[Asus  Eee Pad Transformer Prime] e.mote:
@shinzz

>Until proven otherwise by Google, I think it is wise to be pessimistic... and take the "wait" and "see" approach.

Pessimism != skepticism. It's wise to be skeptical of new, unproven platforms. It's unwise to be pessimistic and take every stumble as a death throe. Developing products will have ups and downs.

Yes, wait and see is best. Both Win8's next beta and Google I/O in June should provide good info for the informed buyer.

This and the other Infinity thread is about early adopters wanting their toys, which is fine, too. They'll provide good beta-test info for the anticipated transition from ICS to Jelly (along with Prime & TF300 users).

>current Android iteration cycle.. it is close to 6 to 8 month of actual utilization

Rapid iteration is a good thing for a developing platform. It does mean more turbulence in the short term for users.

>We're looking at flagship smart phone...being outdated as soon as it gets released.

To repeat, just because a new OS rev is out doesn't mean the old devices are "outdated." Only geeks think that way. Android 2.x phones function just as well as 4.0, and actually still have better app support than 4.0. They don't have some of the bells & whistles, but they are by no means outdated.

5.0 when released will be the same way. Mainstream adoption will be about 6-9 months after launch, with wide app support another 6 months after that. There is no need to chase after the latest and greatest. All you'll get for your trouble is a bunch of bugs and kick in the pants for being a paying beta-tester.

>However, I expect Win 8 will at least last for 2+ yrs (along with service pack updates)

I don't believe a 2-yr cycle will work for WinRT. Win8 isn't a staid update as Win7 or Vista. There are still fundamental issues not yet addressed, such as integration between desktop and Metro mode, which will have to be reconciled in a major revision. I expect such a revision in a year's time, or sooner.

>While I do dislike iOS, even iOS is simply growing & maturing from generation to generation.

I didn't see much change in iOS for iPad 3. The main selling hook for the latest iPad was all hardware.

@wynand32

>I think this is a combination of a few factors:

Good summation. I agree with all points.

>iOS is so much more locked down in terms of apps sharing information.

iOS is intentionally a more restrictive environment, which emphasizes simplicity at cost of versatility. It is certainly a valid POV, and one that Apple has proven to be worthwhile from a sales standpoint. But it isn't the only worthwhile POV, which is where Android and Windows come in. I'm encouraged to see MS advocating the exact opposite, by implementing functions (contracts, etc) for apps to talk to each other, as opposed to Apple's silo'ed approach.

@smrsxn

>aren't there enough threads about iOS versus android? why clutter this thread, that is meant to track infinity's release date.

Actually that's the other Infinity thread. This one was about a rumor that was debunked by GK/Asus. It's kind of an orphan that has been press-ganged into a "state of the platform" discussion. Feel free to jump to the other thread to get your latest dose of "is it here yet?" rumors.