Android is going to become more like Apple because that's what Google wants

Right now, if you set the two platforms side-by-side, it is clear that from a usability standpoint, the platforms are on equal footing, and from a features standpoint, Android has pulled ahead considerably. Unfortunately, you still see the same tired arguments around the two platforms, as though nothing has changed. And really, I'm getting a little bit tired of the constant shouting by Android fans that nothing seems to matter aside from hardware specs. The trouble I have with that argument is that it's either based on old, busted logic, or it's an argument to set up a false dichotomy between Android and iOS. To me, it comes off just as silly as when Apple fans continue to claim that Android is laggy or buggy, because both arguments are based on platforms that don't exist anymore.

Google is certainly going to keep evolving Android, and adding new features, but we've hit the point where just about everything else from here on is ancillary. Of course, because of the nature of Android, Google isn't the only one controlling its fate, which leads to two distinct paths for the platform: Google's way, and Samsung's. 

Obviously, a statement like this is going to anger some people who don't like to read/think and would rather keep spitting rage and getting into meaningless fights in our comment threads. But, here's the real point of the statement: Google doesn't want users to have to care about specs; Google wants users to care about the experience. Just like Apple with the iPhone. 

There's a reason that Apple doesn't talk about the specs of its hardware except in comparative terms. The new iPhone is always "twice as fast", or Apple will show what the graphics look like in a new game. Think about it: Apple never even compares its new devices to its old ones directly. It's never that the new iPhone is "twice as fast as the iPhone 5", it's simply "twice as fast". Apple never shows a side-by-side comparison of what a game looks like now compared to before. And, while Apple will give the name of the new chipset, it never gives specs, because when software is properly optimized, the specs don't matter. Just ask anyone with a Nokia Lumia handset if they care (or even notice) that their device is running on hardware that would be considered "mid-range" by spec fanatics. 

Google wants the same thing for Android. We've seen it with the last few iterations of the Nexus phones, and the Nexus 7 tablets. None have launched with cutting-edge specs from top to bottom, because the price to performance ratio was the key for those devices. Now, while Motorola continues to claim it is a separate company, it is pretty clear that it is doing what Google wants; and, the Moto X is the perfect example of a device that doesn't want users focused on specs, but on the high-end experience. If Google has its way, Android devices will be marketed (like the iPhone) to the average consumer, who doesn't care about specs, and only cares about what the device can do. Of course, even that approach has two schools of thought.

All of this seems reasonable enough, but there is still the constant push-back from spec fanatics who don't seem to care that there is software running on their devices; all they care about is that the hardware specs are the best they can be. Unfortunately, the hardware companies that tend to share this idea also tend to think that "more is more" when it comes to software as well. That's where Samsung and LG come in. 

As we know from seeing every new Galaxy device come out, Samsung doesn't want to waste time thinking about what consumers might want, or what might be the most useful for daily life. No, Samsung would rather take every idea that hits the brainstorming table, make it, and cram it into a device. And, from the looks of the new LG G2, it seems as though that is LG's theory as well. Of course along with this kitchen sink approach to software, Samsung and LG both tend to use the top-of-the-line hardware (though not casing, just internals). This leads to more fuel for spec fans, who will continue to point to these devices as if they have some sort of groundbreaking superiority over another device simply because the CPU is a bit faster, or the screen has more pixels (as if you can see the difference anyway). 

For those who take a more holistic approach to devices, there are options from Google (via the Nexus line), Google (via Motorola), and more and more it seems that HTC is leaning this way as well. Over the past couple of years, HTC has been scaling back its Sense software to be more sensible (no pun intended), and it refocused its efforts on the hardware design. Given HTC's constant sales and production issues, I certainly wouldn't be surprised to see the company follow Google's lead even more in the future. 

And, that's really the key here: as much as I don't like to create a non-existent battle between two companies, it will come down to Google vs Samsung. Until now, Samsung has led the way for Android more than Google has. Google has set the base with certain hardware and software features that it believes should be the future of Android; but, Samsung has led on the consumer side of things. Samsung has pushed for the best specs, and Samsung has led other manufacturers in customizing Android more and more, until the underlying OS is almost completely hidden. 

Google may not be able to directly control Motorola and directly give Motorola the benefits it could have as a true Google company, but that doesn't mean that Motorola won't be attempting to lead the consumer side of Android more the way that Google would like to see. That means less OEM customization (because that leads to faster updates), and maybe more user-controlled customization (which has always been the true power of Android). It also means taking more of the iPhone approach and making Android devices that consider what "value" is for average users, and not just target the elite crowd with features and specs that don't make any real world difference, but look good on a comparison chart.