Google has a new deal with HTC and it is making a big bet on the smartphone. Rick Osterloh, Google’s Senior Vice President for Hardware puts this into perspective:
It’s still early days for Google’s hardware business. We’re focused on building our core capabilities, while creating a portfolio of products that offers people a unique yet delightful experience only made possible by bringing together the best of Google software—like the Google Assistant—with thoughtfully designed hardware. HTC has been a longtime partner and has created some of the most beautiful, high-end devices on the market. We can’t wait to welcome members of the HTC team to join us on this journey.
According to Vlad Sovov in The Verge:
Google is becoming Apple faster than Apple can become Google.
What does Google gain in this relationship? IDC analyst Ramon Llamas notes:
Google can now control the hardware and software continuum that has made Apple so successful.
Taking a step back, what is the future of the smartphone?
The Inventor of Android On the Future of Smartphones and Beyond (Time)
The iPhone X feels like “The Future of the Smartphone” (The Verge)
Smartphone AI: The Trend That Will Make Future Phones Smarter (Edgy Labs)
Samsung Expected to Introduce Foldable Smartphone Next Year (wccftech)
Take Note: Samsung’s Conor Pierce on the future of smartphones (silicon republic)
Finally, how much time do people spend on their cellphones in 2017? The answer is here.