The story of the Kogan Agora and Agora Pro mobile phones is one of almost tragic proportions. Set to be released as Australia’s first smart phone running on the Android mobile device platform, delays in its launch and a higher than expected retail price have seen it already pushed out of the Android market altogether. Is it too late for the Agora?
The tale of the Agora and Agora Pro
Kogan, a fully Australian owned company founded by 25- year old Ruslan Kogan, was set to release the two versions of the Agora smart phone in January 2009 – instead, the release has been put on hold indefinitely. Kogan said in a statement in January that design would virtually go back to the drawing board.
“It now seems certain the current Agora specifications will limit its compatibility or interoperability in the near future," said Kogan, citing the low resolution of the Agora screens as the cause.
The open-sourced platform that the Android OS is based on has been developing rapidly, with a growing number of applications being made available through the Android Market. Many developers of the applications being made available through the site are basing their specifications on the HTC Dream handset, with its 3.2 inch, 320x480 pixel screen. The Agora 2.5 inch, 240x320 pixel screen was just never going to match up.
Down, but certainly not out, Kogan is still committed to releasing a smart phone on the Android platform, and it would be an important step in Australian communications products if his company did come up with some stiff competition to overseas rivals.
Why Android?
The Android platform is an open-source, Linux-based system developed by Google and now overseen by the Open Handset Alliance. With currently 47 corporate members covering all aspects of smart phone development, the Open Handset Alliance’s agenda is to ensure the code for Android maintains consistency as it grows.
The greatest potential of the Android platform is the fact that it is open-source. Software developers can create applications based on Android and upload it to the Android Market. Already, even in its infancy, the Android Market contains over 100 applications and is expanding rapidly.
Of course, when we talk infancy, we are also talking about the platform itself. Android has huge potential for both users of the handsets and companies alike to create connections and improve usability. However, like any new software development, its bound to have bugs in the first few years, and no doubt will improve as more users provide feedback on possible problems.
It’s perhaps a blessing in disguise then, for Kogan. They have the opportunity to watch the first two Android-based handsets in action worldwide - the HTC Dream and Magic – and hopefully learn from their inevitable mistakes as well.
Android community provides an update on the latest Android offering from Kogan Technologies
