[lukevp]

How many chat products has Google come out with? Google messenger, buzz, wave, meet, Google+, hangouts… Apple has iMessage and FaceTime. You just restated OP’s point. Apple evolves things slowly and comes to market when the problems have already been solved in a myriad of ways, so they can be solved once and consistently. It’s not about coming to market soonest. How did you get that from what OP said?

[fennecbutt]

Pointless argument given that android isn't just "android". Never has been.

It's a huge, diverse ecosystem of players and that's probably why Android has always gotten the coolest stuff first. But it's also its achilles' heel in some ways.

[raw_anon_1111]

Except operating system and security updates…

[wolvoleo]

Android isn't all about Google. Where I live everyone uses WhatsApp and Telegram, both of which have nothing to do with Google.

[calvinmorrison]

"It’s not about coming to market soonest. "

First Mover effect seems only relevant when goverment warrants are involved. Think radio licenses, medical patents, etc. Everywhere else, being a first mover doesnt seem to correlate like it should to success.

[drBonkers]

Network effects.

See social media, bitcoin, iOS App Store, blu-ray, Xbox live, and I’m sure more I can’t think of rn.

[calvinmorrison]

Network effects are maybe akin to "phsyical effects". Non-monopoly but physical space is also another 'first mover' type of moat.