone and what you are doing to ensure T-Mobile customers can order one as soon as possible, as it is clearly the smartphone of choice.

Among the myriad of iPhone 5 mock-ups and spy-shots seen floating around the internet, coupled with a nearly daily dose of DigiTimes reports of component purchases here and there, when we boil it all down what are we left with? What kind of hardware will the iPhone 5 most likely sport?

This is the big one. The photo we've all been waiting for: A shot taken from an iPhone 5 camera!... Or is it? That's one question that has everyone sifting through pixels today. And while this photo may very well be a snapshot taken with an iPhone 5 prototype, the real genius is in Apple's marketing machine. The photo and it's associated data wasn't an accident, it was intentional.

With this singular image, Apple's put the entire smartphone industry on notice, and has the entire tech community in an absolute buzz over the image. But any engineer with an iPhone 5 prototype in-hand (working with the camera no less) knows exactly what data is tagged to photos, and what will be revealed through that data. At least for this round, there was no need to leak timely information to Apple's favorite journalist Yukari Iwatani Kane of the Wall Street Journal. This time, Apple found a clever way to begin it's pre–launch viral marketing campaign – a single photo. Brilliant.

First of all, I trust everyone had a Happy Labor Day. If you don't know why most don't work on the first Monday of September, it's worth a click and a quick read to learn.

Now, back to the subject at hand, how Apple finishes 2011 strong. FIrst of all don't expect much for the month of September in the form of product launches. September is the last month in Apple's fiscal caledar and historically Apple (like most other businesses) wait until the new quarter or new year to make such new product shipments. Whether Apple announces new product, such as the iPhone 5 in September, that's another matter. But for actual shipping product, October is going to be a very busy month.

 The iPhone 4 makes a great flashlight since it is always there. While the front screen works ok to illuminate a dark area, the camera's flash does a much better job. In order to use it though, one needs to have a flashlight app.

After testing numerous flashlight applications, I finally found this week's App of the Week. While there are many flashlight applications out there, most have ads that get annoying and are slow to launch. This flashlight app is free and does not include any ads.

On January 9, 2007 when Steve Jobs strolled onto the MacWorld stage and unveiled the first iPhone, he wrapped up the presentation by stating the iPhone had over 200 patents, and that Apple planned to vigorously defend their Intellectual Property (IP).

No kidding.

Outside of the “i” nomenclature which Apple tags virtually every product, Apple is not a company that subscribes to any form of dogma. Adopting smaller 3.5" floppy drives, pushing USB ports over serial, or flipping an entire video industry on its head with a new software philsopy — it makes no difference. There are simply no sacred cows at Apple, and that's what keeps Apple relevant, inventive, and leaves the rest of the industry playing constant catch up.

Will Apple continue its path to reveal an iPhone 5 that delivers monumental hardware changes over previous versions? iOS and iCloud are so closely integrated, virtually all functionally will run wirelessly once the latest software rollout arrives in September. iTunes, photos, backup, syncing, apps, iOS updates, it's all wireless. The only item remaining requiring phycial connectivity is power. But even connection for power appears on its way out.

The latest cell phone market share figures should have tablet makers quaking in fear of what Apple may do to them once iPad 3 arrives. Currently, Apple is sucking all the profits out of the market. Moreover, many of Apple's competitors have taken their best stab at iPad by flooding the channel, but with weak sell-though results (just ask Samsung, HP or RIM how tablets are working out).

The latest figures peg Apple's global tablet market share at 61.3%. Like with iPhone vs Android phones, we saw Android quickly race out ahead in deployment numbers, which are flattening out or starting to work back in Apple's favor. New numbers for the iPhone comes from BTIG analyst Walter Piecyk, predicting up to 30 million iPhones could be sold in the September quarter. If iPhone sales are poised for this absolute explosion, what will halo effect be for iPads vs the rest of the pack?

This week's "App of the Week" is Catan By USM. Catan is available as separate downloads for both the iPhone and iPad. Both versions are $4.99 with an expansion pack costing $3.99. The game was updated recently with better graphic options and faster game play.

The Settlers of Catan is a fun and relaxing strategy game to play against the computer or with the family. I have played this game more than any other on the iOS this summer. Both of my elementary age kids love to play and watch me play it as well. If you never heard of this game, you have to give it a try.

Apple doesn't have partners, they have suppliers. But when Apple entered the cell industry it had no choice but to enter into partnership agreements with AT&T and others across the globe. Don't confuse necessity with anything Jobs and company are happy with, as Apple is setting course to go nuclear with its pernicious carriers.

Until now, the iPhone has been built with the philosophy of design elegance and overall quality. Apple has been able to work this way due to the business model being focused on subsidized products, hidding the true costs of iPhones into two-year contracts. But Apple's forthcoming iPhone 5 launch promises to change this model and the way we purchase iPhones.

It wasn't all that long ago when iOS was pretty much the standard mobile app development environment. But then along came Android, which took off like wildfire, as handset manufacturers were desperate for a challenger to iPhone. Android stormed the mobile castle, while RIM and Nokia have all but lowered the drawbridge in a series of missteps. As a result, iOS and Android have pretty much locked up the mobile development community, but there are more players in the offing.

The latest numbers by Charlie Wolf of Needham & Associates indicates that Android's market share is flattening out, and/or perhaps poised to fall over the coming quarters, due to increased competition from the likes of Apple and other forthcoming competition.  Wolf's assertions also fall in line with NPD's latest market share reports, adding further fuel to the fire that Android is getting the squeeze. 

Today, Google's Andy Rubin Tweeted that Android is seeing an average of 500,000 activations per day. First of all, what exactly does Google consider an activation? Is an Android activation an LG refrigerator with Android built-in for touch-screen control? Is an Android activation millions of China Mobile smart phones that have a core Android OS in them, but everything else Google stripped out of them?

Apple is very good at making hardware. They are also very good at making software that runs on that hardware. But what they are really good at is creating an eco-system that uses their hardware and software to solve a much larger problem.

What made Apple's lead in digital music sales and then the creation of an entire new industry — podcasting — so successful was this self-sustaining eco-system. For cool hardware Apple gave us the iPod; for cool software iTunes (desktop version); but it was the iTunes Music Store was the linchpin that made it so other companies couldn't just make cheaper hardware and/or software to compete on par with Apple. Sure one could buy a Samsung MP3 player and purchase music from Amazon, but the integration was always second-rate. Nothing ever just worked like the iPod, iTunes and the iTunes music store.

A long time ago I had the opportunity to accompany a friend to an Alcohol Anonymous meeting. It was a very sobering experience (pun intended). The building was old and the room looked like a beat up classroom. Light from outside peeked through the curtain drawn windows and smoke filled the air (this was way before any indoor smoking laws had hit the books).

I learned a lot that day. I learned that if not careful, anyone can slip into addictive, self-destructive behaviors. I learned the power of a support group and accountability. I also learned most of the people in the room were seemingly addicted to something else in place of alcohol. The smoke filled room was one clue. Another was "Bill" who needed to go from one support group to the next in order to stay sober. You may be asking, what does this all this have to do with Apple?

With Apple's announcement of OS X Lion, iOS 5 and iCloud, Ballmer and the Redmond collective must be picking themselves off the floor trying to figure out what just happened.

Alas, not all is lost for Microsoft — if they follow my simple advise. Well, thinking about that again, the chance Microsoft might listen to reason instead of the Windows/Office juggernaut is slim to none —and slim left town!

When it comes to smartphones, they've delivered us a lot of mobile computing goodness. But nothing great in technology-land seems to come along without a catch. In the cell phone world, the unsavory lining to success is radiation.

EWG (Environmental Working Group) has served up a plethora of appliance and smartphone test results as it relates to radiation. What this means to the user, that's debatable, but anyone can find articles and test results to support just about any position on the topic. At this point, an overarching rule of thumb is cell phone radiation is not good for the body, but how much can the human body take is another question. Looking specifically at smartphones, EWG tested 83 products, and out of the bunch Motorola came away the loser. As for Apple?...

Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) is coming up on June 6. Products that are showcased at WWDC give developers who are going to the conference a chance learn how to incorporate them into their applications. Usually, Apple has come out with iPhone hardware about this time of year, so developers can add the new hardware features to their applications.

This year, Apple has not shown off the new iOS version yet, so don’t expect new hardware. This would mark a change in Apple’s annual iPhone update cycle. With the iPhone hardware rumored to be delayed until this fall, what is Steve Jobs going to announce during this keynote at WWDC?

Apple has improved their batteries in two ways over the past couple of years. In January 2009, Apple improved their battery capacity by as much as sixty percent in the MacBook Pro 17-inch. This was largely due to removing the packages that made the battery removable, which mainly allowed for a bigger battery. Apple also added a chip that controls each cell’s current for maximizing battery life.

Last fall, Apple debuted new battery technology which allows thirty days of standby power. While not as big of a feature on MacBooks, due to frequent use, it still changes day to day use by not requiring the battery to be charged everyday. With thirty days of standby power, mobile devices will have the power when the user needs it. These are nice advancements, but there are new battery technologies which Apple could incorporate into their products soon. Lets take a look at some of the more interesting potential battery improvements that are just on the horizon.

Whack! No, that wasn't Apple's Steve Jobs laying some open letter smack down on Adobe. This time the hammer on Flash comes from some former Apple engineering employees (according to 9to5mac.com). HTML5 is claimed to be converted on-the-fly from Flash, with no need for additional coding requirements via a new product called HYPE 1.0.

Conversion of Flash to HTML5 is a wonderful thing, but I wouldn't call this a Flash killer (at least not yet). The product allows for the lazy use of Flash to continue as a baseline authoring tool, being converted upon output for iOS and other HTML5-loving devices. But at some point the question will become (if it hasn't already) "Why can't I just design in an HTML5 authoring tool from the get-go, instead of designing in Flash and converting?"

In the past, adding an external storage device was slow and cumbersome. Back in the day, users had to turn off the computer, plug-in and screw-in a connector, before turning the computer back on to add an external hard drive.

USB greatly helps the situation by allowing users to plug-in devices without having to turn off the computer. The connectors are smaller and don’t have to be screwed in. Laptop hard drives and USB 2.0 made it even easier by supplying power through the USB port, so these devices didn’t even need to be plugged into a power outlet. The next step is to remove one cable that is left.

Reuters is reporting that Apple isn't satisfied with the size of current SIM cards and is pushing for a smaller standard for the iPad and other iOS devices. The information comes to Reuters from an Orange executive. 

Orange is one of the UK's major carriers along with T-Mobile and O2. Any validity to this? Who knows, as Reuters is an odd rumor source, and this is not typical for them. This could simply be an Orange executive with loose lips sinking ships.

Working at an Apple retail store in the past, I felt compelled to share some thoughts on the rumors hinting of a major event coming this weekend at the Apple retail stores. Computerworld's Jonny Evans shares some additional thoughts along these lines, but also shares information from ifoapplestore.com, which has been a faithful follower of Apple retail stores since they opened nearly 10 years ago.

Taking in the smoke from the rumor mill, don't get excited about Apple launching some form of anniversary Mac hardware, or delivering some surprise Apple HDTV product, that just isn't happening. Apple does not waste hundreds of millions of dollars in free press when launching into new markets, and pulling some surprise Mac launch over the weekend would be doing exactly that. What's more likely is a software/cloud initiative.

Based on BGR's claims, it appears Apple will actually be revealing pre-announcement information to a select group of Apple retail staff 12 – 24 hours ahead of a major announcement. This would be a first for Apple, and a bold move from the Cupertino machine. But this may be an Apple litmus test, and if successful may lay the groundwork for how future product launches roll out.

It appears Apple corporate does not trust their retail employees (smart move), in that BRG's source claims the 10-15 employees that will be pulling an all-night-er in the stores, must not only sign an NDA, but also lock their cell phones in the managerial office.

"Stay Tuned" says Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon. Stayed tuned for what? A tablet. But before diving into that topic, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. No one in the tech industry is better positioned to take on Apple in the mobile computing space than Amazon – no one.

Scott Moritz of The Street, believes the next generation iPhone is delayed, which may result in sales losses to Android-based 4G LTE smartphones. Moritz builds his thinking upon an analyst who is claims to have inside information on the forthcoming iPhone.

How a product can be "delayed" when a company has never given a launch date it could be delayed from is logically impossible, but we all understand how this works, right? First, the rumor mill builds some mythical launch date for an Apple product, then rumors and analysts claim a different date, thus the launch of the product is late. Brilliantly ridiculous.

The iPad is a very nice stand alone computer for basic tasks. Yet, it is a near ideal mobile computer for those times a full computer is not needed. The key to getting the most out of the iPad is the ability to access all those files on the main computer.

Apple uses iTunes to sync files between the iPad and the computer. This syncing with iTunes is very slow and cumbersome. It is unrealistic to regularly update frequently used files between the computer and the iPad due to its slow nature and use of a cable. The following is a list of files that are synced between the two and alternatives that break the dependence of iTunes sync. The same is also true of any iOS device.

According to net-security.org, Android malware has exploded 400% since the summer of 2010. Juniper Networks issued the report, which claims there is a shift from attacking the desktop market to the mobile space.

Key reasons cited for increased attacks on the mobile market are:

Apple's Steve Jobs seems to be the wunderkind reborn after his return to Apple in 1997. His first stint with Apple led to the design and launch of the original Macintosh and the original Mac OS. During his second time behind the wheel he brought us the iMac, Mac OS X, and the i-Series of products and iOS operating system.

There's not much that Apple has done under Jobs' leadership that hasn't been a success. One of guiding principle Jobs has used is during his second term is, "Keep Your Friends Close; Keep Your Enemies Closer". There are three examples of this from the recent decade: Intel, Google and Facebook.

Electronic Arts Inc. delivered a press release today stating they have an agreement in place to acquire Firemint Pty Ltd. Financial details were not disclosed, but it becomes abundantly clear that iOS games are rapidly becoming serious business.

Some may say this marks a maturing in the iOS apps industry, pointing to consolidation taking place, but it is more likely that EA is fortifying their walls, as larger players begin to take the iOS gaming stage. EA is simply getting ahead of the pack. Hundreds of additional startups, and traditional software companies alike, will continue to enter into iOS development in the years to come. Games are likely to be front and center as Apple's ecosystem rapidly grows world-wide and punches into the living-room.

Part I can be seen here. Part II continues with market share assumptions and the fallacies they advance.

iOS vs Android: The Market Share War That Is

Analysts and tech media alike have one central theme correctly identified. Apple and Google are in a heated market–share war, but declaring any victor in today's battle would be pure folly. Yet Henry Blodget advances his position that Android is now the victor and iOS is dead. Blodget flashes around Nielsen's latest purchasing intent survey as proof positive. I also recall a survey claiming nearly 54% of all Verizon customers would turn in their Blackberry's and Android's for iPhone 4 on day one of it's launch.

Henry Blogdet's recently ran an article for Business Insider titled, IT'S OFFICIAL: Android Clobbering Everyone, iPhone Dead In The Water. To get a better idea of what he is talking about feel free to check out his column here. Am I going to rip into Henry's column from the get-go? Absolutely. I found his entire piece seriously troubling, as I had thought that only a Dvorak-like mind could come up with such antiquated material – I was wrong.

I'm not here to personally tear apart Henry, that's not my goal, as I enjoyed his latest column on the economy as it was quite refreshing. But whether Henry's mobile OS mindset comes from a financial or viable business perspective it makes no difference, his positions are completely indefensible. It actually took some time to decipher whether or not he was actually serious. Was this just another Paul Thurott link bait article, or did Henry really think he'd struck gold with this one? Sadly, I think it's the latter, which means I'm putting in the midnight oil to give Henry – and hopefully tens of thousands more – pause to reflect as to why this isn't the PC war of decades past, rather, it is the new war of post PC devices, and how the twixt of these twain couldn't be further apart.