Does Samsung Sense a Crack in the Googleplex?
May 6, 2022
It seems someone does not have much confidence in the Google. SamMobile suggests, “If Google Can’t Do Android Anymore, Maybe it Should Be Left to Samsung.” Writer Adnan F. begins by observing how valuable Android is to Google, delivering a steady stream of users to its other (Android default) services like Gmail, YouTube, and Maps. He also concedes the company updates the OS regularly, but is underwhelmed by its efforts. Perhaps, he suggests, Google has been lured into a sense of complacency by its distinct lack of competitors for the not-Apple mobile device market. This is where, to Adnan F.’s mind, Samsung could come in. He writes:
“Samsung has clearly taken the lead in advancing the cause of Android, perhaps more so than Google itself. Then again, Samsung does happen to be the largest global vendor of Android devices. It may rely on Google for the OS but there’s no question that it’s Google that needs Samsung and not the other way around. Often it feels that a light bulb goes off at Google whenever it sees Samsung create a feature that Android should have had. Then it wastes no time in copying that feature. Here’s an example and here’s another, and in the immortal words of DJ Khaled, another one. Let’s not forget that several Android 12 features are copied from One UI and even from Samsung’s outdated TouchWiz UI!. Samsung’s One UI features are also being copied for Android 13. Today, Google went ahead and copied Samsung’s Smart Switch app. It’s as if Google is sitting in an exam and looking over the shoulder of the smart kid – that’s Samsung in this scenario – hoping to copy its work. Where it should have been Google taking the lead, it’s Samsung that’s influencing some of the major feature additions to Android.”
It is not an unreasonable suggestion. As the write-up points out, the two companies are close partners and have collaborated before. But would Google ever hand over the Android reins, even to a trusted friend? We are not so sure.
Cynthia Murrell, May 6, 2022
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