The parties are in full swing as I write this so I’ll keep this brief! I would like to wish a very happy new year to everyone who makes EyeOnMobility a regular stop on their daily Internet travels. Thank you for your ongoing support.
2013 was an interesting year, both for myself as well as the mobile gadget world. On this side, a brief foray to work on a different site ended in disappointment due to an ownership change and a lack of momentum on the part of the new ownership. All ended well as it led to the launch of EyeOnMobility this past summer.
The following stories stick out as the most interesting:
The ongoing struggles at BlackBerry were compounded this year when BlackBerry 10 failed to turn the company’s fortunes around. So much hope had been pinned on the new operating system (and it’s not a bad one) but BlackBerry 10 devices failed to connect with consumers. Another disappointment was HTC. Despite having what is arguably the best smartphone of 2013 in the HTC One, the company continued to struggle. But one device does not make a company and HTC paid dearly for mistakes such as the HTC First.
Despite the dominance of Android and iOS, we continue to see new operating systems pop up and try to establish themselves as credible alternatives. Aside from the aforementioned BlackBerry 10, Firefox OS, Sailfish and Ubuntu were all unveiled this year. Whether any of these are around a year from now remains to be seen but 2013 has proven that establishing a credible alternative to Android and iOS is a journey more likely to end in failure than success. The only one that appears to have a remote chance is Windows Phone. Despite a slow start, it is beginning to show some strength with Nokia arguably driving of much of this success.
Last but not least was the resurgence of Motorola, now as a Google subsidiary. While the Moto X and Moto G may not have set the sales records, they deserved to do better if only because Motorola tried something different. From features like Touchless Control and a wide range of customization options on the Moto X and impressive specifications on an entry-level smartphone (and a guaranteed upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat), Motorola proved that specifications are not all that defines a great smartphone.
Now we turn our attention to 2014. The year starts off with the proliferation of wearable gadgets and new devices sporting flexible displays and ever more impressive specifications. Look for smartphones and tablets to continue to evolve into the hubs of our digital lives.
2014 will also be another year where EyeOnMobility will continue to bring you the most interesting stories from the world of mobile gadgets. Thanks again for your support!
Happy new year!