Android

As of today, every major mobile competitor... also makes apps for iOS

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Tue, 05/14/2013 - 11:13

A few minutes ago BlackBerry announced BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) for iOS. With that announcement, every single one of Apple's major mobile competitors now makes apps for iOS. Google, who also has Android, makes many very popular apps including Gmail, Maps, Google+, etc. Microsoft, who also has Windows Phone, makes a bunch of apps and games for iOS, including OneNote and Kinnectimals. Nokia, Microsoft's primary Windows Phone partner, also makes Here Maps.

Now, BlackBerry makes BBM.

Apple, by contrast, makes precisely nothing for Android, Windows Phone, or BlackBerry. Not even iTunes.

Interesting.

Do you want Facebook Home on iOS? [Poll]

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Fri, 04/12/2013 - 16:41

Do you want Facebook Home on iOS?

Facebook Home has just launched on Google Play, the Android app store, today. Kinda. Turns out Android may be openy, but it ain't easy. Right now the full Facebook Home experience is only available on the HTC First. An almost-full experience, minus the deeper system hooks HTC made for the First, can be downloaded and installed on other Android devices, but only if they're flagship Samsung or HTC phones. And only in certain countries. That means the shiny Nexus 4 I have sitting next to me right now isn't (yet) invited to this particular Facebook event, nor is any device in my home and native land of Canada.

Apple reportedly once again top US smartphone vendor, increases lead over Samsung

Submitted by Joseph Keller on Thu, 04/04/2013 - 17:51

Apple was the top smartphone vender in the United States between December and February according to the latest comScore report. Apple captured 38.9% of a smartphone market of 133.7 million people, up 3.9% from the last measurement period.

Facebook announces Facebook Home for Android, HTC First for AT&T

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Thu, 04/04/2013 - 14:16

Facebook has just finished their new Home on Android event -- see our live blog for the blow-by-blow) and... it pretty much went as expected. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg showed off their new home screen experience for Android, which he described as people-centric vs. app-centric. HTC's Peter Chou introduced the first phone that'll ship with it built-in, the AT&T-bound HTC First. Beyond that, Facebook Home will also be coming to existing Android devices.

And yeah, the HTC First hardware design outline is pretty iPhone-like, which is either conveniently consistent, or depressingly dull, depending on your point of view...

Our Mobile Nations sibling site, Android Central will have continuing coverage throughout the day, so keep it locked there for more.

Meantime, let me know, anything compelling enough about HTC First + Facebook Home to make you consider switching? Or does the mere idea of Facebook getting all up into your phone jammy make you run screaming from the internet?

Mobile Nations live at Facebook phone event, 10am PT/1pm ET. Join us!

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Thu, 04/04/2013 - 09:26

Facebook is holding their "New home on Android" event in Menlo Park, California today and we're HALO dropping Phil Nickinson, Iron Man style, to bring you all the live coverage you can handle!

I've got my theories as to the Facebook face-hugger we'll see unveiled, but we won't know for sure until Mark Zuckerberg holds his new HTC First high on stage... and pokes someone.

10am PDT, 1pm EDT. Join us here:

Android Central Facebook home event live blog

Facebook's new home on Android

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Sun, 03/31/2013 - 19:30

Next Thursday our own Phil Nickinson will be heading over to Facebook's third event of 2013, and their first that promises to be focused on mobile. Perhaps even disruptive to mobile. Phil has questions about the Facebook Android event, important ones, and rightly so. I have no answers, but I do have this.

Forums: BlackBerry 10, iOS 6.1.3, iOS 6 vs Jelly Bean, iMore for iPhone 2.0

Submitted by Jeremy on Wed, 03/20/2013 - 12:27

Interested in iPhone, iPad, or Apple and looking to have some great conversations? Got a burning question or frustrating problem you just want help fixing? Already an expert and eager to share your knowledge? Well, all that and more is just waiting for you in the iMore forums.

Here are today's hot topics:

Community spotlight: Thinking about leaving the iPhone for the Galaxy S4?

Submitted by Jeremy on Sun, 03/17/2013 - 16:38

Given how many great phones are coming out these days, it's not wonder one of the hottest topics on the iMore forums is iOS vs. Android, or more specifically, the iPhone vs. the latest and greatest Android phones. Every so often community members start to wonder out loud about jumping ship and trying their hands at Google's mobile platform. Being someone who enjoys new technology myself, I can understand the curiousity, and, of course, the feeling that the grass always greener on the other side. One particularly interesting discussion this week comes from the thread leaving iOS for Android and more specifically, the Samsung Galaxy S4.

On the eve of Samsung's Galaxy S4 event, Apple's Phil Schiller repeats that Android is fragmented, lacks integration, offers poor experience

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Wed, 03/13/2013 - 18:21

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Tomorrow Samsung will announce the Galaxy S4 -- I know this because I'll be in New York, playing Jimmy Olsen to Phil Nickinson's Clark Kent to help out Android Central's coverage -- and in a not atypical competitive fashion, Apple's senior vice president of marketing, Phil Schiller, sent a few jabs Android's way. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal's Ian Sherr and Jessica E. Lessin, Schiller hit the usual targets of fragmentation, lack of integration, and poor user experience:

Just like iOS at Apple, the new head of Android at Google isn't a mobile guy

Submitted by Rene Ritchie on Wed, 03/13/2013 - 17:36

Google has just announced that Andy Rubin, the founder and head of Android, is stepping down, and will be replaced by Sundar Pichai, the head of ChromeOS. Larry Page broke the news on the Google blog:

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