Is 'Quadroid' the New 'Wintel'? 150
CWmike writes "'Wintel' is the term that for years defined Windows-based computers running Intel chips. Now a similar expression is emerging for smartphones: 'Quadroid,' a term that refers to the Qualcomm chips used inside smartphones running the Android mobile operating system. The term, recently coined in a report by the PRTM consultancy, could catch on, largely because Qualcomm provides 77% of the chips in phones running Google's Android, which is expected to take the No. 2 slot in 2010. And the Quadroid alliance is expected to grow. Like Wintel has for PCs, Quadroid could push down profit margins for smartphone manufacturers, some analysts say. That might seem like a good thing to consumers, but may not be so good for many phone makers."
bad for consumers as well. (Score:4, Interesting)
When the race to the bottom occurs, and everyone's trying to grab marketshare rather than profit, OEMs are going to crap out ever more unreliable, useless hardware. The whole thing's a mess.
This isn't good for consumers. the Android software ecosystem WILL suffer. custom UI skins will be more bloated and useless, apps will become more and more fragmented, and I'm not sure if consumers are going to be willing to put up with it.
If Qualcomm+Android = Quadroid... (Score:3, Interesting)
The world needs to know. This is important!
Re:In a word: no (Score:5, Interesting)
Wintel duopoly = lower margins for the companies that "make" the computers = greater incentive to take payments in exchange for bundling shitware and/or attempt to 'differentiate' with vendor shovelware.
With cellphones: Same thing; but the customer is cryptographically prevented from uninstalling the crap unless the model is popular enough to attract a really solid mod scene and an easy-to-use custom firmware...
Right, because the ~25% remaining are irrelevant (Score:5, Interesting)
This is absurd - (A) to not even refer to the main processor in this meaningless marketing term, and then (B) to exclude (or mislabel!) nearly a quarter of the market...
I'm not a conspiracy kind of guy, but seriously - is Qualcomm behind this transparent marketing grab or what???