First Impressions Using Android Honeycomb, Google's iPad Rival
This morning Google held an event to showcase Android Honeycomb, the new version of the mobile OS that is focused on tablets. There wasn't much news around the OS — we've seen it previewed in a few demos …
Context & Ripple Effects
Honeycomb follows Google's earlier work on a tablet interface and a stated design vision for the platform. The more consequential preparation was technical: tablet-oriented APIs gave developers a way to adapt Android applications to larger screens before the software's public showcase.
The event turns that design and developer groundwork into a product-positioning move against the iPad, while Google's Honeycomb design vision gives device makers a more distinct tablet experience to build around.
First-order effects
- Android tablet manufacturers gain a version of the operating system designed for their form factor, rather than relying on a phone-first Android experience.
- Android developers can use Honeycomb's tablet-focused APIs to build or revise applications for larger screens, making app readiness an immediate differentiator for Android tablets.
Second-order effects
- Google's tablet partners must pair Honeycomb hardware with a credible tablet-app lineup, shifting competition with the iPad from specifications alone toward software availability and interface quality.
- The iPad faces a more explicit Android tablet alternative, giving buyers and developers a second major platform to evaluate for larger-screen mobile computing.
Third-order effects
- If manufacturers and developers adopt the tablet-specific tools, Android's open platform model can extend from phones into tablets through multiple hardware partners rather than a single integrated device maker.
- Tablet competition is increasingly organized around platform ecosystems: operating-system design, developer APIs, application distribution, and hardware availability reinforce one another.
The trend: Mobile operating systems are splitting into form-factor-specific experiences while preserving a shared developer platform across phones and tablets.