The carriers can never win unless they, like Apple, focus on the customer experience.

They will not get customer loyalty by treating their customers like sh*t. Yet they always do.

The easiest way to a smartphone OS is a Google-less Android. This is what the Chinese have done.

And this is what is already happening with HTC and other smartphone makers. Realize that they have to PAY for the Google apps and proprietary software in Android. By writing their own replacements, they save money and make more profit per phone sold. And they can get Microsoft to pay them for putting Bing on their phones. They are removing Google as the intermediary for the sake of making more profit. In the process, they create their own user interface – which makes the Android experience fractured.

But if Google brings some of their dark fiber on line along with Wi-Max or the white TV bands as local outlets, could make the carriers take notice.

Microsoft can’t get a dog in the race because they approach everything from the point of view of the PC, and more specifically the PC desktop. They can’t think of anything else; all other user interfaces don’t matter – so they will never produce an interface similar to the iOS or Android. It’s not that Windows Phone/Mobile can’t do it – it could. It’s just beyond their comprehension – or at least Microsoft Management’s comprehension.

As a customer I hate carrier branded phones because I can’t stand the carrier lock down. My last carrier subsidized phone had several software switches changed that prevented me from uploading my own wallpaper or ringtone in an attempt to force me to buy them from the carrier. They locked out USB file transfers to make it so I had to transfer them over email at a cost of $1 per email. After constant experiences like that, I can’t wait for the day I can simply pay $100 for a new phone and have it be MY phone.

With respect to the carriers, owning the ‘pipe’ is a powerful position. But, as you suggest, owning the customer is a far more powerful position. With my 2 degrees I remain unable to decipher my AT&T bill. True, they may want to keep me ignorant, but in the process they have driven me elsewhere and have failed to learn how to provide legitimate customer service. That said, the more carriers seek to rip out the guts of Android and make it their own, the more likely customers will have superior choice.

Keep up the great work. I look forward to your posts every Monday.

When content is squeezed out of carriers hands is when we will finally have mobile market that will finally live up to its potential. And carriers, you best believe that I am not alone in telling you shove your crapware ways and overlayed UI’s. I wont put up with it and I am not alone.

To the point about Verizon and Apple what a masterfully played game of chess by Apple vs. both AT&T and Verizon. Clearly Apple wanted GSM from the start, but AT&T would never go first unless they felt threatened. Apple used the arrogance and closed minded perspective of Verizon as the lure, which when AT&T’s folks in Dallas learned of it, dared not be left out and came at Apple with the GSM is better for you approach which Apple already knew.

Maybe one day someone will make a mystery movie out of it, or simply consider it a conspiracy theory.

Bottom line is Apple markets better than all the brands mentioned, and that’s why they can get a higher cost on hardware, a piece of the carrier’s pie and the cachet they carry.

Compare this to Google or Verizon app or music stores. I came from the world of Linux. Not so sure I’d enjoy heading back in that direction.

Chine Mobile has the right idea with OPhone; take the Android OS, but deliver a platform with “Chinese” characteristics. China Mobile takes advantage of both its scale, market power, and add value on top of the free Android technology

-Tek
https://twitter.com/TektonikShift

The billing mechanism. That problem is easily solved. You need to overcome the friction of “entering the data”. A mobile wallet will do this.

Secondly access to the content. It’s all on the “Web” and the “reasonably” consistent mechanism to display it is the browser.

Finally you have to join the dots. You have to remove the friction around content consumption/billing that occurs when using the mobile web.

Solution a meta database (secure) that stores your billing information. This can be shared with trusted web sites when you have a desire to consume billable content. A simple check button will allow access to this data and then you can consume at will. There is no requirement for the carriers to be involved at all.

The content is on the web, the consumers use different devices to access the web, the carriers are just the tone to connect to the web. Real disintermediation occurs when you remove the friction around billable content consumption.