[arethuza]

If we say Porsche is Apple then Android is probably VW - both producing excellent products that looks pretty similar from a distance but with relatively little overlap in the markets for their core products.

[NB I mean VW branded cars - not the entire range of VW brands, which is huge]

[joubert]

It is funny you should use Porsche and VW as analogs, because Porsche is the majority shareholder in VW.

[zoomzoom]

That was true until this summer, when their leveraged position collapsed and Porsche was bought by VW, actually.

[joubert]

I stand corrected. Interesting recent article about the dynamic (past and future) between the two: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/29/business/29porsche.html?pa...

[arethuza]

I'd actually forgotten about that - but I still think the point about markets, and indeed brands, applies. From the perspective of a consumer the fact the the Porsche holding company owns a sizable chunk of VW probably doesn't register.

[tvon]

In such an analogy, Android would be an engine.