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Android Dominates Nearly 80% of Smartphone Market, iOS Drops to 13% Share

The problem with apple there is no variety of iphone like there is with samsung and htc. I'm not saying there needs to be 100s of models. But a different size variation would be nice. Its good they are coming with an economy iphone. But screen size is still an issue. They can keep the 4 inch iphone for people who want to
keep that size. But they need offer like a 4.8 or 5 inch version. Even a 4.5.

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Todd B. said:
If Android was the only gamee in town, god forbid, I'd give up on mobile phones and tablets completely.
.
Click to expand...

Really? Dramatic much?
 
i guess that's because we havent seen any major product release by apple, after the release of iWatch, iphone, ipad mini, ipad, etc. these numbers are going to change, iOS will grow
 
chazmuzz said:
As a developer, I am merely a tool. I convert designs and specifications into a usable product. Could you explain why I'm wrong to think that fewer users will correlate to less development work in the future? If the share of iOS shrinks below 5%, many companies will have to decide how worthwhile it will be to support iOS. It depends a lot on the product and how the owner expects to monetize it. Only one of the seven iOS projects I have worked on had the intention of raising revenue though AppStore sales, in-app purchases or advertising (although a few apps were essentially large advertisements).
Click to expand...

Don't be a tool. Become something greater. I'm feeling generous, so I'll give you three reasons.

1) Decreasing marketshare does not equal decreasing use. iOS sales continue to rise, and are ahead of Android in the US, which is the most important market to app developers. The bulk of Android's devices are located in China, Africa, and other "developing markets" where users expect a sub-$200 off contract device. These are not the kind of customers that purchase alot of software, which is why despite having such a huge lead in "marketshare", Google Play still can't even generate half of the sales of the App Store.

2) Apple is the only mobile hardware company that reports actual sales. What you are seeing in this and other charts are reported shipments. There is a difference, though we can only guess how much this data is skewed compared to devices sold.

3) If you only consider yourself to be a code monkey, this should be the biggest reason: Even if Android had a legitimate user base advantage over iOS, you should still favor iOS because of Android's device fragmentation. Do you like coding for dozens of different screen sizes and resolutions? Do you like not knowing what operating system your users will be running? Do you like not being able to say for sure whether your app will run because you don't have two hundred devices, nor the time required to test on all of them? Not having to go through all that means you can make a better, more focused product in less time and at a lower cost for your clients. Don't you think it's strange that despite this "trend" toward Android, all the successful developers are still being successful prioritizing iOS, and then later porting to Android?
 
Sad to see the house that Jobs built sinking in his absence, AGAIN.

When people dispute who was the engine behind this company repeated successes, I think it's pretty clear now who was responsible.
 
Zendokan said:
I'm wondering how the Android vs iOS landscape will evolve when Samsung is going to promote Tizen OS?

Every techblog has been reporting over the last couple of weeks that Samsung is preparing to start promoting their own Tizen OS in smartphones, tablets, cars and so on.

Could be interesting times for Android if Samsung's number one OS will be Tizen.
Click to expand...

Could be interesting, and would likely be highly successful based on it being similar enough to Android (at the Kernel Level), that ports for existing software will be highly likely. Openmobile ACL is rumored to be included in the Tizen versions of Samsung devices, making most Android applications compatible with that OS almost immediately.

In the end, the additional competition in this market space is great for us all. I will be curious to see how Google would respond to such a change once it goes live.
 
jimbo1mcm said:
You need a new CEO and a new work ethic, NOW. You don't realize you are in a war with primarily Samsung and others, and you are LOSING.
Click to expand...

1. Apple isn't in a war with anyone.
2. Apple isn't losing. They are trying to sell computers, iPods, phones and tablets, and they are doing exceedingly well in each category.

They would be losing if they tried to sell $100 phones at no profit to get the highest market share and failed to do so. But they don't try to do that. You think Apple is losing at a game where they are not even playing.

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aperry said:
Apple is in no danger of single digit market share? Unless I'm reading the chart wrong, it seems like the current trend would have them in single digits in the first half of next year.
Click to expand...

You look at numbers without understanding them. "Smart phone" is meaningless for a market. The relevant markets are either "high-end smartphones" or "phones". In each market, Apple's share is growing.
 
gnasher729 said:
You look at numbers without understanding them. "Smart phone" is meaningless for a market. The relevant markets are either "high-end smartphones" or "phones". In each market, Apple's share is growing.
Click to expand...

Source? Please make sure older iPhones like the 4 and 4s are not included in the "high end smartphones" category.

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Arfdog said:
More fear-mongering. Apple is still GAINING in sales, because the smartphone market is still growing. But they are not gaining as fast as Android. Thus they have a smaller and smaller share of a vastly expanding product market.

They are not "losing ground", as this foolish article reads, ie people aren't switching from iOS to Android in droves. But yes more people are buying smartphones and they are more likely to buy an Android because the OS is free, therefore more widespread.

Apple isn't "dying". It's just growing slower than others.
Click to expand...

By that measurement Apple is doing just about as well as Microsoft (gained ~5 million sales). I'm sure they feel wonderful about that.
 
gnasher729 said:
1. Apple isn't in a war with anyone.
Click to expand...

I'll fix that for you:
1. Apple isn't in a non thermo nuclear war with anyone.
Click to expand...


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bnnentertainmen said:
i guess that's because we havent seen any major product release by apple, after the release of iWatch, iphone, ipad mini, ipad, etc. these numbers are going to change, iOS will grow
Click to expand...

Just like before the release of the iPad mini and the iPhone 5?

Sure there was a bump, but only a bump.
 
braddick said:
Casually looking around, I'd have guessed it's the other way around.
Click to expand...

I would have guessed the same thing. Confirmation bias? At work I see a lot of iPhones but on my bowling league I see mostly non iPhones. Perhaps the bowlers are a better sample than my mid-level professional workplace.
 
rock on android, take that apple, i knew android always had this potential, iOS will never be able to match android's versatility.
 
chazmuzz said:
As an iOS developer, I'm wondering at what point I should abandon ship and switch to Android development. There still seems to be plenty of cash in iOS dev at the moment but how long will that last with a decreasing market share?
Click to expand...

This is my concern.

So what if most of these phones are cheap feature phones? We need developers in iOS to make the platform successful. If developers place more emphasis on Android, we're screwed.

And what about all of my Apple content, if that happens?

Now I understand that at the moment, people are more likely to BUY Apple App Store apps. But a few months ago, more apps were being downloaded from Apple, as well... and that changed quickly.

I'm not freaking out, but I'm concerned, as a guy who has a multi-thousand dollar investment in Apple apps and content.
 
AaronEdwards said:
I'll fix that for you:
Click to expand...

What do quotes from dead people have to do with anything?

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aperry said:
By that measurement Apple is doing just about as well as Microsoft (gained ~5 million sales). I'm sure they feel wonderful about that.
Click to expand...

Microsoft isn't selling any phones. Nokia is. Nokia isn't Microsoft (yet).

However, unlike Apple which gained a few million phones called "smartphones" while its non-smartphone sales stayed unchanged at exactly zero, Nokia translated only a small portion of their huge losses in the non-smartphone market into smartphone sales.
 
PinkyMacGodess said:
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... :D:D:D:eek:

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...
Click to expand...

I agree about your frustration with manufacturers that won't roll out the new OS. I am still waiting for T-Mobile to update my S4, while all others seem to have gotten their upgrades. But there is nothing that is holding me back everything is working smooth so I can't really complain.

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Ryth said:
The size difference between those two is significant. That picture does a horrible job. This does a much better one.

Image
Image
Image
Image
Click to expand...

And when Apple comes out with the same size or bigger phone which they seem to be contemplating... what happens then?

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BJonson said:
Don't fool yourselves. People are jumping ship from Apple because of screen size alone. Everyone in our family except grandma has left apple for a bigger screen and that is it. Apple is seriously screwing themselves here.
Click to expand...

Right on!

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swester said:
Sad to see the house that Jobs built sinking in his absence, AGAIN.

When people dispute who was the engine behind this company repeated successes, I think it's pretty clear now who was responsible.
Click to expand...

It is amusing when you attribute all the success to Jobs. He was a great leader and a visionary. But many of the products were conceptualized and executed by people other than Jobs. Example?

iPod - Concept of a mp3/4 music player and most importantly an online store to sell songs at 99cents was the work of Tony Fadell. Jobs jumped in late in the game when they were designing the player.

App Store - Jobs rejected it vehemently. It was Scott Forstall's persistence to open up an App market that resulted in the huge success of iOS.

Incidentally both of them and god knows how many more, are not at Apple at the moment.
 
k995 said:
source ?

http://www.slashgear.com/android-ex...-but-ios-could-surge-again-says-idc-07293041/
Click to expand...

Adding up all IDC shipment estimates every quarter.

180million for Q2 2013 which is around the same number as activations from google.
Click to expand...

Hey! Look! You just made up a number to fit your argument!

According to Google:
March 13, 2013: 750 million activations
May 15, 2013: 900 million activations

That implies at least 225 million activations per quarter unless sales have dropped off since May 15. IDC reported 187 million. Where did they go?

And thats the only thing you respond to ? LOL
Click to expand...

Because I thought the rest of your responses were superficial, anecdotal, or myopic.
 
Last edited:
springsup said:
Honestly, I'm not sure iOS7 is going to help them reverse the trend.

They're going to need to drop their hardware prices.
Click to expand...

Nope, i like exclusivity. :cool: I don't want everyone to have an iphone.
That's why i use a lot of niche products: cars, perfumes, clothes, shoes, watches, etc.

:cool:
 
Pompiliu said:
Nope, i like exclusivity. :cool: I don't want everyone to have an iphone.
That's why i use a lot of niche products: cars, perfumes, clothes, shoes, watches, etc.

:cool:
Click to expand...

had no idea clothes and shoes were niche products.
 
BaldiMac said:
Adding up all IDC shipment estimates every quarter.
Click to expand...
Please do and with sources


Hey! Look! You just made up a number to fit your argument!

According to Google:
March 13, 2013: 750 million activations
May 15, 2013: 900 million activations
Click to expand...

Thats not just smartphones :lol:



Because I thought the rest of your responses were superficial, anecdotal, or myopic.
Click to expand...

Sure you did, its not because you made BS statement that made little sense .
 
GoldenJoe said:
Don't be a tool. Become something greater. I'm feeling generous, so I'll give you three reasons.

1) Decreasing marketshare does not equal decreasing use. iOS sales continue to rise, and are ahead of Android in the US, which is the most important market to app developers. The bulk of Android's devices are located in China, Africa, and other "developing markets" where users expect a sub-$200 off contract device. These are not the kind of customers that purchase alot of software, which is why despite having such a huge lead in "marketshare", Google Play still can't even generate half of the sales of the App Store.

2) Apple is the only mobile hardware company that reports actual sales. What you are seeing in this and other charts are reported shipments. There is a difference, though we can only guess how much this data is skewed compared to devices sold.

3) If you only consider yourself to be a code monkey, this should be the biggest reason: Even if Android had a legitimate user base advantage over iOS, you should still favor iOS because of Android's device fragmentation. Do you like coding for dozens of different screen sizes and resolutions? Do you like not knowing what operating system your users will be running? Do you like not being able to say for sure whether your app will run because you don't have two hundred devices, nor the time required to test on all of them? Not having to go through all that means you can make a better, more focused product in less time and at a lower cost for your clients. Don't you think it's strange that despite this "trend" toward Android, all the successful developers are still being successful prioritizing iOS, and then later porting to Android?
Click to expand...

Regarding 3:

I am not a developer but how hard can it be for God's sake? This has worked for desktops for ages. Of course, if your device is low specced, you should not be expecting to run the latest games. Other than that, with 2013's developer tools and knowledge and whatnot, scaling to a couple of resolutions and a couple types of devices shouldn't be that big a problem.

All this fuss about fragmentation and "one size fits all" are Steve Jobs' reality distortion field.
 
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