Sam Oliver
The two companies are said to have rescheduled the event out of respect for Jobs, sources told Ina Fried of All Things D. The companies were originally scheduled to show off the next version of Google's Android operating system, dubbed Ice Cream Sandwich, along with a new "Nexus" smartphone built by Samsung on Tuesday.
"Sources said the companies just felt it was the wrong time to hold a launch event, as the world continues mourning Jobs, who died on Wednesday," Fried wrote.
Samsung and Google earlier on Friday issued a joint statement stating they would postpone the "Samsung Mobile Unpacked" event during the CTIA trade show in San Diego, Calif. "Under the current circumstances, both parties have agreed that this is not the appropriate time for the announcement of a new product," the press release vaguely said.
The move by Samsung and Apple is particularly interesting because Apple has not changed its plans to launch the iPhone 4S next week. The company began taking preorders earlier Friday for the handset's Oct. 14 launch.
Both Google and Samsung have paid their respects to Jobs since he died after a long bout with cancer on Wednesday at the age of 56. Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, formerly served as a member on Apple's board of directors.
Teasers for the now-postponed event have teased that the companies will show off "something big." Reports have indicated the new handset will sport a curved screen with a 4.65-inch display, and will be the first handset to run Android 4.0.
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192 Comments
Respect.
While this is an incredibly touching and honoring move, I don't believe Steve would approve if we had the chance to ask him. I know he would want things to continue as if nothing happened. As much as he believed he had the superior products and processes, Steve Jobs valued competition and embraced it, and I think he would want his competitors to keep trying as hard as they can to be better, because that will also force Apple to be better as well. Apple keeping the status quo and pushing ahead with their new launch, continuing to work hard on new products, and making sure everything is up to Apple's standard is exactly the right way to honor Steve, because if he were still with us, that's exactly what he would be doing right now.
I'm inclined to think that this cancellation is more about Steve's death overshadowing this event, than it being out of respect. They want to grab all the headlines, rather than be largely ignored by the media at this time.
Samsung and Google earlier on Friday issued a joint statement stating they would postpone the "Samsung Mobile Unpacked" event during the CTIA trade show in San Diego, Calif. "Under the current circumstances, both parties have agreed that this is not the appropriate time for the announcement of a new product," the press release vaguely said.
This is very fishy.
Companies are supposed to behave in a way that increases shareholder value. Business is a fast moving world. Ford isn't going to delay their model year because the Toyota CEO passes away.
My hunch is that there is nothing wrong with the Samsung handset hardware, but that there may be some issues with the Android OS, either from a stability perspective or possibly a lack of features which became more glaringly apparent after final details of iOS 5 were unveiled (specifically Siri Assistant).
They're still going to participate in the tradeshow. Apple doesn't participate at tradeshows, and both these companies know that Apple can hold a random press event with a week's notice. And frankly, I don't know how much press would be accorded to something like this Google-Samsung event anyhow. It's not like you see people lining up around the block waiting for the next Android handset.
I call BS. Something went wrong and they're using this as an excuse to buy some time.