Samsung 'not locked' into Android
2011-11-04 09:15
Johannesburg - Despite a close working relationship with Google, Samsung is also prepared to offer support for platforms other than Android, if consumers demand it.
"Samsung has always taken an approach of offering platform choice to the consumer. Obviously, in our smartphones and our tablets, we've got a rich portfolio which supports Android. Having said that though, we do support other platforms," Samsung spokesperson Paulo Ferreira told News24.
Android has grown exponentially since its launch in November 2007, but platforms from Research In Motion, Nokia, Apple and Microsoft have made for fierce competition in the market.
"We support - right now - bada which is a platform we've created for the smartphone, and we also have Windows Phone 7 devices," Ferreira said.
New category
Part of the reason for Android's success is that it's free to manufacturers and Google has had a policy of not giving any particular manufacturer preferential treatment.
"The stance from Samsung's point of view is: We will look at what the consumer is telling us; what platforms do they want our devices to actually support.
"Right now that tendency in the market is Android and we definitely are supporting Android and that’s obviously evidenced by our product portfolio," said Ferreira.
Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Note as a new category of device between a smartphone and a tablet.
The company said that it's confident about its relationship with Google, despite the recent purchase of Motorola by the internet giant.
"Our relationship with Google is as strong as it always was. The fact that we've launched the Galaxy Nexus shows just how strong that particular relationship is and it’s the second time that Samsung's been selected as the OEM [Original Equipment Manufacturer] of choice to release the Nexus product.
"It shows how strong that relationship is and it shows the confidence that Google has in Samsung as a hardware manufacturer," Ferreira said.
Samsung’s answer to BBM
One of the new features employed on the Galaxy Note is ChatOn.
This application could be interpreted as Samsung's answer to the popular BBM service on BlackBerry, but it is an indicator that the South Korean firm has ambition to dominate developing markets in a similar manner to their success in the US.
The company recently passed Apple to become the largest smartphone provider in the US.
"We’ll look at Google and ourselves to drive innovation in that Android space, but having said that, we will support other platforms as well," said Ferreira.
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