If holding an S4 against one's ear looks stupid, then same goes for the iPhone 5 considering the size difference is not that significant (.51" length and .44" width)
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Android Dominates Nearly 80% of Smartphone Market, iOS Drops to 13% Share
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If holding an S4 against one's ear looks stupid, then same goes for the iPhone 5 considering the size difference is not that significant (.51" length and .44" width)
Having a 'curated' store isn't Android's only fault either! How about manufacturers that won't support the latest OS! What a screaming joke that is, IMO! How would you like to have a computer that is stuck on Windows 98 because the manufacturer won't allow the upgrade in hopes that you will buy their latest surfboard sized 'phone' that will likely only support the current version until the next iteration of the hardware surfs in from China.
Oh, just a thought: In those states with 'stand your ground' laws, perhaps having a really big phone could be seen as a threat when someone whips that monstrosity out in a swinging motion...
There are so many issues with the 'Droid market that even though I'm a pretty tech savvy person, I realized after fighting with the Palm Treo (Windows based too) that I just got burned out. I got to the point where I just couldn't take it anymore. It killed my address book (what is it with killed address books) so many times that I just stopped putting things in it. I could never get it to text or hook to email.
I just couldn't wait to dump that POS to get something that JUST WORKED! I used to think 'JUST GIVE ME A DAMN PHONE THAT WORKS!!! PLEASE!!!'. It came 'over sold' for the capability that it had. Oh, and the folks at Verizon couldn't get it to text or email either. Reason one that I dumped them too I guess...
The size difference between those two is significant. That picture does a horrible job. This does a much better one.
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Depends where you're developing.
If your market is China, definitely think about Android (China accounts for over 50% of Android activations).
If your market is in the US, definitely stay with iOS (Android is actually shrinking in the US right now).
If you're in Western Europe, it could go either way.
Doesn't that depend on the cost of the app? If the app costs $5, then a lot of people who buy cheaper Android phones might still buy it.
A kid or teenager may not have the money to buy the iPhone 5, but he or she most likely has has enough money to buy a couple of apps / month if he or she wants them.
Also, most people don't buy expensive home theater systems, but they still end up buying or renting movies just to watch on their TV. Most people buying music doesn't have expensive sound systems...
But if the app costs $200, then probably not.
I was part of that. I've had an iPhone since the day it first came out, every model. I got so bored with it I sold it an got an HTC One. Once the iPhone 6 comes out I might go back, but we'll see about that
Same, got bored and picked up an HTC one today in fact. These numbers aren't surprising
I don't see it as analogous at all. Macs were a true niche product. They were a small % of the overall market. 500 million iOS users is hardly a niche. If it is, every corporation on the planet wishes they occupied a "niche".
"Marketshare" only represents last quarter's shipments. The number of devices out there that are in actual use are better measured by web usage, app revenues, device profits, and most popular cameras (see Flickr). iOS still dominates by any usage metric.
I completely agree. It was also the main reason as to why I switched from PC to Mac. Its not that I did not know how to maintain my PC, its just the headache of constant crushing, having to re-install Windows every few months as no matter how many times I clean the registry, no matter how many times I reboot for the hundreds of updates that comes out, its still not good enough and I get blue screen of death and freezing. With Mac, I am yet to experience a crash, no need to hunt for drivers, etc, it just works. Its the same experience with iPhone, for the duration of my 3 year contract, it just worked and continues to work, battery life is great, and despite dropping it multiple times, it works like a charm, no maintenance.
You keep suggesting that other devices are inferior while it's already known that they are not. In fact, some devices are considered better, simply because they got better specs / hardware.
I see more businessmen walking around with android based phones then with iPhones with iOS on it, numbers do back this up, also the fact iOS is by far no mainstream any longer.
http://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS24253413
While nowadays people still talk on the phone most of the time when they use their phones they use them as computers. And following your approach those who stare at small and almost unusable phone screens look really stupid.
You're missing the big picture. A couple of years ago there wasn't almost any revenue for Android apps at all.
Much like there was a time when Android phones weren't selling at all, and then they started to gain in sales.
You know what happened next?
Look in the back mirror. It's happening again.
Unfortunately this comparison is completely off.
Apple did not have any profit margin in their PC vs Mac wars and they were in fact a true niche product.
Apple is the exact opposite here, they actually have a big % of the US market and as they continue to push out into the other countries and carriers, that % will grow.
These shipped metrics just are not accurate.
As someone probably pointed out earlier, this is shipment not sold.
Saying that, these are still numbers that have some significance.
Overall, here is how I see Android Phones:
-Low Profit Margin
-The new dumb phone, carriers do not want to sell dumb phones so consumers take android because of cost.
-Low usage, people do not surf the Internet or do email on Android devices like they do on iOS.
So while these numbers maybe good for Google right now, it is only a matter of time before it will catch up with Google. Advertisers need to see returns for there investment and the profit margin on Google advertising is getting lower and lower each year. Google is getting creative with there advertising analytics, but it is at the cost of there users privacy.
I do believe Apple is in a good position because they don't sell our private information to advertisers the way Google and Facebook do, they sell real physical products with actual profit margins (and in the case of iOS devices, competitively). When Apple starts selling our private information to advertisers then I will worry. I have concerns for all companies that do that, because it means no one is willing to pay for their products.
Saying that, these are still numbers that have some significance.
Overall, here is how I see Android Phones:
-Low Profit Margin
-The new dumb phone, carriers do not want to sell dumb phones so consumers take android because of cost.
-Low usage, people do not surf the Internet or do email on Android devices like they do on iOS.
So while these numbers maybe good for Google right now, it is only a matter of time before it will catch up with Google. Advertisers need to see returns for there investment and the profit margin on Google advertising is getting lower and lower each year. Google is getting creative with there advertising analytics, but it is at the cost of there users privacy.
I do believe Apple is in a good position because they don't sell our private information to advertisers the way Google and Facebook do, they sell real physical products with actual profit margins (and in the case of iOS devices, competitively). When Apple starts selling our private information to advertisers then I will worry. I have concerns for all companies that do that, because it means no one is willing to pay for their products.
Not at all. Those that need a portable computer to actually work on would have a phablet or iPad mini. They wouldn't hold either up to their ear to talk..oh yeah..Android users do that.
And sorry, but talking on the phone still is a big thing. Otherwise all these people walking down the street must be talking to themselves.
Why? it will be as in the laptop/desktop market. Small marketshare with higher profit margins.
Some of them do. IDC counts any smartphone that ships with an OS that is based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) as an Android phone. However, Google requires that an OS conforms to their compatibility document in order to be called "Android."
But most Chinese Android phones don't ship with Google Services and therefore aren't required to meet compatibility requirements. They don't run Google Play. Essentially, they are separate platforms, but IDC chooses to group them together with actual Android devices because...
Nope. Search for "iOS 5 PC Free" for more info.
Which is actually a result of it being more open. Not only google can make phones for Android. Android being open means that LG, Samsung, Motorola, HTC, (now Google), etc, can make phones using that software.
Open = choice, variety, and the wider distribution.
I am sure there is a Marketing 101 reason why they feel they need to do it, but I think the strict schedules should have been phased out as this new management took over.
It could be avoided
Apple and AT&T were too busy milking their customers. If iPhone was available on more carriers and without a contract, this chart would show better numbers for iOS today.
Apple and AT&T were too busy milking their customers. If iPhone was available on more carriers and without a contract, this chart would show better numbers for iOS today.
What does it mean "to get bored" of a phone??
Honestly, some people talk of phones as if they were girlfriends or pets. Sad.
I was part of that. I've had an iPhone since the day it first came out, every model. I got so bored with it I sold it an got an HTC One. Once the iPhone 6 comes out I might go back, but we'll see about that
To me, getting bored with a working device is silly... It's a phone. I've had the same toilet for going on nine years, and I'm not going to swap because I'm 'bored'. Well, even though there are models that now wash and blow dry your backside... Hmmm...
I wonder if it's an attention span thing, this dumping phones constantly. I wonder what the churn rate is amongst people. Do people have that kind of disposable income that they can just pop on out to the phone store and pick up another one? Does this also extend into other areas on society? Does it explain the divorce rate for instance?
Perhaps this sounds more sarcastic than I mean it too, but in my experience with non-iPhone devices, someone would have to have a masochist streak to want to dump an iPhone for a 'Droid... Keeping it running and malware free I guess would make it less boring, but sometimes boring is good...
How does a closed OS prevent Apple from making cheaper phones and distributing them to more carriers? It doesn't. It's simply a choice by Apple unrelated to "open v closed".
That is one HUGE A$$ PHONE! Damn...
And that's 'cool'? It's so much better just being uncool, and happy. Nintendo Thumb, meet 'Droid Elbow'?