Weekend Reading: Android Dominates CTIA 2010

Events and conferences, Mobile devices, Network Operators, On the Radar
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CTIA 2010 has wrapped up and now we can look back on the news and see what the year holds for the mobile industry here in the United States.’a0 It was alarming to me how almost every announcement had something to do with Google’s Android operating system.

New Handsets Galore

It is impossible to me to keep a pulse on every handset that was announced, but let’s highlight a few of the major ones.’a0 Of course, the previously mentioned Sprint Evo is a powerhouse device that will harness the power of Sprint’s fast 4G WiMax network.’a0 Sprint also debuted the Motorola i1, which is the world’s first push-to-talk Android phone.

Samsung Galaxy SSamsung showed off their new toy: the Samsung Galaxy S. This phone is extremely thin and has a 4″ AMOLED screen that apparently has a very bright, beautiful screen.’a0 In fact one area this device shines is outdoor reflectivity (meaning you can easily see the screen in bright sunlight), which is an area the Nexus One has drawn complaints.’a0 The Galaxy S also has a 1-Ghz processor and is reportedly very fast also.

Dell announced their Aero, which is the first smartphone from the PC-maker and only the second Android phone that will be available on the AT&T network.’a0 For budget minded Android users, Kyocera debuted the Zio M6000 that will be only around $200 (not counting subsidies) and features a high res 800×480 pixel display.

Android Going Big Time

It appears that Android has found it’s moment in the spotlight.’a0 Every carrier in the US now has an Android handset in it’s lineup as everyone who isn’t Apple tries to build in a response and offering to counter the iPhone.’a0 I even saw a few stories about Android powered tablets, possibly to compete against the iPad.

Does this mean Android will be a real competitor?’a0 This is what 2010 will tell us.’a0 Now that the handset makers, mobile carriers, and software developers have embraced Android and really started putting some development resources into the platform; customer adoption and sales figures will be the true measure to see if all the investment was worth it.