Android news covered a lot of ground this week, starting with streaming video. Dish Network released apps for several smartphone platforms, including Android, to allow customers to sling live and pre-recorded TV programs to the phones. Dish Network’s TV Everywhere service can hook up with the smartphone to watch favorite programs anywhere there’s phone service.
Mobile ads are becoming big business on the Android platform, as ad impressions on the platform drew even with those on the iOS platform for the first time. Android grew from 29 percent of ad impressions last month, to grab 37 percent in the latest figures. Drawing even with iOS is significant as these figures include the iPad and iPod touch, in addition to the iPhone. Android is a force to be reckoned with in the ad business, and that’s where the money is.
The Samsung Galaxy Tab is now shipping to customers globally, and the Android tablet is proving to be a true competitor to the iPad. Steve Jobs may think there’s no utility in a 7-inch tablet, but hands-on video proves otherwise. Our video of the Tab going head-to-head with the iPad shows the smaller tablet can be easier to use for extended periods, a major use case for a tablet device.
A viable market for cheaper smartphones exists, based on sales figures for the LG Optimus T Android phone. LG reported it sold 1 million of the $ 30 smartphones in just 40 days, an impressive quantity. LG includes the latest version of Android (2.2) on the Optimus T and capabilities that only fall a bit short of high-end Android phones, all for a feature phone price. The sales volume of the Optimus T verifies the model that Google brings to the industry, with a full smartphone operating system at low cost.
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