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By Don Reisinger on 2010-12-28
The past year has been an exciting one in the mobile computing space. Smartphones, from BlackBerrys to iPhones to Android-based devices, grew in popularity, and Apple’s iPad gave life to the burgeoning tablet market. With all these new products competing for consumers’ and businesses’ cash, deciding which ones are worth it can be a challenge. For CIOs, it was a year to determine what was best and what wasn’t when it came to mobile technology and the enterprise. And unfortunately, while many products were consumer superstars, CIOs were presented with some less-ideal options that failed to deliver the kind of experience that they were looking for. Most companies decided to play safe, rather than risk getting caught up with the wrong carrier or device and wind up with an enterprise full of technology that left users wishing they had something else in hand. And standing aside and waiting for the market to mature was probably a smart move. The mobile technology market saw some major mistakes this year from big-name vendors. And not even the most reliable companies could keep themselves away from issues. Read on to find out what the worst mobile mistakes were this year.
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The JooJoo TabletWhen it was announced that the JooJoo tablet would be made available this year, some wondered how it would perform, given its history in litigation with tech blog TechCrunch. But after it was released, it quickly became clear that it had no future. And the device was eventually discontinued due to poor sales.
The Dell AeroThe Dell Aero smartphone was supposed to be the product that would help revive the PC maker’s ailing mobile business. But when the device launched, it came with an old version of Android, it was running on AT&T’s network, and it lacked much of the functionality that Android lovers had come to expect from their phones. And in the process, the smartphone failed to garner much consumer (or enterprise) attention.
The Dell StreakThe tablet space was a big hit this year, but it wasn’t due to the Dell Streak. Dell’s tablet features a 5-inch display and runs an outdated version of Android, similar to the company’s Aero. The tablet was both too small and offered the wrong features to strike a chord with customers. And although it’s still available, it’s in no way selling the way Dell had hoped.
iPhone 4 Antenna WoesWhen Apple launched the iPhone 4, consumers and some enterprise customers couldn’t wait to get the device. They expected it to be all that the iPhone 3GS was and more, thanks to its new display, new iOS, and outstanding technical features. But when they got their hands on the device, signal strength declined due to users holding the device in a “death grip.” Apple tried to make it right by offering free cases, which helped quell the unrest, but it was undoubtedly a black mark on an otherwise great smartphone.
iPhone 4 Pre-Order WoesThe iPhone 4 was the victim of two issues this year. Aside from the antenna problem, AT&T had an extremely difficult time handling pre-orders. In fact, those who tried to buy the device couldn’t do so, while others were forced to call AT&T to fix the issues. It was one of the worst-handled pre-orders ever. And it’s something that Apple won’t want to relive.
Galaxy Tab Running Android 2.2The Samsung Galaxy Tab has been somewhat of a hit, selling more than 1 million units since its launch. But the company’s decision to offer Android 2.2 in the tablet was probably not a good one since Google itself has said that Android won’t be ready for tablets until version 3.0 of the software is finally released. It hasn’t necessarily hurt sales, but consumers will see a world of difference when they get their hands on Android 3.0 running on tablets next year.
RIM’s DeclineRIM made several mistakes this year as it attempted to compete in a market that’s becoming increasingly controlled by Apple and Google. One of its biggest mistakes was offering an operating system in BlackBerry OS 6 that failed to capture the kind of experience that consumers and even some enterprise customers are looking for. They get that in Android and iOS, but through 2010, they didn’t get than in BlackBerry OS.
Betting On 4G Too EarlySprint was the first to the market with its 4G service, bringing the offering to a slew of cities around the U.S. But by being the first to the market, it also gave Verizon the opening it needed to capitalize. Verizon is rolling out its 4G service to several cities around the U.S., and perhaps most importantly, that company’s offering is faster than Sprint’s. Going forward, it seems that Verizon will be leading the 4G charge, stealing that position from Sprint.
Waiting Too Long On iPad MultitaskingThe iPad has been an unbridled success, but it wasn’t until November that Apple finally offered multitasking in its tablet. The result was months of complaints from critics who were wondering when the functionality would finally be made available to the device. Apple insisted that it was waiting until multitasking was ready, but the longer it delayed its release, the worse it looked for the company.
The Strange BlackBerry PlayBook PlayRIM decided to break into the tablet market this year, announcing the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. The device is set to go on-sale early next year. However, the tablet’s marketing seemed directed more towards consumers than enterprise customers. And RIM said that it wouldn’t ship with 3G connectivity out of the box. Those two issues caused some to wonder if RIM was showing its hand too early, and not waiting to deliver the product that enterprise customers are really after.
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