Coordination Games and Iphones
In most networked coordination games we’ve examined, we’ve noticed two very apparent Nash equilibriums with nodes (or people) being incentivized to choose copy the behavior of connected nodes/people because of the significant benefits. In an article in “The Verge”, one journalist exapands this idea to the debate on phones and the “flow” of users between two of the largest operating systems currently in use: IOS and Android.
The US phone market has been dominated by Androids and Iphones for over a decade. Each year a new phone is released with a variety new features and higher quality materials. However, it seems that regardless of the reviews released on each phone, “switching camps” from IOS to Android or vice-versa occurs very rarely. In the article linked below, you can find a number of specific reasons as to why this occurs, but one important point that the author makes not of is Imessage’s presence on all IOS devices. This allows users to network with other IOS users in a slightly difference experience and has been a huge factor in deciding for consumers what phone they should purchase next.
In the context of what we’ve learned in class, there are benefits to owning an Iphone if your peers also own an Iphone (Imessage), but in cases where you peers own Android devices the same pressure does not exist. This complex setup has been noticed by avid fans of the phone debate for years and has reportedly led to a slightly increased adoption of Iphones over the years by Americans.
source: https://www.theverge.com/2016/10/10/13225514/apple-iphone-cant-switch-pixel-android-imessage-addiction