This past week Google announced the release of their new phone, the Pixel. The release of the Pixel has already allowed Google to make some bold moves against their competitors. The Pixel was announced after Google released a new line of products. However, the Pixel outshines the release of these other products because it, for the most part, is the first phone Google has created entirely on its own.
New Google products http://thenextweb.com/google/2016/10/04/google-pixel-event-october-2016/
For the software giant this is a huge move. Not only will they provide the software but also the hardware to run the Pixel. Having a role in both these categories allows Google to have more flexibility in the modification of their product than other companies. For example, other phone producers can modify their phone’s hardware but rely primarily on platform providers, such as Android, to take control of their software specifications. One of the only other companies where control over both these functions is seen is Apple. I believe Apple is Google’s largest competitor. In order for Google to be successful they will need to overcome Apple, which will surely be difficult. Overall, Google’s recent entry into the phone market displays an attempt by the company to further differentiate themselves from other companies present in the market, which will largely benefit their overall brand.
Android logo https://www.cnet.com/android-update/
I am excited to see what the Pixel has to offer. The release of this product could potentially make Google a dominant competitor in the phone industry. Additionally, I am excited to see how Google will react to extreme success in the market. If Google became a top player in the phone industry it would more than likely affect their relationship with other phone producers, whom they have been closely related to in the past. Many phones companies today rely on Google’s services to make their products more user-friendly. This is especially the case for Android phones — which brings into question — is Google trying to take over Android?
Side by side comparison http://www.androidcentral.com/first-comparison-google-pixel-xl-vs-iphone-7-plus
It is very possible Google is entering the phone market with the intention of becoming one of the (if not the most) competitive forces in the market. The newly released Pixel looks very similar to the new iPhone 7. Google even went so far as to release information and accessories allowing user to switch between the two products with ease. Because Samsung is in the midst of a huge phone exploding crisis (click here for more on the Samsung crisis), the timing of Google’s announcement could not have been more perfect. This will allow Google to acquire a large majority of unhappy Samsung customers who were affected by the company’s crisis. If there is any company that can overtake the phone market, it is surely Google.
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https://techcrunch.com/2016/10/04/everything-you-need-to-know-from-googles-pixel-event/
http://www.androidcentral.com/google-pixel-why-controlling-both-software-and-hardware-matters
http://www.phonearena.com/news/Want-to-switch-from-an-iPhone-to-a-Google-Pixel-Theres-a-Quick-Switch-Adapter-for-that_id86162