In the last month, bothAppleandGooglehad press conferences showing off their new operating systems.
Both were met with a resounding meh followed by outcries thatApples just an imitatorthese days.
Heres an unpopular opinion: I dont care.
Apple and Google have trained us to expect amazing things.
Innovating at the same rate for years was never going to be possible.
Not only that, its not useful.
Do you remember the Amazon Fire phone?
It was new and different.
After nearly a decade with these devices, weve reached a point of diminishing returns.
We dont need revolutionary anymore, we just need our devices to do what they already do…better.
In 2012, transit directions would have been briefly noted.
Now its a whole part of the keynote.
But thats really all I want.
Small, useful iterations.
The two companies built operating systems that anyone can use from the get-go.
The two have been playing off each other from the start, and its really starting to show.
In that sense, the platform wars dont matter nearly as much as they used to.
Both Android and iOS are good.
And more and more, you might use all of your favorite services on both devices.
Apple Music will be available for Android.
Google Play Music is on iOS.
More importantly, third-party services everyone uses, like Spotify, Facebook, and Netflix exist on both.
Does any normal person care whether you use Android or iOS?
And at this point, theres nothing to gawk at with new phones because weve seen them all before.
I dont want to talk about my phone anymore.
And itsokaythat Apple and Google are iterating on each other.
The big steps have been taken, and its time to take the little ones.
Android M is the exact same thing.
Is Apple playing a bit of catch-up with Google with features like Siris new proactive responses?
Yes, but thats good.
Is Google playing catch-up with features like fingerprint authentication and app permissions?
Yes, and thats good too.
The more the two companies play off each other, the better well all be for it.
This feels like the last stretch for smartphone innovation.
From here, things will get better, faster, and more efficient.
Your smartphone is not a revolutionary new product; its just another appliance.
Google Now On Tap sounds incredible, and multitasking on the iPadderivative of Windows or notwill be useful.
Siris new functions will make it a heck of a lot better.
But it doesnt really matter which operating system you choose anymore.
Its just about your preferences, because they all do the same thing.
Constant innovation isnt sustainable for a company or its users.
Innovation will come in the form of new kinds of devices, not overhauling the smartphone.
What big new phone features do you really want (besides more battery life, or better performance)?
I dont want to learn how to use a new smartphone operating system every year.
