Hello! And welcome to our Friday column, Worst of the Week. There’s a lot of nutty stuff that goes on in this industry, so this column is a chance for us at RCRWireless.com to rant and rave about whatever rubs us the wrong way. We hope you enjoy it!
And without further ado:
I know Motorola has been through a lot over the years, but the company released a new device this week targeting one of the country’s most important business sectors.
With much fanfare (?), Motorola this week released its Droid Turbo 2 smartphone, which besides having the best name in all of smartphone-dom, includes an impressive list of specifications. I would list all those impressive specs for you, but I am pretty sure just saying the word “more” does a better job of describing those specs then rattling off a bunch of numbers and megabytes.
However, the spec that is the most impressive, and the one that will change this country, is the bold claim of the device having a “shatterproof” screen. That’s right … shatterproof.
I will let Motorola explain:
Two observations: One, obviously all those other non-Droid Turbo 2 devices most people have in their pockets at the moment are not shatterproof; and people are clumsy.
Now, some might think that such an innovation would have the likes of Apple and Samsung quaking in their piles of money. But, we have to remember here that we are dealing with Motorola, and Motorola is not named Apple or Samsung. Thus, the likelihood consumers are digging out their camping gear in order to be the first in line for the new Droid Turbo 2 is around zero.
And, while I think this innovation along with the Droid Turbo 2’s expansive battery life tackle the two biggest issues I have with smartphones, I also understand this new device will in no way re-shape the smartphone market’s competitive landscape. Others have tried to crack the market with devices that don’t crack, but I would guess a poll of your friends and family will turn up few smartphones sporting the Casio or Kyocera brand.
However, one market the Droid Turbo 2 looks to be targeting is the largest market space in the U.S.: the shopping mall. And more specifically the shopping mall kiosk space.
Heck, even robots are pushing the mall kiosk business.
I am not sure which malls you loiter in, but my local hangout is chock-a-block full of these mid-aisle obstructions staffed by the most aggressive people this side of WWE and selling the most be-dazzled selection of smartphone cases this side of Hollywood. And, as I have been repeatedly promised by these smooth-talking pitchmen, what they are offering will protect my most precious device from anything this side of being attacked by a hammer and knife:
The always-possible bromine attack:
And of course if I should accidently be attacked by a blender:
These are obviously items that we all need, and the fact device makers are not building their devices to these standards already is a travesty. Thankfully, the mall kiosk folks have our backs.
But, now I fear we could be in for a sharp decline in the number of these obviously necessary public services should Motorola’s claims about the Droid Turbo 2 be accurate. If the Droid Turbo 2 is indeed “shatterproof” then why would I need that titanium/carbon/Kevlar-reinforced, bear-proof, blender-busting phone case?
I can just imagine a mall full of kiosk employees attempting to work their sorcery on the buying public, only to be foiled again and again as those consumers whip out their Droid Turbo 2s. Heck, Motorola is even providing customization for the device, further taking a baton to the knees of kiosk workers.
Motorola’s move could be seen as payback to the wider accessory market for having basically ignored the company’s devices since they stopped pumping out the Razr. And that is indeed a legit complaint. Go ahead and search on Amazon.com for all Motorola smartphone accessories and see if that number matches the total number of just “Hello Kitty” screen protectors available for a single iPhone or Galaxy model.
I guess if you are one of the proprietors of a mall kiosk business, you could be thankful that Motorola is the latest device maker trying to take food from the mouths of your children and not either Apple or Samsung. Despite Motorola’s best efforts I think the mall kiosk will win this battle.
Thanks for checking out this week’s Worst of the Week column. Here is a quick, but satisfying extra:
–Sure, it’s childish, ridiculous and purely done for marketing effect, but I gotta say I am a fan of T-Mobile US CEO John Legere’s latest Twitter move.
This week, Legere went into full production mode putting together a handful of videos celebrating Halloween as well as taking a few digs at the carrier’s rivals. And these aren’t just Legere cursing into a camera like we are used to seeing. These are mini-movies that look to have actors, a script and even a prop budget.
First, I’ll tell you a scary story about Big Red… #TheScarriers
https://t.co/Yi1ihHz3eQ
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 29, 2015
Now… let's see what the Ouiji board has to say about big Yellow School Bus… #TheScarriers
https://t.co/EgQELL8iKl
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 29, 2015
And Finally… the scariest of the #TheScarriers… the DEATH STAR!!!
https://t.co/rvsQXfPNtS
— John Legere (@JohnLegere) October 29, 2015
Is Legere the best actor in the world? No.
Is he the best actor who is also the CEO of a major U.S. wireless operator? Probably.
Happy Halloween!
I welcome your comments. Please send me an e-mail at dmeyer@rcrwireless.com.
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