What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

What will make MeeGo be adopted be successful in the smartphone market where the Nokia n900 wasn't. What will make average smartphone users adopt Meego not just users who want to tinker there device. Here is a series of open ended questions any answer is welcome.

• There are already so many platforms out there. Many people would say oh MeeGo is just another Linux based platform. Why would developers want to develop for MeeGo?
• What killer feature does MeeGo have that will make people want to use it. For example Android has integration with Google services, iPhone has Apple's ecosystem, Webos has its superb multitasking and notifications, and Blackberry has excellent email and messaging services.
• Why would OEMS want to adopt MeeGo?
• Why would network operators want to sell phones using
  MeeGo?
• Does MeeGo really have a future?
• Will MeeGo have basic applications such as facebook, foursquare, Skype, twitter, Adobe Flash etc?

So just some simple questions. Feel free to answer.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

1. developers that already develop for linux will find it interesting,
2. we'll see, for now - large community sick off apple's ecosystem (?), new kid on the block, sick of giving your data to google, curiosity ?
3. corporate strategy, marketing, intel, nokia,
4. because they want to 'sell' thus gain profit,
5. we will know in few years...

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Well thanks keep the answers coming.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

People will not develop for MeeGo - they will develop for Qt. MeeGo is just the best vehicle for platforms on high-end devices. It's not MeeGo for MeeGo's sake. Via Qt, developers can target hundreds of millions of users, MeeGo ones will just be the coolest ones :)

One major difference is that MeeGo is not a smartphone OS. It is a mobile OS, for everything from mobile phones through cars to netbooks, giving a potential for a vastly larger ecosystem. All competing platforms OTOH are islands, with their own very specific technologies and walled gardens, with minimum spread to non-phone form factors. On top of that, MeeGo IS continuing the computer-in-your-hand paradigm (hopefully better executed than some aspects of earlier Maemos :) ). You wrote what current OSes are known for, but that doesn't mean a new guy can't best them at their own game, i.e. offer better multitasking than webOS, grow a bigger ecosystem of their own, etc.

This is probably the biggest advantage, though - MeeGo is the only OS that is (when fully rolled out) not controlled by a single company and can be applied to ANY mobile device, no royalties or strings attached like in the case of Google. OEMs were mighty angry when the Nexus came out because that hurt their strategies badly - nobody complained publicly though, as you don't want to get the top dog angry.

This is more a vendor question - they will sell whatever popular phone a vendor they have a good deal with offers. No OS has an advantage in that sense.

The strategy is there, it's still way too early to tell if it will play out. Considering it's the most open OS on offer today, I sure hope it does :)

No, but probably not it in the sense you ask. MeeGo is an OS foremost and not the end product most people will actually use, it's like asking will Windows have facebook or twitter ? It's almost certain some vendor implementations will include all that, but it's not a MeeGo question per se.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Well keep the answers coming I'm liking what I see.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Well lets hope MeeGo doesn't fail like WebOs.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Support and constant updates from Nokia. Marketing. Developer Support.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

How do we know Nokia's support will be any better than Htc's or Motorola's.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Nokia not stopping development and support just 8 months after release would be a good start.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

We don't. But because Meego is an open source OS hosted by the Linux Foundation and so not dependent on any one company, it will matter much less.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Devices, devices, devices.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

OEMS need to manufacture devices that people want and market them. Thens apps people want need to be able to run on these devices.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Developers, developers, developers, developers, developers!!

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

With Qt, that should be no problem.

One N900 does not a platform make...

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Even with qt that might be a problem. Of course with any platform it needs to users for developers to make applications for a platform. Whether MeeGo has qt doesn't change that fact.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

I'm not sure I'm getting your point. If it is that developers are important, then I agree. But I still feel that the bottleneck is availability of devices that run the OS.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

My point is no matter how many devices out there or how good qt is people need to actually own devices running MeeGo in order for developers to create applications.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

If by "out there" you mean "in the hands of people", then the miscommunication problem is not on my end. If people need to own MeeGo devices then it does matter whether they do, and they can only own devices which are available. Or did you mean something else?

I am sorry, I don't mean to offend you, I am just puzzled. Maybe we should post slower :D

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

I mean devices need to be in the hands of people for developers to create applications for MeeGo. You can put a bunch devices on the market but unless people buy it then it is meaningless for those devices to be on the market. Essentially MeeGo needs to have a good user base before we start seeing applications.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Gotcha :)

Well, I see no reason why this should not happen... The only reason people aren't buying MeeGo phones, tablets, you name it, is well, because no one is selling them yet :)

So we're back to

devices, Devices, DEVICES!

:cool:

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Having a bunch of devices on the market doesn't mean that people will use them :rolleyes:.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Most of this argument is null IMHO.

What we are all talking about is almost akin to limiting software or format proprietary, which has killed many good devices over the last 30 years. Sony shot themselves in the balls with the minidisc and this kind of closed thinking is almost exactly the same thing.

What really needs to be the focus (again, only my opinion) is a variety of quality handsets assembled from quality materials which are seen as computers rather than a 'nokia phone' and 'apple/iphone' an 'android phone' or a 'HTC phone'.

I would have serious hesitations purchasing a device in the near future which does not allow me to choose if I would like to run MeeGO, Android, Windowsphone7 or all 3 and provide a reasonable amount of storage space to do so.

And I am not talking about having to hack and slash at the thing and wait months for community developer projects, I am talking out of the box support for whatever operating system you would like to install, just like on any PC.

Trying to limit competition through the use of heavy marketing and a 2 year captive audience cycle is so counter productive it isn't even funny.

Why are we so prepared to accept the free market and embrace competition on the surface, but so afraid to let the power of these forces work towards better outcomes for all users?

Clarification: Mobile manufacturers need to concentrate on producing the BEST HARDWARE in all regards from look and feel to raw power, battery life, input/output quality and longevity whilst leaving hardware and software documentation completely accessible to both in house and homebrew/ commercial developers.

I know there are problems with DRM content and people getting paid with this sort of model but I would rather see these issues addressed directly than watch another doomed push by nokia still barking up a 10 year old business model tree. In my opinion they are still one of the best mobile manufacturers in the world as far as hardware quality and input/output quality goes, but for ****s sake get it together with the delivery.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

To make MeeGo Suceed the company has to have a vast amount of free good apps and good app store. App store is a killer feature for Apple Iphone at the moment. Google Android app store is nowhere near it's peak as the Apple app store.

So if Nokia and Intel wants to see MeeGo a success then they will have to start thinking about App store and connection with big app developer companies.

No app = No future!
Maemo 5 No apps => No big future! =>Not many sold => Abandoned by Nokia !

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

1. Devices
2. Users
3. Developers
4. Applications
5. Goto [1]

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

I think your right on target.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Nokia sticking to MeeGo for more than one iteration and dropping the notion that each iteration of the OS means a new phone purchase.

Third party support and getting Ovi in shape at launch.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

With lots of devices and a good amount of support from Nokia it shouldn't do too horribly in the marketplace. The reason why WebOs failed lack of compelling hardware, lack of applications, poor marketing, and lack of network operator interest. If MeeGo manages to avoid all of those things it will succeed.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Essentially Nokia needs to get there **** together.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Well.... yes and no. They already manufacturer world class phones - in terms in build and quality - but they need to get the software and UI/UX to a point where it's a good balance of "hacker" and "consumer"... Maemo 5 still hands down was the step in a right direction after looking at Maemo 4.1 (Diablo) and so forth. I mean, seriously... even I can admit that Maemo 5 is leaps and bounds above Maemo 4.1.

But to be honest, the biggest problem(s) for Nokia is their perception in a few markets; namely Japan and North America. Their culture goes great in Europe, it's understood there. But here? Not so much. It's much like if Willcom were sold outside of Japan.

I don't think that Nokia needs to get their **** together. They just need to get their message coherent and not based on what's coming out new, but supporting what's already out better.

Just my opinion.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

You're already holding the first MeeGo-compatible phone in your hands: the N900 with PR 1.2. It is not MeeGo OS yet, but it can be used to develop MeeGo-compatible applications.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Try beating Apple and Google’s silver tongue in their image-building game, going to be difficult though.

Win the opinion leaders’ heart.
They shouldn’t be too defensive. Less talk, and deliver products faster after announcement. Leave the image that they’re ruled by corporate businessmen lustful for money and think every technical problem can be handled with sweet talk. Words are cheap.
Instead, try starting image of company ruled by altruistic young generation engineers who prefer personal growth, future and self-discovery while getting profit as a bonus, instead of the other way around.
They’re friends, good guys, anti-establishment. :D

GIve new toy quick and give better price/value (e.g: longer software update support).

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

As much as I hate to admit this is not realistic. Even if embedded industry practices regarding drivers changed overnight, the breakneck pace of mobile development makes this unfeasible. Ten years ago we were playing Counterstrike on Pentium 4s in 1024x768. Now we have Core i3/5/7s, HD and Modern Warfare or Starcraft 2 - significantly stronger, but not OMG differences. Do you know what mobile gaming meant 10 years ago ? Snake II, on a 96x64 green mono display.

So in mobile space you have almost dog years and it overperforms Moore's law by a long shot. Imagine if Microsoft did a major windows version EVERY year and you had processor power doubling in less than 12 months. That makes cross-platform HW compatibility and support a nightmare.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

In the immortal words of Sir Paul...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

He wrote that song just for you, my friend.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Iphone is big and all, but Android is really something that can eat pretty much all of the empty space from MeeGo before it really even starts.

Key points for the normal users IMO would be:
- Nicely executed multitasking. This is something that makes me scratch my head coming from N900 and using my Galaxy S(Android) weird multitasking that feels like something from 10 years back with the task killers and all. If MeeGo handheld UX ever comes something it could be one the special things that keep people using MeeGo.

- Make the MeeGo handheld UX, netbook UX and tablet UX a one big "family"(gotta get them all). Make syncing between these intuitive and effortless.
What Android got now is really a nice phone OS, but example MeeGo tablet UX kills the current Android one. Thought we have yet to see Android 3.0 and that might change things.

- Make it look good. At least Nokia's Harmattan/MeeGo seems to be doing this. Tablet UX looks brilliant already. This is again one of those things that helps hugely on the more than important initial push of MeeGo.

- Great hw. MeeGo isn't of course all about Nokia, but Nokia is still crucial on the handheld UX side. Since OPK came in charge in Nokia with his service talks the hw on Nokia phones have gone from amazing to bad.
Services are the future no doubt, but people at least for now buy hw, OS and services are something that makes them stay on that brand or OS after they have bought the device. More buyers/users and we will see more steps taken on the service side too.

- Apps. That's a no brainer so i leave it there.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

FIFY

(the kids of today!)

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Ok that was a bit odd..? And those lyrics are by Lennon, bro. 8)

What MeeGo needs to succeed:
* It must attain an air of being a long-term and supported platform.
* Supported in terms of: updates, applications
* Attractive devices that serve many needs.

And here I'm assuming we're talking mostly about the Mobile OS version of MeeGo.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

To succeed, MeeGo needs top notch PR and marketing for both the OS and any devices running it. That's all.

You spend more money on advertising than you do on R&D. It doesn't matter how good anything is, consumers just need to feel good about themselves. You tell them your product is fantastic, you tell them they are smart if they buy it. You show them how attractive and smart all the people who own your product are. You don't talk about competing products, there are no competing products. Your product is unique. You turn every owner of your product into a salesperson for your product.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

Why are there so many apps for an exotic environment such as iPhone? Because developers can make money from it. I don't know how it has been done in Android, but as the world leader of advertisement, I guess Google has put some thought into it.

I can't think of any. Maybe if my car and phone would both be MeeGo and there was some sort of integration, but what good would that do? My car already has an iPod dock and USB, the handsfree works via Bluetooth on any kind of phone. It doesn't have an integrated GPS navigation, but if it did, what kind of cell phone integration would it benefit from except for online access via bluetooth?

I can't see a reason for cell phone manufacturers. For other devices, perhaps if the price, customizability, hardware requirements etc are fine. But then again, Linux is already free. I guess android is equally fit for that and that WP7 will bring MS back into the game.

If it is interesting to the masses and can be efficiently operator locked.

I have hard time believing that. Why not just any Linux. Take a look at Asus EEE Pc. It's hardly larger than a cell phone, it has 1.6ghz cpu, bigger display, runs normal linux distros and gets 3-7h of battery life. My guess is that these devices are getting powerful enough to require little more than a customized gui on top of a desktop OS.

Of course.

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

They had their own UMPC phone, the d4:

http://www.pocketables.net/2008/09/willcom-d4-ver.html

I would have got one if it was GSM!

Re: What Will Make MeeGo Succeed
 

I think, in another article... the OEM is also avoiding falling in the same pitfall as in the desktop, hardware become commoditized and they have to slash profit to survive competing with each others as the top line hardware specs are drawn.
Allowing the users to switch from one OS to another means releasing the obsolescence control to users and the OS makers.

Besides, even if the hardware maker does, with AppStore, the OS has become different from desktop OS like Windows, Mac or Linux. The OS maker also had a stake on locking peoples to their platform because money now flows not from selling OS itself but commission from selling apps.
And maybe from monitoring behaviour of the users.
Making peoples jumps ship easily doesn't sound feasible on their side.