FANDROID April 2013 VOL. 1 ISSUE 2 +PLUS ⁺ Exclusive Interview with Google’s Eric Schmidt ⁺ Samsung and Google Money Problems THE HTC ONE IS FINALLY HERE. Review and Ultra-pixel explained. The Andy Rubin Story We take a look back at the history of Android and the man who brought it to Goo- US $5.99 Canada $6.03 gle and helped make it such a success. Pg. 24 FANDROID 2 APRIL 2014 FANDROID 3 April 2013 FEATURES VOL. 1 ISSUE 2 CONTENTS STORIES Samsung Sets It’s Sights on Google 04 Google I/O and a New Dessert? 16 Fall of Gingerbread 20 Are Six Inch Phones a Thing? 23 NEWS The Andy Rubin Story 24 Samsung sets sights Facebook’s New Home 34 Glass Explorer Winners Revealed 38 04 on Google’s Wallet New Look for Play Store 41 Samsung sets sights on getting more money from Google due to their pull they in the Android eco- DEVICE & APP REVIEWS system and are ready to break Upcoming away from Android if need be. Samsung Galaxy S4 42 HTC One 44 Acer Iconia A1-810 46 Reviews Google I/O’s menu LG Optimus G 47 16 change up Ouya Game System 48 Google I/O rumors are starting Sony Xperia ZL 51 already, but this time we may be Updates in store for a tasty new edition Gmail 45 possibly named Keylime Pie. Youtube 46 Google Drive 47 PLUS We breakdown and explain the new New Apps Ultra-Pixel that the HTC One boasts. Contacts + 49 The Andy Rubin 60 Repulze 49 24 Story Camera FX 51 Andy Rubin steps down from the Android team but remains with Google, we take a look back at ASK his journey growing the system.. Interview With Eric Schmidt 55 The Big Deal About HTC’s Ultra-pixel 60 Reader Submited Questions 62 44 Is HTC the “One”? We get our hands on the new- ly released HTC One to give it a thorough review and see if it stand up to the all of the hype. 4 APRIL 2014 FANDROID 5 STORIES SAMSUNG SETS SIGHTS amsung’s pole position in the Android ecosys- that assumption is. Stem is about get another boost when the Korean If you want to know how key Samsung electronics giant unveils the Galaxy S4 in New York has been for Android, just look at the fact that when Google bought Motorola on Thursday night. But, while it’s all glitz and glamour in May 2012, Eric Schmidt flew directly this week, there’s an underlying tension between Sam- to Samsung’s headquarters in South Ko- sung, Google, and the Android ecosystem that is about rea to personally assure its executives ON GOOGLE’S WALLET... that Motorola would not get special to reach a crossroads in 2013. status in the Android ecosystem andwould be treated as anyother brand. Samsung’s current flagship phone, the Galaxy S3, “I told them that the (Android) ecosystem has to became the best-selling Android device in the world be favored at all costs,” Schmidt said. “The Motorola in 2012. In its first 6 months on the market, the Galaxy products can’t be unduly favored, unless you’re also S3 sold over 40 million units. In the 3rd quarter of unduly favoring Samsung. If it looks unfair, and then NOT THE APP. 2012, it even passed the iPhone as the single best-sell- the ecosystem unravels, then it’s a terrible mistake.” ing smart-phone in the world, though Apple snatched True to Schmidt’s word, Google has not shown back that distinction in Q4 with the launch of Motorola any outward favoritism. Since the acquisi- the iPhone 5. tion, Google hasn’t even tapped Motorola to build any Now, Samsung is so bullish on the S4 that it is of Android’s flagship Nexus devices. And, during the reportedly ordering enough parts to handle sales of past year, Samsung’s leading role in the Android mar- 10 million phones per month. With much of the world ket has only been enhanced, with the help of runaway still converting from old-style cellphones to smart- hits like the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note. The growing struggle between hardware phones, there’s certainly a solid case for that kind of Samsung now owns 40% market share bullishness. But, it also assumes that Samsung will of all Android sales. Second place? Huawei with about and software in the mobile world. remain Google’s per-eminent Android partner over 7%. Samsung has certainly earned its success. You the next 12-18 months. The big question is how safe can’t begrudge it that. The company has out executed other Android device makers in both hardware design BY JASON HINER and software enhancements. It also did a better job of emulating best practices from Apple than any of the others Android vendors. While that strategy cost a lot in legal fees after a protracted court battle with Apple (that revealed just how closely Samsung was stalking Apple’s moves), it “Samsung now ultimately came to a stalemate. Meanwhile, Samsung devices soared to the head of the class owns 40% market in Android. The bottom line is that Samsung and Google forged an Android alliance that successfully stemmed share of all Apple’s momentum in mobile devices. Ironically, it was very similar to the way Intel and Windows Android sales.” stemmed Apple’s momentum in personal computers a generation ago. Let’s not forget that Samsung is also the leading seller in the Android tablet market and the leading laptop seller for the Google Chromebook market. The Google-Samsung combination is the most potent new partnership in computing and it is putting tremendous competitive pressure on Apple and Mic- = 10,000,000 phones sold 76% 67.3 Million from the previous Devices in 2012 year alone 6 APRIL 2014 FANDROID 7 STORIES rosoft. But, can the partnership hold together? There ASUS), we have to expect Google to get even more are several competing interests that are driving a aggressive in selling inexpensive Nexus smart-phones wedge between the two companies, as is common and tablets directly to consumers to help free them with these types of partnerships. However, in this from expensive and onerous contracts with wireless case, the future of both companies in the mobile carriers and to help get more Google-centric devices business as well as the overall health of the Android in the hands of more people. SAMSUNG’S ecosystem itselfis at stake. Google has been betting on this scenario since the The first issue is that Samsung’s lead over the rest of launch of the Nexus One in January 2010 and it finally the Android phone makers is beginning to evapo- generated significant momentum around the concept SOFTWARE FEATURES rate. Just as Samsung skillfully executed plays from in 2012. As such, I fully expect Nexus devices to take a Apple’s play book, now other Android vendors are bigger chunk out of Samsung’s Android market share ⁺ S Beam sharing that lets you tap emulating Samsung. in 2013. two Galaxy S3s together to share HTC is taking a page out of the Apple and Samsung While fighting low-priced Nexus devices on one photos, videos, or files play-books by consolidating down to one flagship front, Samsung will also have to deal with the smart-phone. In this case, it’s the HTC One, a sharp re-emergence of HTC and the rise of Huawei, which new device that was announced in February and is could steal customers away from its core business of ⁺ Smart Stay eye-tracking technol- generally drawing strong reviews. Remember, HTC selling subsidized phones to consumers on traditional ogy that automatically keeps the was the leading Android phone maker before Sam- wireless plans. screen bright for as long are you’re sung’s recent ascent. Since Samsung’s devices are based on standard looking at it industry hardware components that any of the elec- Meanwhile at CES 2013 in January, Chinese device tronics companies can use and the Android software maker Huawei unveiled a pair of high-end Android platform is open for any company to co-opt, that ⁺ Best Photo camera feature that devices that are aimed squarely at Samsung’s two leaves Samsung very little room to innovate as an takes eight continuous photos and Mhit products, the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note. The Android device maker. And when there’s little room to then suggests the best one (and 6.1-inch Huawei Ascend Mate is a phablet that goes innovate, the primary differentiator becomes price. lets you override it and manually even a little larger than the Galaxy Note, with a very The primary product innovation that catapulted select the best one of the eight) similar design. Samsung into the lead in the Android ecosystem in The Huawei Ascend D2 also emulates Samsung’s 2012 was that it did a better job than its Android com- ⁺ Direct Call lets you lift your phone thin plastic design and features a quad core proces- petitors of integrating hardware and software. to your ear to automatically call sor, 32GB of built-in storage, 2GB RAM, a 13 mega-pix- While Samsung’s Android success can also be el camera, a screen with 443dpi pixel density (sur- attributed to its go-to-market strategy (getting its someone that you had been tex- passing both the S3 and iPhone 5), and a 3000mAh ting battery that rivals the Droid Razr Maxx. Those are eye-popping specs that the Galaxy S4 will struggle to “The primary product innovation ⁺ S Voice (right) for enhancing the match when it is unveiled on Thursday.