Android@Everywhere

The ongoing IFA exhibition in Berlin has been entirely stolen by Android. Following the news it was difficult to spot anything that was not related to a release of a new Android tablet. All the big names have been there, with Samsung leading the pack.

The war of tablets is the most intense. There are basically two contenders. Apple, who without discussion holds the crown for creating the market and leading it by a huge margin. Then there is Android, supported by almost everybody else, but RIM, Microsoft, Nokia and HP. Android has already overtaken Apple. But the iPad is still probably the best tablet you can buy. Unfortunately for Apple, usually what really matters is not the current state, but the trend.

And the trend for Android is "to the Moon". It shows everywhere. In fully functional sub $200 designs like the Lenovo A1, in the dedicated book readers like the Nook and the upcoming Kindle and in the high end devices like the Samsung Galaxy 10.1 (I own one) and the all-new Samsung Galaxy 7.7 (I want one!). The iPad is RICH in apps and games and overall appeal. Android, on the other hand has the REACH. Galaxy (pun intended) of tablets to choose from. And there will be more.

From now on Apple versus Android will always be RICH versus REACH. Apple will continue to deliver absolutely top models with top design and top appeal. On the other hand Android will be everywhere.

Everywhere has even broader meaning. Because I am not talking only about tablets.

Few years from now Android will be in just about any electronic device you can think of. A car stereo (like the Parrot Asteroid). A TV set. A heating thermostat. A light bulb.

The age of M2M, or machine - to - machine communications is approaching quickly. All devices will want to be connected. To talk to each other. A thermostat wants the motion detector to tell it, if people are at home. If they are not, it will turn down the heating. Same for a light bulb.

Now for all those devices to connect, each of them has to essentially be a computer, with a software stack. Software stacks are expensive and difficult to implement. On the other hand Android is proven, ready and free. Anybody can grab it and put on their devices. An option hard to resist.

So yes, exactly the way Windows has been an OS for computers for almost 20 years, Android will be the OS for devices. There is no alternative and nobody can do anything about it. Which is good, because this way we have guaranteed interoperability. The devices will indeed talk to each other.

I am not sure if Google had such REACH in mind when it was buying Android a few years back. But I am certain that was exactly their thinking, when they announced the Android@Home initiative back in May 2011. And I am sure @Home will eventually mean almost @Everywhere.