Yesterday, I wondered just how the lawsuit between Apple and Samsung would affect the mobile marketing community as well as the smartphone market. I was under the impression that Apple would be taking a huge step toward the front spot in the mobile platform race. In effect, I thought that this would cause marketers that advertised on Android devices to make the switch to Apple, as Android would probably be falling behind quite a bit in the near future. However, this was simply the opinion I was leaning toward, and I was not entirely convinced that Android was in for a mess of trouble due to the lawsuit.
According to Google’s new announcement on the subject of the lawsuit, Android’s core operating system will not be affected by it very much at all. The Verge, a popular online news website, reported the statement made by Google that should ease the minds of Android marketers.
The court of appeals will review both infringement and the validity of the patent claims. Most of these don’t relate to the core Android operating system, and several are being re-examined by the US Patent Office. The mobile industry is moving fast and all players — including newcomers — are building upon ideas that have been around for decades. We work with our partners to give consumers innovative and affordable products, and we don’t want anything to limit that.
Samsung did, indeed, manufacture a gigantic share of the devices that run the Android operating system, but the lawsuit was only against Samsung, and not Android itself. Android quietly sneaked away from the lawsuit, supporting Samsung but not getting too involved. It was a smart move for Google, because it seems Android will continue to live on strongly, probably even retaining its spot ahead of Apple in the smartphone operating system market.
How will they stay afloat if their most influential manufacturing company is now down and out? Well, Google itself has had a lot of experience in manufacturing software to run its Android OS. Samsung may have been a popular company, but Google will always be able to survive on its own. Without being able to even think of simulating the innovations of other operating systems, Google will now have to innovate further and come up with new and exciting ways to keep users in love with Android. Marketers can get excited about this as well, because with these innovations will come more marketing opportunity with Android OS.
With Google’s announcement, I am led to believe that Android will be just fine. There are plenty of other manufacturers, including Google itself, that can help to keep Android alive and well. Sure, Apple will gain some ground on Android, but the competition will still be heated, as both companies have been given the opportunity to improve. Samsung seems to be the only company in this big conflict that has come out severely injured. Their name has taken a huge hit in the smartphone world, and recovery won’t be easy.
