Sharp Smartphone to get a Retina-level display

> Sharp’s new phone will have a 9.6 megapixel autofocus camera and will launch with the older 2.1 version of Android. The handset is currently slated for a Japan-only release. And here, again, we see the problem with Android. Someone finally comes up with a screen that is comparable to the iPhone 4’s, but then puts it on a phone with an outdated OS (Android 2.1). And then only ships it in Japan.

I have yet to see any one Android phone that has it all. They all seem to get about 80% of the way there, and then screw up the final 20%. Maybe not everyone cares about that last 20%, but I’m willing to bet enough do to stop Android from ever becoming a serious threat to Apple.

It’s even worse in the tablet arena, as we’re seeing more and more would-be competitors playing the OS version game with Android. Some are even talking about Chrome OS. Where’s the continuity? If I’m buying apps, where’s the assurance that all those apps I paid for are going to work on my next device?

In effect, where’s the motivation for brand loyalty?

It’s very telling that all of Android’s success this year has been in the United States, where carrier lock-in holds back any real competition. In a Verizon store, where the choices are one of three Android phones or a Blackberry, the Android does great. But in a store in Japan or Europe, where the Android phone is sitting next to the iPhone, it’s a very different story.