Google strengthens cooperation between Android and other devices-- how to face vertically integrated Apple: Wen Ishikawa's mobile phone industry newspaper

　On January 5 (US time), Google released scheduled updates related to Android and Chromebook in cooperation with CES2022 this year.

About this article

This article is part of a reprint from Wen Ishikawa's smartphone Industry News, an e-mail magazine published every Saturday. This report was released on January 8, 2021. Applications for subscriptions to mail magazines (including tax of 550 yen per month) start here.

　For example, "Fast Pair" is to quickly pair an Android device with a Bluetooth device. At present, it can be used in Android smartphones and Pixel Buds, but this function will be extended to Chromobook and so on.

　In addition, headphones and Google TV can also be used.

　Google, along with Acer, HP and Intel, can also implement Fast Pair on Windows computers. All are expected to be dealt with by the end of the year.

　In addition, Chromebook and Android devices can be unlocked through a smartwatch with Wear OS.

　To put it bluntly, this is undoubtedly an attempt to "follow Apple".

　The AirPods of wireless headphones works well with Apple products such as iPhone and MacBook Pro. If you open AirPods, the menu starts, trying to collaborate with the surrounding devices, and switching between multiple devices is easy.

　If iPhone also wears a mask, the facial authentication unlock won't work, but if you do Apple Watch, it's easy to unlock.

　As Google, it will have to fight the ease of use of AirPods and Apple Watch as well as iPhone.

　Apple's product-related cooperation is strong because of the vertical integration developed by its own company, from all the hardware to the operating system.

　On the other hand, Google mainly uses OS such as Android and Chrome, but also has its own products such as Pixel and Chromebook. Although there is a worldview that relies only on own-brand products for cooperation, you can't beat Apple that way.

　As Google is open, work with Acer and HP on Windows computers to target ease of use in a wide range of products.

　Huawei in China has always followed Apple in terms of machine-to-machine cooperation. Huawei has built Windows computers and even smartwatches on top of smartphones, which is the only thing that can compete with Apple. However, as a result of the embargo imposed by the United States government, he soon fell from that seat.

　This time, there is a broadcast that it can be closely shared with Acer and Hewlett-Packard Windows computers, but Google should add corresponding partners as soon as possible.

　In fact, the camera performance of Android smartphones has improved, and there are more and more opportunities to shoot videos. In particular, it is not uncommon to have smartphones such as Xperia PRO-I, shooting with Xperia PRO-I and editing with computer. At that time, it was troublesome to suck out data on a cable. How convenient it would be if you could easily copy videos in an almost shared way.

　Shooting video with iPhone and sending it to MacBook Pro via Airdrop is really simple, fast and easy to use.

　Rarely, Android smartphone makers have enhanced their cameras, so Google should do a better job of boosting its ability to connect computers.

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