The trouble with Android

Sales of Android phones are booming, and fabulous new Android phones are released on a regular basis. But all is not roses.

From BetaBeat:
"Why My Mom Bought an Android, Returned It, and Got an iPhone"
http://www.betabeat.com/2011/07/29/why-my-mom-bought-an-android-returned-it-and-got-an-iphone/

More bad news, from TechCrunch:
"Android’s Dirty Secret: Shipping Numbers Are Strong But Returns Are 30-40%" by John Biggs
http://techcrunch.com/2011/07/26/androids-dirty-secret-shipping-numbers-are-strong-but-returns-are-30-40/#comment-box

I have commented on this many times. Android allows bloatware and crappy carrier and manufacturer builds. Apple doesn't. No matter how good or how big Android gets, this alone will assure Apple of a profitable and enduring share of the smartphone market.

I happen to love playing with my phones, changing settings, finding apps that will do exactly what I want (modifying the keyboard and limiting data usage when not on WiFi, to give two examples). But not everyone does, in fact most people don't. "Normal" people don't. Android phones need to be designed with that in mind, with the user in mind. I believe the base Android software does keep the user in mind, but I'm not so sure the carriers and manufacturers realize that.