[nchlswu]

> 1. Unlike Apple, which apparently eschews formal user research, Google relied on "ethnographic research" to shape Android 4.0.

I definitely think this idea has began to take a life of its own so to speak. I've read that Apple doesn't do Usability testing, doesn't do market research or user research. All of the points can be summed up with the "Apple knows best" idea. But, I'm sure Apple does user research - just not with a consultancy, or by asking users what they want. They focus on users' behaviour and their needs and incorporate it into their vision.

I don't think Google's core approach this time around is that much different from (what I presume is) Apple's approach. Google is using their ethnographic research to figure out what users do and what users need. I'd wager that Apple's own 'research' has focused on that all along.