Re: @DougS (was Re: @ThomH)
If you talk to average non technical people, you'll find you're mistaken. The article is correct, most people don't really know what "Android" is, they are buying a Samsung phone, not Android.
I think this is only partly correct.
I agree that most people (probably even most technical minded people) arent looking for an Android device first, they are looking for a device they like the look of, they like using and is at a price they are willing to pay. This sort of explains why Samsung is (currently) demolishing the competition from other Android manufacturers.
However, people are going for the Galaxy brand rather than (for example) Wave, which means the OS must have some impact over and above the Samsung brand.
This could be how the OS works, it could be how the OS looks, or more likely it is about what the OS provides in the way of apps and stuff. There is no reason to assume that this would transfer equally to a different OS - and given that one of the remaining arguments for iOS is the sheer volume of its AppStore, going to an OS with a much more niche app selection would be a very bizarre move for Samsung (minimal gain potential, massive loss potential).
Realistically, there is no strong motivation for Samsung to move to cut google out. Samsung is not a software development brand, its strength lies very much elsewhere and the costs of developing and maintaining their own ecosystem appear to monumentally outweigh any potential increase in profit share they would drive. Even if Samsung did create its own system, it would still be paying Google for some things (maps etc).