Surely it also depends on how apple, android and nokia are structuring there OS releases. Just because apple have changed to version number from 1.0 -3.0 and soon to be 4.0 is there really that much of a difference compared to the difference in maemo 1-5 and soon to be 6. Don't forget that apple 1.0 was always destined to be on the iPhone where Maemo started life on a MID
One of the positive aspects of the "AppStore model" is that it's a new revenue stream for handset manufacturers that their income isn't solely generated by hardware sales. The phones are not the end product, but they become content delivery machines that can keep generating revenues for the AppStore owner.
This is an added incentive for them to:
a). Support the existing phones/devices as long as possible.
b). Upgrade their old handsets to be compatible with the AppStore model, enabling them to generate income from the old models.
c). Design their products to be as backward-forward compatible as possible, while incorporating new features to enhance the new products.
Apple nailed the above aspects well... so I'd say there'll be more iPhone-like traits in future smartphones (including from Nokia).
Apple are barely making money on the AppStore currently though, so I don't think this is quite the model they're going for.
Total BS. For example, the Nokia 5800 now has the new home screen from the 5230 and kinetic scrolling.
Very true, the latest firmware update has made the 5800 a completely new phone.
The request in the original post is just like saying why can't my old 5 year old PC run Windows 7.
To my knowledge, the main reason for the differences in Symbian S60 devices is due to screen sizes.
I'm sure that I have read posts of people putting other linux distributions on heir n900.
The n900 is the first 'phone' device from Nokia that has an open and upgradable OS........i know it's not officially a phone.
I think that provided the hardware requirements for M6 are within the n900 capabilities, it will be upgradeable, but if not, it will only mean that Nokia will have a better device out (which would no doubt be able to run M5).
As far as the iPhone goes, just because they call it an OS, doesn't really mean it is a new OS, most are just upgrades of the same OS
I find this http://androidphone.org.uk, you can compare this androids, for me the designs and UI of the phones look all like more or less the same...for the iPhone it's really clear...
Surely it also depends on how apple, android and nokia are structuring there OS releases. Just because apple have changed to version number from 1.0 -3.0 and soon to be 4.0 is there really that much of a difference compared to the difference in maemo 1-5 and soon to be 6. Don't forget that apple 1.0 was always destined to be on the iPhone where Maemo started life on a MID
Very good point.
I know you mean that from iPhone OS 1.0 to 3.0 there is just no big updates. And, Android 1.5 to 2.1 is not big update either.
But there are a lot of softwares for iPhone and Android now.
For N900, there are only a few softwares.
If we take Android for example, it takes about 1 year to develop so many softwares for Google phone. And many hardware vendor take part in that.
For Maemo 5 on N900, the software development speed is much slower. And the software transplant from Linux is not so easy, it will also take at least 1 year to get as many softwares as Android has now.
And by that time, the Maemo 6 will release.
So back to the topic, I think NOKIA should provide M6 upgrade for N900 and speed up the development of the softwares.
I predict that in the year 2011 or 2012, Maemo will be more perfect and have various applications and functions.
But before that, Android will take more market share on smart phone market.
Do you suggest that hardware manufacturers would make more money from the small cut they get from a customer buying 5-6 new applications for 4-5 dollars each than they would make if they force you into buying a new $500 handset 6 months earlier than you normally would? I don't believe this makes sense.
That's not what I said.
Originally Posted by
Nokia and Apple sell hardware; the apps, stores, open source, is just the bait to make their hardware more attractive. I am sure that when Apple come up with how to change the iPhone (the upgrades we've witnessed are insubstantial compared to what NITs have gone through, for example), they will abandon backwards compatibility.
Any good companies are always looking to grow themselves. Be it from expanding their current market segment or entering potential new ones.
Where in the old business model they don't get any revenues _AT_ALL_ from their old products, in the new app/content-delivery market, these old products can potentially keep a revenue stream for them. Don't for get that:
a). The app/content library will always grow
b). So will their customer base, as second hand handsets are passed on to other users
You do the math.
Originally Posted by
OTOH, software companies like MS maintain compatibility to an unmatched extent.
Well we're not talking about software companies here.
....Where in the old business model they don't get any revenues _AT_ALL_ from their old products, in the new app/content-delivery market, these old products can potentially keep a revenue stream for them. Don't for get that:
a). The app/content library will always grow
b). So will their customer base, as second hand handsets are passed on to other users
You do the math...
no, not from the OLD products, but from the new ones that are being sold more often due to the need of the customers to keep up when compatibility breaks.
Let's wait and see whether Maemo 6 and 5 are compatibe (or if n900 runs Maemo 6), and whether any real changes to the iPhone (e.g decent screen resolution or improvements in the OS usability) break backward compatibility or not. Then we can talk again.
As to apps, the vast majority of those simply compensate for the lack of real computer capabilities on the smartphones. As phones become able to run real computer software, most apps will become obsolete.
no, not from the OLD products, but from the new ones that are being sold more often due to the need of the customers to keep up when compatibility breaks.
Let's see how long they can maintain this business models when their competition gives the users better backward\forward compatibility.
Originally Posted by
Let's wait and see whether Maemo 6 and 5 are compatibe (or if n900 runs Maemo 6), and whether any real changes to the iPhone (e.g decent screen resolution or improvements in the OS usability) break backward compatibility or not. Then we can talk again.
All iPhone apps will run on the iPad, with its XGA screen. Unmodified iPhone apps are given the option to run on their native resolution or pixel doubled to run in full screen.
They can add XGA interface too to take advantage of iPad's screen. I can't imagine it would be much different when they increase iPhone's screen resolution.
Originally Posted by
As to apps, the vast majority of those simply compensate for the lack of real computer capabilities on the smartphones. As phones become able to run real computer software, most apps will become obsolete.
When you use mobile devices long enough, you'll understand the need for different requirements. Desktop-bound apps aren't suitable to be used on sub 8" screen without full sized keyboards, used while you move about during the day.
This discussion have gone little wrong in my eyes.
Yes, it can be intresting to compare the other phone companies bussiness models. But for me that is secondary.
Remember the N900 is a computer. A computer with a kernel. A kernel that can support many different devices. The only thing is to add the modules for the device. (almost)
Nokia is a phone company truying to build a computer. They are and should draw experiences from the computer market.
If M6 will not add support for N900 i will be mad at Nokia. It is really not a big thing. Computers have a great deal of hardware and it still works with the same kernel. If Nokia won't allow that in Maemo, then Maemo is really a bad OS.
I am happy with N900 and the abillity to change OS's at will but still be able to run Maemo 6 is important. I was not just compairing hardware, I was compairing operating systems. When i decided to buy N900.
