Rubin says Android was originally meant for cameras

Android, the operating system running on devices such as the Samsung Galaxy S4 or the HTC One, was originally meant to run on digital cameras and not smartphones, according to Android co-founder Andy Rubin.

PCWorld, reports Rubin saying at the economic summit in Tokyo, “The exact same platform, the exact same operating system we built for cameras, that became Android for cellphones.”

He adds, “We decided digital cameras wasn’t actually a big enough market. I was worried about Microsoft and I was worried about Symbian, I wasn’t worried about iPhone yet.”

Speaking about their decision to make Android an open source project, Rubin said, “We wanted as many cellphones to use Android as possible. So instead of charging $99, or $59, or $69, to Android, we gave it away for free, because we knew the industry was price sensitive.”

Back in March, Rubin stepped down as the head of Android to “start a new chapter.”

He said, “I can pretty much guarantee you that whatever I do next it’s going to be something that delights consumers.”

Do you wonder what would have happened if Rubin and co decided to make Android for digital cameras? Share your thoughts through a comment on our Facebook page.

Tags: Android, Andy Rubin, Camera, digital camera, Google, operating system, OS
Category OS News |

HTC confirms ‘Ultrapixel’ camera causing the delay of the HTC One

HTC confirmed that the ‘Ultrapixel’ camera of the HTC One was the reason behind the smartphone’s delay.

The Wall Street Journal reports Benjamin Ho, HTC’s new chief marketing officer, responding to questions about the delays surrounding their new flagship. He said, “We have a lot of innovations but we haven’t been loud enough.”

WSJ says that the Taiwanese firm’s “new approach is part of HTC’s efforts to reassure investors and customers that it is turning around.” Since, “Its sales were down 41% in the fourth quarter from a year earlier, as it lost ground to rivals like Apple Inc. and Samsung.”

WSJ adds, “Mr. Ho outlined other marketing changes for HTC, such as increasing the digital marketing budget for the company by 250% this year compared with 2012, and increasing traditional media marketing spending by 100%.”

Speaking about the Ultrapixel cameras causing the delay, Ho said, “Our friends in the media have been asking why there has been a delay in shipments for the new HTC One, whether there is a component shortage. There is some shortage, because the phone’s camera was designed specifically for us, and production cannot be ramped up so quickly.”

So there you have it. The delays are being caused by problems with the production of the Ultrapixel camera. We’re hoping HTC gets around these issues. Otherwise, it will lose more market shares to the likes of the Apple iPhone and the Samsung Galaxy S4.

What do you make of these delays surrounding the HTC One? Share your thoughts through a comment on our Facebook page.

Tags: Camera, HTC, HTC One, One, Ultrapixel, Ultrapixel camera
Category Hardware News |

HTC One Ultrapixel tech could find their way to budget phones

It looks like the Ultrapixel tech on the HTC One could find its way to low end blowers made by the Taiwanese phone maker, according to an HTC exec.

At Mobile World Congress, Omio asked Head of HTC UK and Ireland, Phil Roberson, “Are there aspects of HTC One that could come to lower end phones? Could the Ultrapixel camera coming to mid-range handsets?”

He answered, “Absolutely.

“We look at services such as Blink feed, which we are looking to support across as many products as possible.

“It will take time, as we develop the new services, as that becomes more of a sense experience.

“Sense is still really the core of what we are doing on Android, and BlinkFeed is sitting on top of the core of sense – and that will start to roll out as we go through the year.

“Wherever the technology is possible, we’re looking to take as much of the technology and enrich all of our customers.”

Omio also “asked if the Ultrapixel camera and its associated technology could run on dual-core processors, which are found in the mid-range mobile phones”.

Roberson answered, “It could … the core is around the sensor and the image chip that we are using.

“We’ve got dedicated silicon, in terms of the processing that comes off of the sensor.

“However, the Qualcomm chipset [used in the HTC One] does enable a lot of this to happen.

“The ability to take HD video and high-res images at the same time is powered by the quad-core on the device, as well.

“There will be certain technical challenges, but the tech does support the other elements of it which we can take to other parts of the portfolio.

Omio then asked “if Ultrapixel could even come to low-end handsets”.

Roberson answered, “A lot depends on what you define low-end, really.”

“If you look at what we did on the One V [2012 entry-level One series phone]; that had the same image chip as we had on the One X.

“There is definitely the potential to take it into those spaces.”

Would you like to get your hands on a budget HTC smartphone with Ultrapixel tech? Let us know through a comment on our Facebook page.

Tags: Camera, HTC, HTC One, HTC Ultrapixel tech, HTC Ultrapixel technology, One, Ultrapixel
Category Hardware News |