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Comment by pquki4 | Hacker News Reader

Someone just needs to look at how Google handled their tablet and watch strategy to know Google is not a trustworthy partner. Android tablets and Wear OS had so much potential, but Google squandered their opportunities. Very sad to see Fossil exiting the watch devices. And perhaps Samsung is the only big company out there that invests so much in Android for non smartphone/smart TV devices.

(And let's acknowledge that DeX is completely Samsung's work, and they really put a lot of work to make Android tablets usable.)

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I would love the idea that if AR/VR really takes off (which is a big if) that we don't have a bunch of silo'd versions of this tech that have major fundamental differences (far more than just Android vs iOS) due to the nature of the tech.

No one in their right mind should bet on building on a new tech like this from Google. What would Meta's options be if Google abandons it?

Just not worth the risk.

Incredibly bold assertion that a Meta-backed VR headset won't be just as silo'd off as a Google-backed one. Google is 100% distrustworthy for sure, but is Meta really any better at all?

It's a weird world out there these days, but only one of them open-sourced their LLMs so maybe?

I think you misunderstood.

I’m not claiming that Meta won’t be Silo’d off by making their own. But Google is not going to be the one that should be trusted to make a platform for multiple devices.

Like it would be great if we had such a platform from a company that won’t abandon it in a few months.

But instead we are likely just going to have Silo’d systems.

It’s just not going to happen

The data that comes off of AR devices is just way too important and FB and Apple started investing early.

When google hedged after they failed with glass, by investing in ML and then putting half ass effort into Tango they gave the market to Apple with the Metaio etc… purchases.

I can’t stress how badly Magic Leap fucked the AR startup ecosystem up.

Meanwhile Zuck was smart enough to realize AR was early and built the VR market via Oculus knowing Oculus was just V0 for AR.

Meta and Apple won and there’s no way for a startup or even Google to compete in AR and thus the most important future data market

Mmm, remains to be seen. Apple hasn't won anything yet. Data gathering is clearly the goal here, with those whom own the platform being the victors. A few headsets have been sold, sure, but market penetration is the key.

I think Meta is certainly ahead, but they are burning cash hard. Apple is just getting started.

I agree that Apple wins long term and FB glasses are the “Android” of AR

The Apple brand is just too dominant that losing on AR doesn’t mean Apple sinks

Alternatively Meta doesn’t have such a position so losing on AR would be existential if they need it to beat Apple

Funny thing is that the other company was a serious contributor to the android ecosystem was Huawei. I can even dare say that they were even more serious than Samsung. Google's lack of support for non smartphone OS will give Huawei an opening.

What's wrong with their tablet strategy? Android works great on tablets and 12L added a lot of nice things.

On their watches yeah they've been pretty bad. Still not great now even with the Samsung collaboration.

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