Google, Samsung Delay Smartphone Introduction Out of Respect to Steve Jobs

[Michael Essany]

Prominent Apple rivals Google and Samsung are effectively postponing their scheduled media event next week out of respect to the late Steve Jobs who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 56.

According to sources conferring with All Things D, Google and Samsung would have used the event to raise the curtain on its first smartphone based on Android's "Ice Cream Sandwich."

The event, which would have featured a keynote from Google’s Andy Rubin, will now be rescheduled as neither Google or Samsung believe that this is an appropriate time to go for the jugular on the iPhone.

“Samsung and Google have decided to postpone the Samsung Mobile Unpacked event during the CTIA in San Diego, previously scheduled for Oct. 11,” Samsung said in a statement. “Under the current circumstances, both parties have agreed that this is not the appropriate time for the announcement of a new product.”

Not withstanding either the death of Steve Jobs or the delayed introduction of Google's futuristic Android operating system, Apple is staying the course and launching the iPhone 4S as planned since the device was unveiled on Tuesday of this week. Preorders for the next-gen iPhone commenced today ahead of the device's official release on October 14th.

Source: All Things D

[TheOrioles33]

Now thats respect!

[gldoorii]

That's pretty awesome.

[fbiryujin]

I am quite impressed with Samsung and Google. It is incredibly respectful to risk profit to honor the death of a competitor's CEO, and founder. I did not expect this from major corporations. Especially sue-happy ones like Google, and Samsung who are at Apple's throat all the time over petty crap. They earned some respect from me today.

[maddawg05]

I am pleasantly surprised and renewed with confidence in the world.

[ash3s2012]

That shows some respect for the person that changed the world 

[Lamborghini615]

now i have at least some respect for Samsung and Google after all that has gone between these competitors.

[Seb..]

I could not see them doing this out of respect, I think that when they give there presentation they where going to compare it to iphone in many ways and probably put the IPhone and Apple down, they are probably doing this so to stop bad publicity for them....

[DirkAloha]

Are you kidding me?! These companies are and always will be after Apple. Their definition of competition is to mimick whatever Apple is doing. The only reason they postponed their event is because something went wrong with either OS or phone, probably both!!Please don't get fooled by the smokescreen!!

[GrandMstrBud]

Hopefully we can still get the Galaxy S2 next week and that it doesn't delay the T-Mobile 10.1 tablet. I think these were already set to launch and they are only delaying the Nexus Prime. And I highly doubt anything went wrong with their phone or OS.

[hxclos]

I could not see them doing this out of respect, I think that when they give there presentation they where going to compare it to iphone in many ways and probably put the IPhone and Apple down, they are probably doing this so to stop bad publicity for them....

I agree. It's only inappropriate to present their new phone if they plan on bashing the iPhone and Apple.

[Raeki]

Now thats respect!

Not really. I'm pretty sure, if it was to do with Steve Jobs, that they only delayed it because the world would still be mourning over Steve Jobs. Ie they wouldn't get all the attention they could have. Maybe it is partly out of respect, but there's definitely a business side to it.

[Paco]

Are you kidding me?! These companies are and always will be after Apple. Their definition of competition is to mimick whatever Apple is doing. The only reason they postponed their event is because something went wrong with either OS or phone, probably both!!Please don't get fooled by the smokescreen!!

Dude they are human beings first. They respect each other. I bet if bill gates dies just before the presentation of a apple product apple would delay theirs. Also they know if apple didn't create the iphone, none of google n sanding touch phones would be the same. They wouldn't hav much success if it wasn't for the iphone

[carlbgc]

Nice, considering there's no way Steve would have had the same respect.

[Kinkme93]

That's awesome! But I know apple wouldn't do this if one of Googles or Samsungs ceo's died cuz they love the moneyyyy $$

[golf4life80]

I could not see them doing this out of respect, I think that when they give there presentation they where going to compare it to iphone in many ways and probably put the IPhone and Apple down, they are probably doing this so to stop bad publicity for them....

This is probably closest to the truth.

[davedave1234]

Especially sue-happy ones like Google, and Samsung who are at Apple's throat all the time over petty crap.

Your kidding right? because apple isn't sue-happy? all they do is sue over petty crap. I agree with everyone that said Apple wouldn't have postponed their if it was the other way around.

[GrandMstrBud]

Especially sue-happy ones like Google, and Samsung who are at Apple's throat all the time over petty crap. They earned some respect from me today.

Excuse me, Apple practically invented the word "lawsuit"

[Norb]

I'm really confused on how postponing a product release has anything to do with showing respect for the dead. I call BS on this it doesn't even make sense, if they want to show respect to anyone maybe they should come up with more original ideas.

[Harryafc]

Excuse me, Apple practically invented the word "lawsuit"

sosumi?

and after the anticlimactic 4s they can afford a little breathing room... i bet this wouldn't happen if apple dropped the 5!