The two day conference, Apps World, which focuses on the latest in app innovations and tools for developers on mobile platforms, kicked off at the Moscone Center yesterday with a special keynote from Apple Co-Founder, Steve Wozniak (the Woz). Although it wasn’t a proper keynote address per-se, a lot of topics were covered in the Q and A interview format. Wozniak spoke on topics ranging from the definition of what innovation is to how developers should approach making apps to the future of tech. All in all he didn’t say anything we haven’t heard before, including his opinion that BlackBerry would have been able to save itself if they would have created an Android OS instead years ago.
However, on the topic of what being innovative means, he went on to say that there can be multiple definitions, but at its core, it means to be able to do something that no body else thought was possible; the “things that are not written in engineering manuals.” In a follow up question asking if he thought Apple was still innovative he was only able to say that Apple’s way of handing a project to a team, without any outside input to perfect a product before it launches makes it hard to say. Interestingly enough, he also briefly mentioned that Apple could create a device that runs Android OS as a separate division within Apple.
And he is right, Apple can in fact make a device that runs Android OS, since it is an open operating system and anyone is welcome to adapt it to their needs. The real question however is wether the masses would welcome such a device. Apple is known for creating very polished products and admittedly, an Android device with Apple polish would make a strong statement against Samsung, the lead manufacturer of Android devices.
Perhaps this could be a way to finally make a true entry level device for the emerging markets a reality, but honestly, given Android’s tarnished image from a security point of view would make this nearly impossible.
