Only Google has the capability to "beat Apple" in the OS/platform game in the context of Android as a platform. Any handset maker has the potential to "beat Apple" by making a handset that outsells the iPhone. You can beat the iPhone without beating the entirety of the iOS platform, for instance. As the below comment points out, that already happened in some places. I don't think Kottke meant his comments as platform war commentary (I think he was talking about products) but not surprisingly HN fully interpreted them that way.