Apple CEO Steve Jobs remains utterly unimpressed with Google’s popular Android mobile operating system.
Jobs – who was obviously buoyed by record breaking company profits – told reporters and analysts that Google activates only 200,000 devices per day, compared to Apple’s 275,000 – 300,000.
“Google loves to characterize Android as open and iPhone as closed. We see this disingenuous and clouding the difference,” Jobs claimed in a statement transcribed by AppleInsider.
“[Now], the first thing we think of when we hear open is Windows, which is available on a lot of devices. [But] unlike Windows, where PCs have the same interface, Android is very fragmented [and] the user [is] left to figure it out.”
To illustrate his point, Jobs noted that a recently launched Android TwitterDeck app had to content with “100 different versions” of software on 244 separate handsets.
“Many Android apps work only on selected handsets, or selected Android versions… And this is for handsets that shipped 12 months ago.
“Compare [this to the] iPhone, where [there] are [only] two versions to test against, the current and most recent predecessor.”
Jobs also criticized the multiple app stores for Android devices, which he described as “a mess” for both users and developers.
“Contrast this with Apple’s integrated app store. It has three times as many apps and offers developers one-stop shopping [who] get paid swiftly. [Still], even if Google was right and the real issue was closed vs open, it’s worth remembering open doesn’t always win.
“In reality we think the open vs closed argument is just a smokescreen to try and hide the real issue which is: what’s best for the customer, fragmented or integrated?
According to Jobs, Apple’s (rather draconian) insistence on integration represents a “huge strength” compared to Google’s open approach.
“We think integrated will trump fragmented every time. We think developers will be more innovative by focusing on one handset, rather than testing against a lot of hardware.
“[Because] no matter how many times Google tries to characterize it as closed, we are confident iPhone will triumph.”
Finally, Jobs predicted that the upcoming generation of tablets will have “near zero” apps.
“Nearly all of these tablets use Android. But even Google is saying don’t use Froyo and instead to wait to use next years’ version. [Clearly], our potential competitors [in tablets] are having a tough time coming close to iPad’s pricing.
“[The] iPad incorporates everything we’ve learned about building high value products. [For example], we created our own A4 chip, software, battery chemistry, enclosure, everything. This results in an incredible product at a great price. The proof will be in the pricing of our competitors’ products, which will offer less for more.”
