Android Outpaces iPhone in Share of New U.S. Smartphone Customers for First Half of 2010

[kas23]

I'm just tired of the constant comparisons (Sells/Marketshare) with 1 phone to an entire OS it's ludicrous. And to top it off the iPhone is only on 1 carrier in the US, yet it's still in the top.

Well, I see your point. The whole thing is Apples and Oranges (no pun intended).

Apple: wants to sell as much hardware as possible [and they're doing it]

Google: wants to put Android on as many mobile phones as possible, so they can make more ad revenue [and they're also doing it]

Seems to me they both are winning in what they set out to achieve.

 

[cleanup]

Good. Apple always needs the competition to keep it on its' toes.

That said, why the hell do people still use BlackBerries? A physical keyboard? The only reason I can ever get out of people is "business users" or "businesses like them". Why? What do they offer that iOS or Android or any other OS couldn't offer? I mean the BlackBerry hardware itself is pretty mediocre. They still use the same crappy full keyboard/tiny screen setup that they've had for ages.

Have you ever used a Blackberry? If your main focus is having nice hardware that gives a pleasant user experience, but not necessarily to the goal of productivity, then sure, the iPhone is nicer. But if you want to edit documents and pound out emails at lightning speed, I think a Blackberry is the better device for it. It's your phone for getting **** done during the workday. The iPhone is your phone for planning your evening festivities.

 

[dwd3885]

So in the 6 months leading up to the expected and announced refresh of the iPhone, aptly revealed to be the iPhone 4, and went on to sell Millions in weeks, iPhone sales slowed down and were outpaced by the introduction of many new Android phones. Makes sense.

Either way, the fact that it took Android multiple devices on every major carrier in the US to catch up to one device on one carrier says a lot. The iPhone has kind of hit a stand still, the only thing Apple can really do at this point is open up to more carriers. This "Outpacing" would grind to a hault with the introduction of a Verizon phone. I know 4-5 people with Droids that would all jump to an iPhone if available.

But either way, this is good for everybody, because we know Apple will want to stay on top, and they will innovate and do more to make sure they do.

it's a good explanation of why a lot of the change has occurred. But that's kinda the whole point. Android phones come out all the time and the iPhone only comes out once a year. This is the power of choice. Kinda making Android's point for Google.

 

[doboy]

I love my DroidX and I also love my iMac i7.

For the people saying it's many android phones vs one iPhone, that's kinda the point yo? Android is more open and more companies put it on their phones, Apple's iOS is only Apple and they only make one. That's kinda the whole point.

And that's why they can sell a lot more than the iPhone. "That's kinda the whole point."

 

[CupertinoBob]

This argument is stupid.

They are both great platforms, they just offer different options.

Signed Former iPhone User who was Sick of AT&T.

That is right. And the option that is selling a lot of Androids is to be able to steal any app for free. I know several young men who have droids and they brag to me they never have to pay for apps. Tell me there are a number of ways to get any app for nothing. They can't do that with an iPhone. And my guess is Google does not care if folks steal apps, they make their money from the ads in those apps. Developers are the ones who are losing money. So Apple will lose to a lot of freeloaders but still will sell plenty of iPhones.

 

[dwd3885]

Without going into it..... an iPhone 3gs is a much smoother operating device than an HTC Droid Incredible. I use both daily. People owing only an Android solution do not know what they are missing.

/k

I'm not quite sure. I used the Incredible and thought it was much faster and smoother than the iPhone. Obviously, it's each of our opinions.

 

[dwd3885]

And that's why they can sell a lot more than the iPhone. "That's kinda the whole point."

right. I agree?

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

That is right. And the option that is selling a lot of Androids is to be able to steal any app for free. I know several young men who have droids and they brag to me they never have to pay for apps. Tell me there are a number of ways to get any app for nothing. They can't do that with an iPhone. And my guess is Google does not care if folks steal apps, they make their money from the ads in those apps. Developers are the ones who are losing money. So Apple will lose to a lot of freeloaders but still will sell plenty of iPhones.

Horrible argument. So people buy Android to get free apps. Nice try.

 

[kdarling]

I imagine so, since ATMs and cash registers/POS systems count towards Windows Mobile market share.

No, they don't.

Embedded systems such as ATMs and automobiles use Windows CE.

Windows Mobile is used for PDAs and phones.

 

[LagunaSol]

These charts prove that the iPhone has hit a ceiling of growth in the US thanks to the AT&T exclusivity deal.

If Apple is still AT&T-exclusive as of Jan. 2011, mark it down as one of the most boneheaded business decisions in the history of boneheaded business decisions.

I can't tell you how many of my friends/peers were waiting desperately for the iPhone to hit Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint but eventually caved and ended up in the hairy, all-reaching arms of Android/Google.

Wake up, Apple. Please.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Am I surprised by these results. Not at all.
The biggest problem with the iPhone is its one size fits all approach. It has very limiting customization, only one screen size ect.

Android comes in several screen sizes, and is very customizable. The users can set up up in a lot of different ways to get what they want.

Like a hardware keyboard there is a choose for that. Want a larger screen size well their is a choose for that 2. Want a smaller phone yet again another chooses for that.

In Android vs iOS in term of usability they are close enough to say it comes down to personal choose which you the user like better.

I would choose Android over iPhone because I like to be able to customize the phone to be exactly what I want.
one time important to me is information at a glance. iOS sucks big time at that. Several Android phones have great set up for Info at a glance.

Android many chooses it is what is going to allow it to out sell the iPhone. Android you get want you want. iPhone it is take it or leave it.

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

If Apple is still AT&T-exclusive as of Jan. 2011, mark it down as one of the most boneheaded business decisions in the history of boneheaded business decisions.

I can't tell you how many of my friends/peers were waiting desperately for the iPhone to hit Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint but eventually caved and ended up in the hairy, all-reaching arms of Android/Google.

Wake up, Apple. Please.

We may not agree on much but you are spot on here. My decision to not get an iPhone 4 was 75% based on the ability to leave AT&T. Now I am in 4G heaven.

 

[BaldiMac]

What topic? The guy doesn't really know what he's talking about. Watch this video, look how flummoxed he gets when there is a mistake. Look at what he says regarding some very basic technical ideas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsKKQNZG3rE

Go read stories about his personal assistants at NeXT when he didn't know what to do (clueless user for his own platform!). The guy is not an engineer. He's a good speaker.

Who claimed he was an engineer?

Seriously, it's weird how much reverence there is for the guy, while at the same time not too much knowledge what he's really like.

When did you get to spend some time with him? Or are you just adding to the ignorance of what he's really like?

 

[Reed Rothchild]

But if you are going to compare the OS market share, shouldn't you include the iPod touch and iPad in the iOS numbers? The main reason to compare OS market share is as a development platform where Android is trailing far, far behind iOS.

It's a fair point, but I think due to the dissimilarity of platforms you have to segment them off for comparison purposes. There are "smartphones", "tablets", "desktops" etc.

Certainly when taking into account iPad and Touch then Apple have a larger market share than was reported. I doubt if they would ever be classified as smartphones by IDC and the like though. They're bought for different purposes than a smartphone and so not easy to group together.

No doubt there will be a splurge of even more Android tablets on the market soon, and also no doubt sites like this will be making comparisons between iPads and Android tablets (followed by lots of complaints about how unfair it is comparing dozens of Android tablets to one or two Apple tablets ). C'est la vie .

 

[LagunaSol]

No, they don't.

Embedded systems such as ATMs and automobiles use Windows CE.

Windows Mobile is used for PDAs and phones.

Seeing almost zero Windows Mobile devices in the wild these days, I'm skeptical that the iPhone only has twice the market share. Based on my own anecdotal observation (feel free to refute with your own), it seems Windows Mobile's numbers must be padded somehow - throwing WinCE into the mix (shared kernel) may help explain it.

Next time you're on the plane or train or sitting at lunch or at the airport, count the iPhones, count the Android devices, count the BlackBerrys, and count the Windows Mobile devices (if you can find any).

Unless the WinMo folks are just hiding their devices in shame?

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

If Apple is still AT&T-exclusive as of Jan. 2011, mark it down as one of the most boneheaded business decisions in the history of boneheaded business decisions.

I can't tell you how many of my friends/peers were waiting desperately for the iPhone to hit Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint but eventually caved and ended up in the hairy, all-reaching arms of Android/Google.

Wake up, Apple. Please.

Verizon isn't all that much better than AT&T. They are both neck to neck. One is slightly faster and one is slightly more consistent. When I say slightly, I mean less then a couple of percentage points.

Sprint and T-Mobile are both really horrible networks. Verizon/AT&T is much better. I say Apple will do LTE. CDMA chips apparently require too much space relative to GSM.

 

[TennisandMusic]

Who claimed he was an engineer?



When did you get to spend some time with him? Or are you just adding to the ignorance of what he's really like?

Yep, because thousands of documented pages regarding his personality, experiences, temperament, along with countless videos of him, are all false!

As far as the engineer thing goes, plenty of people on this board think he has a clue about what's going on. Just look at his emails regarding the yellow screens being "behind us" for the iMac's, or the iPhone design being a "non-issue". Again, look at the video I linked. At one point he even says "I need help, this is technical."

I have almost all Apple stuff personally, but I don't think it's some magical platform. No pun intended.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

We may not agree on much but you are spot on here. My decision to not get an iPhone 4 was 75% based on the ability to leave AT&T. Now I am in 4G heaven.

Sprint 4G? People have reported that speeds are slower than 3G. 4G is also only in a few cities, with spotty coverage.

 

[Padraig]

886 percent year-over-year growth for Android, that's phenomenal but as others have noted hardly surprising. Moved to Android myself this month and it's great, but when Apple finally does something about their notification system I may be tempted back.

 

[inlovewithi]

That is right. And the option that is selling a lot of Androids is to be able to steal any app for free. I know several young men who have droids and they brag to me they never have to pay for apps. Tell me there are a number of ways to get any app for nothing. They can't do that with an iPhone. And my guess is Google does not care if folks steal apps, they make their money from the ads in those apps. Developers are the ones who are losing money. So Apple will lose to a lot of freeloaders but still will sell plenty of iPhones.

I'm confused. Getting free apps is stealing?

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

Yep, because thousands of documented pages regarding his personality, experiences, temperament, along with countless videos of him, are all false!

As far as the engineer thing goes, plenty of people on this board think he has a clue about what's going on. Just look at his emails regarding the yellow screens being "behind us" for the iMac's, or the iPhone design being a "non-issue". Again, look at the video I linked. At one point he even says "I need help, this is technical."

I have almost all Apple stuff personally, but I don't think it's some magical platform. No pun intended.

No one claimed it's a magical platform. No one claimed he's an engineer. You did. And you basically are saying that those claims are wrong. So using that logic, you are proving yourself wrong. People say this is ignorance. But not an insult.

 

[Rodimus Prime]

Seeing almost zero Windows Mobile devices in the wild these days, I'm skeptical that the iPhone only has twice the market share. Based on my own anecdotal observation (feel free to refute with your own), it seems Windows Mobile's numbers must be padded somehow - throwing WinCE into the mix (shared kernel) may help explain it.

Next time you're on the plane or train or sitting at lunch or at the airport, count the iPhones, count the Android devices, count the BlackBerrys, and count the Windows Mobile devices (if you can find any).

Unless the WinMo folks are just hiding their devices in shame?

Just because you do not see them does not mean they are not out there.
I on the other had have see quite a few windows mobile devises. At a quick glance the WM phone could be mistaken for a blackberry, Nokia, or even an Android phone.
Take for example HTC, they mastered the art of skinning WM with their sense UI. It is pretty hard to tell if that WM is even on their with out knowing it. The AT&T Tilt 2 for example is an HTC phone with WM and sense UI.

As for some other popular WM phone that i know are still out there are things like the Samgsung blackjack which is a tank of a phone. The amount of damage I know of that some of those Blackjacks have taken and keep on ticking is amazing.

I would believe that number out there. Windows Mobile is much more heavy in the business world than the consumer plus they are not those type of phones you see people playing with all the time.

 

[Reed Rothchild]

Seeing almost zero Windows Mobile devices in the wild these days, I'm skeptical that the iPhone only has twice the market share. Based on my own anecdotal observation (feel free to refute with your own), it seems Windows Mobile's numbers must be padded somehow - throwing WinCE into the mix (shared kernel) may help explain it.

Next time you're on the plane or train or sitting at lunch or at the airport, count the iPhones, count the Android devices, count the BlackBerrys, and count the Windows Mobile devices (if you can find any).

Unless the WinMo folks are just hiding their devices in shame?

I know one person with a Windows Mobile device - and yes, he does seem to keep it well hidden . To give him credit though, he is holding out for Windows Mobile 7. He's almost counting the days...

 

[TennisandMusic]

It's also pretty obvious this thread is full of people who are angry at the latest phone OS wars turn of events. Just because you don't have the "number 1 phone", doesn't mean your phone is bad. You don't need to glom onto the idea of achievement through buying the "best" consumer products.

Doesn't seem that much different from people rooting for their favorite sports teams, etc. Way way too much vicarious living here.

 

[SnowLeopard2008]

I'm confused. Getting free apps is stealing?

Those "free apps" are actually paid apps. It's very easy to circumvent Android's Marketplace rules to get paid apps for free. Once App2SD is implemented, it's much more mainstream.