谷歌無意開設實體零售店
????蘋果(Apple)有專賣店。微軟(Microsoft)也有。現在連三星(Samsung)也加入了這個行列。不過,谷歌(Google)目前暫時沒有開店的計劃,至少Android業務負責人安迪?魯賓是這樣說的。 ????此前有消息稱,谷歌正考慮開設實體零售店,不過,魯賓在巴塞羅那移動世界大會(Mobile World Congress in Barcelona)上駁斥了這個傳聞。他告訴一小群記者,谷歌“沒有計劃”進軍傳統零售領域。魯賓在談到消費手機的購買過程時表示:“消費者沒必要再去商店體驗產品。”至于谷歌的Nexus系列產品,魯賓稱該項目不“足以”構成谷歌開設實體零售店的理由。 ????有人猜測,實體店可以幫助消費者親身體驗谷歌制造的產品,就像蘋果的零售店促成該公司逆轉局勢、大獲成功一樣。“我們相信,開設實體店無疑有助于谷歌打造自身硬件業務。同時,它也可以借此展示其不斷擴展的產品線,包括Chromebooks、Nexus、摩托羅拉(Motorola)智能手機和平板電腦、谷歌電視、谷歌眼鏡等,”投資銀行Sterne Agee分析師吳肖最近在報告中寫道。更不必說,“此舉還將有助于提升品牌和客戶忠誠度。” ????三星近年來發展迅猛,已然成為名副其實的Android手機霸主,魯賓針對這一熱點問題也給予了解答。目前業界普遍認為三星今后將威脅到谷歌,例如,隨著三星市場地位的鞏固,它可以向谷歌要求更多的廣告提成。谷歌收購了摩托羅拉,但魯賓堅持把它作為一個獨立部門,即使摩托羅拉是三星的直接競爭對手,也沒有得到特殊照顧。而三星目前正在嘗試其它操作系統,例如微軟的Windows Phone以及鮮為人知的開源系統Tizen。 ????魯賓稱:“這不是三星一家的問題。其它公司都在嘗試別的平臺。我認為這很正常,很好。” ????顯然,谷歌的目標是確保所有手機制造商都能在Android設備上獲利,而不僅僅是摩托羅拉和三星。魯賓表示,自己參加移動世界大會的目的就是聯絡合作伙伴。(谷歌今年并沒有布置展臺,不過它租賃了一個小會議室,在里面裝飾了很多標志性的Android小綠人。)Android生態系統日益壯大,就手機發貨量而言,Android系統現已成為智能手機領域的老大。而華為(Huawei)等中國制造商的加入,有望進一步提升Android設備在中國市場上的銷量。 ????“我在展會上遇到了很多(來自中國的手機廠商),他們的路線圖看起來很靠譜,”魯賓說。“在我眼中,它們與其他手機廠商沒什么不一樣。我不介意它們來自哪個國家。”只要他們能銷售更多的Android手機就行。(財富中文網) ????譯者:項航 |
????Apple's done it. Microsoft's doing it. And now Samsung's doing it too. But Google -- at least according to Android head Andy Rubin -- has no plans to open up its own shops. ????Rubin addressed recent rumors that Google (GOOG) is looking into opening retail stores at this week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, telling a small group of journalists that the company "has no plans" to jump onto the brick and mortar retail bandwagon. "You don't have to go into the store and feel it anymore," he said about the purchasing process for consumer handsets. As for Google's Nexus line of products, Rubin said the program isn't "far enough along" to necessitate a retail presence. ????Some have speculated that physical stores could help consumers experience Google-made products first-hand, much like Apple's (AAPL) retail stores helped turbocharge its epic turnaround. "We believe having local presence will undoubtedly help Google in building its hardware business where it can showcase its expanding product line including Chromebooks, Nexus and Motorola smartphones and tablets, Google TV, and Google Glass," Sterne Agee analyst Shaw Wu wrote in a recent report. Not to mention, "it will help build brand and customer loyalty." ????Rubin also answered questions about Samsung's growing power as the dominant manufacturer of Android-powered phones. There has been a lot of speculation about Samsung becoming a threat to Google -- for example, Samsung's increased clout could help it negotiate a larger cut of Google's advertising revenue. Google now owns Motorola, which Rubin insisted is kept as a separate structure and isn't given preferential treatment, even though it is a direct competitor to Samsung. Samsung, for its part, is experimenting with other operating systems, including Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows Phone and a little-known open-source effort called Tizen. ????"It's not just Samsung," said Rubin. "I've seen various other people dabbling in other platforms. I think this is normal, it's fine." ????Obviously Google has an interest in making sure other phone manufacturers succeed in selling Android devices -- not just Motorola and Samsung. Rubin said he is here at Mobile World Congress to connect with partners. (This year, Google did not have a booth but operated out of a tiny conference room decorated with the company's iconic little green Androids.) The Android ecosystem has grown to represent the majority of smartphones that are now being shipped. And newer entrants like Chinese manufacturer Huawei could help increase numbers in markets like China even more. ????"I've met a lot of them at the show, and their roadmaps look solid," Rubin said of China-based phone manufacturers. "I wouldn't consider them any different than anybody else. I don't really care what country they come from." As long as they keep selling more Android phones. |