Android and iOS Now Control Over 80% of Smartphone Sales in U.S.

[bushido]

Your post really pisses me off. Because you posted it before I could.

Well put. This is exactly what's going on. And quite a few of the "contenders" on that list are of dubious quality at best.

But that's what you get when you don't control the entire process from cradle to grave. Throw your free OS (and if you've used it, you wouldn't pay for it, either) to everyone and their dog and watch your share grow.

and who gives a ... about that besides tech nerds? if one wants a different phone they are gonna get a different phone and why shouldnt they, who cares how big the market share is (as an customer). not everyone (im not one of them btw) wants/needs a iPhone for 649 $, some just want a phone that turns on and if it runs android. fine. cant really blame google for being open, just a different business strategy than apple. and if i can get a "dump phone" with android, thats even better for me as the customer. a cheap crappy phone with an argumentative great OS for only 69 $ why the hell not

 

[motulist]

This is the problem with percentage based charts. You don't get the whole picture.

Percentage based charts are fine as long as they also represent the total size of the pie, for instance by using pie-shaped percentage charts where the size of the pie grows and shrinks according to the total size of the market.

Here's an example

 

[marksman]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 5_0 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9A334 Safari/7534.48.3)

GO Android!

Android Rocks and Destroys all others!

IOS has flattened already.........

So you just ignore that iOS grew more as a percentage from last year than android?

The next Five years will be interesting. At least two new OSes will emerge, android will be eol. I think ios will be only current os with a significant market share in 2016 that is there now. Google will have a new os that works on their devices.

 

[TallGuy1970]

No, just looking at their market share numbers quarter to quarter, iOS seems to have plateaud in the 20-30% range.

But look at the what the numbers (the ones in this article) are really telling you. From 2009 to 2010 Android made a huge push, from 9% to 42% market share... but where did they really get their users. iOS dropped a bit, from 24% to 21%, but the OVERWHELMING majority of Android users came from RIM and Windows Mobile.

From 2010 to the first 10 months of 2011, both Android (42% to 53%) and Apple (21% to 29%) made large market share gains, again at the sacrifice of RIM and Windows Mobile. I guess I don't see a jump of 8 percentage points of overall marketshare - granted Android was higher - in one year as plateauing, especially considering we are comparing ONE Apple device vs. dozens of Android devices.

This year's number only take into account January through October. It would also be interesting to see the numbers now, since the introduction of the iPhone 4S and its record sales numbers.

 

[100Years]

Forever is a long time...

I'd be hesitant to count Nokia and Windows Phone out of the equation. From what I've read, seen, and heard you could make the case that Windows Phone's latest iteration is could arguably be called the "best" mobile OS out there. True, it doesn't have a huge App market, but Microsoft certainly has the money, the patience (see XBox), and the motivation to start winning marketshare from somebody.

+1. Look at their plans over the next several years: Windows phones, Windows 8 desktop, Windows 8 tablets, and the rumor is that even the upcoming Xbox 720 console will run a version of Windows 8. If MS can pull off a tight integration of all these devices, their market share numbers could very well increase by a large margin.

 

[bushido]

+1. Look at their plans over the next several years: Windows phones, Windows 8 desktop, Windows 8 tablets, and the rumor is that even the upcoming Xbox 720 console will run a version of Windows 8. If MS can pull off a tight integration of all these devices, their market share numbers could very well increase by a large margin.

in before those apple fanboys saying microsoft stole apple's business strategy ^^

 

[Nunyabinez]

I agree that there are many factors in how someone choose a phone. I have had an iPhone since the 3G came out. My sister would tell me that she needed a new phone and I would tell her to get an iPhone. She would go into the store and they would talk her into something else, once a Blackberry and then some Android phone. And yet she was always frustrated with the phones and couldn't figure out how to do most things. She finally decided to order an iPhone from Apple since she didn't want to get talked out of it and now she is thrilled with her phone.

She really never should have had those other phones because she is about as non-techie as it gets. But there must be incentives to salesmen to sell these other handsets. So, in addition to all the other reasons that Android has done well is that for at least some consumers it is pushed on them by salespeople.

 

[Dr McKay]

Another pointless argument about quantity vs quality. Its not shocking that Android taking lion share of the market. You got ONE iPhone with ONE iOS and you got ONE android with.

One iPhone you say?

iPhone 2G
iPhone 3G
iPhone 3GS
iPhone 4
iPhone 4S

Each of those phones comes with multiple size variants, when I persuaded my parents and grandparents to get iPhones when they wanted their first smartphone, asking me how many GB's they needed, and more importantly, what was a GB.

And one iOS you say?

iOS 1.1.5
iOS 2.0
iOS 2.2
iOS 3
iOS 3.1.3
iOS 4.0
iOS 4.2
iOS 4.2.1
iOS 4.3
iOS 5

I know it's far less, and less confusing, but if you're going to throw bold statements around like that, at least make sure there is some truth to it.

 

[furi0usbee]

LOL @ Android > iOS

OK, here is a post from a recent convert to Android, from iOS. I did it not because I like Android better, I will get to that, but because I can get a monthly, no-contract phone on Virgin Mobile (using Sprint network) for $35.00/month. Enough minutes and unlimited data.

First let me say that anyone who says Android is as nice a user interface, or as elegant as iOS is high. I was appalled at how inferior Android is vs iOS. And guess why? I was comparing iOS 5 to Android 2.3. But I thought Android is already up to 4.0? Yeah, but over 95% of phones are STILL running Android 2.1 to 2.3.X. Check it out here if you don't believe me.

I learned they call that Android "fragmentation." Nice. Reminds me of my old Windows days, having to defrag my drive.

So all these Apple haters saying how good Android is, are basing that decision on Apple's latest and greatest vs the Android OS, at 2 major versions behind. That is so funny.

Imagine buying a new iPhone and getting iOS.. wait... it wasn't even called iOS @ version 2. LOL. That's how far Android users are behind Apple.

The only reason why Android is more popular is because it's on *many* more phones. If Google had a single phone Android ran on vs the iPhone, it's no contest. Game over. That's like saying Windows XP is better than Mac OS because more people are using it. A stupid argument.

I was shocked at how bad the icons looked, the clunky interface with all kinds of buttons on the bottom of the phone. The way my entire phone explodes apart if dropped from two feet. Boom, there goes the phone, the back case comes off and my battery goes flying. I like how my iPhone stayed in one piece.

In closing, Android is made for one of three types of people. 1. You hate Apple. 2. You've never used Apple. 3. You just want a cheap smart phone/plan.

Holding my iPod Touch with iOS 5 and my Android 2.3 phone. Yeah, I can see how iOS is in trouble.... what a joke. iOS is so far ahead of this junk.

So remember, next time you Android guys compare it to iOS, make sure you are comparing what 95% of people are using, 2.3 or previous. Just to help you out. iOS 5 > Android 2.3.X

You Android guys give me a good laugh when I need it.

Bryan

 

[inkswamp]

And there are still people out there who will claim that the iPhone was nothing special.

It's interesting to me that iOS dipped so much in 2010 and took off again in 2011. I'm wondering if this reflects all those consumer surveys that were floating around last year that showed a >25% of Android owners planning to switch to iPhone but very few planning to go the other way. I suspect the low price attracts first time smart phone buyers but Android itself does a bad job of making them repeat customers. Like I've said before, poor quality Android phones with lousy user experiences will end up being Apple's best friend in the long-run. The crappy Droid my wife bought pushed her to the iPhone. And I know other people with the same reaction.

 

[a.gomez]

look at the little robot go!

After 2 years with an iPhone 3GS and upgrading to my android 4 months ago, I can see why the numbers are that way.

OSX and Android are it - glad to see most users are smart enough to see that - well at least on mobile... desktop fight is lost, nice to see the average joe wont send us down the same hole this time.

 

[KnightWRX]

First let me say that anyone who says Android is as nice a user interface, or as elegant as iOS is high. I was appalled at how inferior Android is vs iOS. And guess why? I was comparing iOS 5 to Android 2.3. But I thought Android is already up to 4.0? Yeah, but over 95% of phones are STILL running Android 2.1 to 2.3.X. Check it out here if you don't believe me.

A couple of points. First, why are you checking market share on Wikipedia when you can go straight to the source :

http://developer.android.com/resources/dashboard/platform-versions.html

Second, 2.3 is not "2 major versions behind", it's actually the current version. 4.0 is not quite released yet and even if it were, you do realise that 3.0 was never available to smartphones ? 3.0 was a tablet only version.

So all the phones running 2.3 are actually quite up to date on OS releases.

The more you know.

 

[inkswamp]

In closing, Android is made for one of three types of people. 1. You hate Apple. 2. You've never used Apple. 3. You just want a cheap smart phone/plan.

4. The iPhone isn't (wasn't) available on your carrier. That's how my wife made the very bad decision to buy an Android-based phone on Verizon. Luckily, her 2 years in Android prison is almost up, and she's ready to get her hands on an iPhone. She's so averse to her own phone that she tends to reach for mine when she needs to do something. It really is a piece of crap with a horrifyingly bad UI. Not being a techie, she has grown to loathe it.

 

[KnightWRX]

It's interesting to me that iOS dipped so much in 2010 and took off again in 2011.

iOS dipped ? Probably not. That's the problem with percentage based graphs. iOS probably did not dip at all, as year over year, Apple has been shipping more and more iPhones.

What actually probably happened is that the market grew more than Apple unit sales did. So while Apple still grew, the market grew faster for that period of time, making it look like a "dip" for Apple.

Again guys, the more you know.

 

[*LTD*]

a cheap crappy phone with an argumentative great OS for only 69 $ why the hell not

I can't argue with that. Not one bit.

Someone needs to serve the mid to low end (and that's a big low end) of the market.

There will always be a market for the cheap, plentiful, and argumentative great OS.

Apple has chosen not to get involved in that end of the market. And their product and platform quality shows this.

 

[inkswamp]

Second, 2.3 is not "2 major versions behind", it's actually the current version. 4.0 is not quite released yet and even if it were, you do realise that 3.0 was never available to smartphones ? 3.0 was a tablet only version.

True, but that only bolsters his point about fragmentation, doesn't it?

----------

iOS dipped ? Probably not. That's the problem with percentage based graphs. iOS probably did not dip at all, as year over year, Apple has been shipping more and more iPhones.

What actually probably happened is that the market grew more than Apple unit sales did. So while Apple still grew, the market grew faster for that period of time, making it look like a "dip" for Apple.

Again guys, the more you know.

I understand what I was looking at and I get the problem with percentage-based graphs, especially when it comes to a statistic like "market share" the definition of which seems to change based on context. Still, the point remains in this context: if Apple grew more slowly than the rest of the smart phone market, then yes, it was a "dip."

 

[jmerchlinsky]

I can't argue with that. Not one bit.

Someone needs to serve the mid to low end (and that's a big low end) of the market.

There will always be a market for the cheap, plentiful, and argumentative great OS.

Apple has chosen not to get involved in that end of the market. And their product and platform quality shows this.

Apple has a 99cent iPhone 3GS, how can you say they are not involved in the cheap end of the market? Mind you, we are talking about the US smartphone market. International (unsubsidized) is a whole different story.

 

[divinox]

Again, if these people aren't very tech savvy, there's loads of misconceptions, misunderstandings and user-errors which cause the frustrations. On the counter, I've converted 3 members of my family to Mac/iPhone's because PCs and other mobiles were too complicated to use.

How difficult is it import your own content into iTunes? You don't even need iTunes to run iOS devices anymore with iOS. Also, the freedom to use a phone/tablet on an open-sourced unit is the same a closed-sourced unit. They just operate differently.

To me, itunes is probably one of the most confusing and complicated programs i've ever had to deal with. I just don't get it. And i say that having played with computers for pretty much all my life, and with academic degrees in information systems. That said, i surely haven't given it that much of a chance (i only use it when i necessarily have to). But god, theres certainly something ****ed up with the way that program works from a UE perspective.

Strange, since Apple usually dishes out nice experiences overall.

 

[kdarling]

This is the problem with percentage based charts. You don't get the whole picture.

It won't stop some people from reading more into it. For example:

So you just ignore that iOS grew more as a percentage from last year than android?

Not a meaningful statistic, since it's relative to how small the portion used to be.

For instance, the chart says that Windows Phone 7 _doubled_ its share over last year, statistically blowing iOS out of the water as far as percentage of growth.

I knew RIM was in trouble, but this, combined with their other difficulties this year, makes me think they're not going to be viable for much longer.

I believe that RIM will sell in 2011, about the same number of smartphones as last year.

As noted above, the entire market expanded, so even sitting still looks bad in a chart like the one presented.

 

[gblog]

To me, itunes is probably one of the most confusing and complicated programs i've ever had to deal with. I just don't get it. And i say that having played with computers for pretty much all my life, and with academic degrees in information systems. That said, i surely haven't given it that much of a chance (i only use it when i necessarily have to). But god, theres certainly something ****ed up with the way that program works from a UE perspective.

Strange, since Apple usually dishes out nice experiences overall.

I don't understand how iTunes seems so difficult to many people. You drag and drop music and it shows under 'Music'. You can create playlists. You can drag and drop videos as long as they're in the supported format. Which music app do you use on your computer?

 

[KnightWRX]

True, but that only bolsters his point about fragmentation, doesn't it?

Only if you don't understand how Android works. Android 3.0 vs Android 2.3 is akin to iPad vs iPhone apps.

Android doesn't work the same way as iOS does and it frankly matters much less if you're not up to par with the current version. API levels make sure apps are mostly back compatible, same for the screen support for varying hardware capabilities between phones.

The Android framework is built for this kind of fragmentation whereas the iOS stuff isn't.

 

[firewood]

Be careful what you wish for - a one horse race isn't good for anyone. A one race horse tends to get slow and lazy.

Apple needs Android to dominate the smartphone market. At least half.

That will prevent anti-trust scrutiny of Apple and the iOS App store, allowing Apple to run it the way that locks in the most profits for themselves and their loyal app developers. It's a strategy to make money. Let the other vendors ship a ton of random stuff at no profit, and keep the feds away from the Apple store.

 

[divinox]

I think you'll find that the 4S ***** on the Samsung Galaxy sII in all benchmarks... let alone the actual usability.

Which is somewhat irrelevant as the 4S experiences less competition in the iOS ecosystem. Or, as LTD eloquently put it: straightforward comparison in light of horizontal and vertical business strategies is... well, not that easy.

 

[inkswamp]

Only if you don't understand how Android works. Android 3.0 vs Android 2.3 is akin to iPad vs iPhone apps.

I don't understand why you're comparing OS versions to apps. Even by your own description Android "3.0 was a tablet only version" so I'm puzzled by the attempt to compare Apple's iOS strategy (i.e., one unified OS that runs across their entire mobile platform) versus a fragmented Android OS with versions intended specifically for a given class of product. No offense intended by this but it seems you're trying to weasel around a bit and have it both ways--denying Android fragmentation exists while invoking it as a design choice.

The Android framework is built for this kind of fragmentation whereas the iOS stuff isn't.

You make it sound like this level of fragmentation was intentional. Seems doubtful to me. It seems more likely to me that it's the by-product of Google constantly trying to stay on top of the market without putting too much effort into unifying their OS. IOW, fast but sloppy work.

 

[dejo]

Hmm, according to this data, iOS is now the fastest growing (+38% vs. Android's +28%).