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3 Key Steps to improve Android adoption in Europe
February 23, 2010 | by Andrew Kameka
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The eyes of the tech world were firmly on Barcelona during Mobile World Congress. Europe and Android were center-stage, surprising since the two subjects don’t seem to get along at the moment. Several weeks ago, IDC released a report suggesting that Europeans shy away from Android or don’t have any clue about the OS.
I immediately asked readers why they think Android fails to prosper in their communities, and we received a number of replies in the comments section and on Twitter. Responses centered on three key areas that need to be addressed. Europe was the temporary epicenter of mobile technology last week, so it’s fitting that we revisit how to improve the Android experience in Europe.
Advertise Android
From England to Germany to Sweden, advertising was the number one reason cited for Android’s obscurity. I don’t expect to see Android promoted as an OS during a Champions League match; however, there’s no excuse for the poor advertising of Android-powered phones. Carriers in numerous countries have introduced Android phones without delivering any marketing presence according to several user comments. British commenter Ryan said, “I don’t remember seeing a single TV ad [when the G1 launched]… whereas O2 have been flogging the iPhone to death since they started selling it!”
The challenge to promoting Android is that it isn’t an easily digestible product that can be pitched. But companies aren’t even advertising the products well enough. Carriers and OEM’s should at least advertise their phone’s unique features and the great apps available on Android. Nokia runs the European market, so something must be done to increase Android’s presence. People will never consider Android phones as contenders unless they are made aware of their capabilities.
Don’t slight Europa
Europeans watched from the sidelines as Google delivered Google Maps Navigation and Google Voice to Americans. There are perfectly understandable financial reasons to explain that exclusion, but reasons do little to ease the frustrations of people who see yet another feature they cannot access. Even when they can get a new app at launch, like Google Shopper, the app lists prices in US dollars rather their a user’s home country.
Google needs to devise a plan to throw a bone to early adopters and European users. It’s bad enough to have fragmentation create angered users in one country, but constantly seeing “available in U.S. only” is not the way to attract loyal consumers overseas. Maybe it wouldn’t have hurt to delay the launch of Voice Search so there would have been more time to support British accents. Maybe Google could have added Goggles support for 1.5 or leaned harder for carriers to update, especially since so many Europeans are still on 1.5 or earlier. Yes, Google loves to deliver products early and get user feedback, but this model poses a PR problem. Someone’s always going to be mad, but at least minimize the damage of your pool of potential advocates.
Get paid apps in more countries…now
Smartphones are as much about apps as they are the device. Customers will be more likely to switch to iPhone or Windows Phone if they discover that their hot new phone cannot access the great apps that cost money. They will become frustrated and opt for new features in different platforms or turn to piracy.
I met Eric Tseng, Android Senior Product Manager, at CES. He told me that the thing holding up paid apps in most countries is setting up infrastructure to process transactions. Apparently, it’s not as simple as turning on the switch for Google Checkout. Whatever the hold-up may be, get it done ASAP. Readers in Scandinavia and the Czech Republic complained about being unable to get paid apps, and they are not alone. It will become critical to get paid app support in as many hands as possible as more of the best Android apps start costing money.
Conclusion
There are other ways to improve Android adoption in Europe, including adding more language support, but these are the three key steps to take. Several upcoming phones can compete with an iPhone, so the OHA must promote and support those products enough for people to make the comparison.
![Google Maps showing ads on iPhone…is Android next? [speculation]](/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/maps-ad.png)
One difference I see between the Swedish (and perhaps European) and US market, ist that the Swedish market is much less carrier centric. We buy phones. Then we insert a SIM, and don't care much what carrier we use.
You can find 99% of all phones at all carriers. (The exception was when iPhone was introduced, and one carrier had exclusive rights for a short period.) The pricing varies very little between carriers.
If you sign up for 1 or 2 years, you get a discount. The difference between carriers is their packaging – data cost, # of free texts, opening fee, minute fee & cetera.
So basically the advertizing (for the phones) is up to the phone manufacturers. The carriers couldn't care less, if I get a Hero or an iPhone or whatever, as long as I sign up for them. It wouldn't make sense for them to advertize a particular phone, as you could get that phone from any carrier.
So far, it seems like only Samsung has realized its duty, and do have some TV spots with (what looks like) Android phones, but even they don't give a damn if you buy a TouchWiz or a Galaxy, as long as it's a Samsung. Why should they?
So – How to market Android? Who should market Android?
Of course, Google releasing US only apps doesn't make us happier over here. Still (> 6 months after first official Android phone release) no paid apps neither. Developing Android at a pace where 1year old hardware is ready for the waste bin isn't a good way to endear customers either.
In Sweden, Sony Ericsson is The brand. When X10 (and even more the X10 mini) surfaces, I'm sure the masses will see the light and embrace the phone, and thus Android. Just praying the X10 has hardware enough to withstand the speed of Android development to survive the usual 24 month contract, and that SE keeps the software updated during at least that period.
I'd like to call shenanigans on Eric Tseng's excuse for delaying access to paid apps for other countries. The infrastructure argument rings hollow when you consider the fact Apple has provided access to paid apps in their app store to other countries like Canada for some time. Is Mr. Tseng suggesting that Apple is better than Google in setting up such infrastructure?
Also, there is the fact that many people with rooted Android phones in these countries can in fact purchase apps through Google Checkout by using an application called Market Enabler. The application spoofs the sim code of one of the supported countries but still uses whatever Google Checkout set up the person has for their own country.
This has been one of my biggest complaints with Android. It's bad enough not having access to paid apps (I have a Motorola Milestone from Telus which cannot be rooted at this time), but the lack of transparency on Google's part in this is, IMHO, worse. If we knew where the delay layed, maybe we as consumers could do something about it.
For example, in Canada is it a matter of delays from CRTC or whatever Canadian governing board might regulate such access? I know we often see a delay in products reaching Canada because of the requirement for bilingualism in product and packaging and CRTC will often delay U.S. media access to Canada unless it provides so-called Canadian content.
My point is, if it's our own government holding this up, let us know so that we may petition that governing body and get a fire lit under them. If Google themselves are the source of delay, well then we know where to hold the matches there too
Motorola did actually advertise its Dext quite heavily in Spain, even on TV. I remember seeing banners on Barcelona's underground, but the focus seemed to be on the Blur interface with no mention whatsoever to Android.
As far as I know, HTC hasn't done any advertising of its own on Spanish TV or pannels, relying instead on carriers to promote some of their terminals: Vodafone with the Magic, Orange with Tattoo and Hero. Of course these carriers campaigns have barely any references to Android.
I have seen ads on tv and print for android phones here in Germany. I have an HTC Magic but oddly enough its not advertised but its for sale in Media Markt. Some apps we can’t use like Google Voice and Google Maps Navigation. Delays like these are killing Android here in Germany…
Nobody mentions that Google is not selling its Nexus one in Europe? It's kind of available through other online stores like pixmania or expansys but at a price that is almost the double of what is sold for online in u.s. …
I think that they could improve the amount of sales is by getting the company's that make the phones to get them to get the lastest version of android that the phone is compatible of running.
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We have couple of Android phones on sales in mobile operators shops, but they are almost hidden and they (operators) do not know anything about those handsets. Someone (Google perhaps?) should raise awareness first. I don't know for other places but what goes for smartphones then they are (at least in Estonia) less subsidized than thumbphones.