In all fairness, I think this was more of a fluke than a concrete plan on Apple's part, but it works and it's moved into the iPads now too.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Android Tops 50%, iOS Hits 30% in U.S. Smartphone Installed User Base
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
In all fairness, I think this was more of a fluke than a concrete plan on Apple's part, but it works and it's moved into the iPads now too.
Except that when comparing a tech-spec-better-by-two Android phone to the paltry iPhone, the iPhone is more responsive and performs better than the Android phone. Probably not if we were recalculating spreadsheets on our phones or running C++ compiles, but to a real user doing real tasks the iPhone smokes every Android phone out there.
The central reason for this is that, to get technical, the Android UI stack sucks. And it is that software stack - with all the assumptions apps running on Android rely upon - that keeps twice-as-powerful Android phones in the 1990s with laggy interfaces and long waits for the phone to get its head out of its butt at odd times. To be technical.
Specs give potential (and cost to the end user). But, they don't make a fast phone. If the software is sub-par, awesome computing power goes wasted.
According to these estimates, Android isn't doing so well in terms of finances as of 2011. Would be interesting to see some more recent estimates.
Link.
I guess it depends on which angle you take. Perhaps Google is hoping that by effectively giving away some devices or rather just allowing it to be implemented on many devices that will result in more users to buy apps from Google Play. Maybe that'll happen, but I sort of don't see it.
Link.
I guess it depends on which angle you take. Perhaps Google is hoping that by effectively giving away some devices or rather just allowing it to be implemented on many devices that will result in more users to buy apps from Google Play. Maybe that'll happen, but I sort of don't see it.
Last edited:
the communities at XDA, rootzwiki, cyanogenmod, and many others offer custom ROMS that are essentially community made software upgrades. the quality of the software is actually quite good (especially considering it's free), but I doubt you've tried it. Yes it requires a more advanced user.
Android phones also sell a lot in the "I don't even know what iOS or Android means, all I want to do is make phone calls, and text messages are too complicated for me" market. Which helps with the numbers, but isn't really relevant in an iOS vs. Android comparison.
I can't recall when Samsung stated that they were reviving their intention to build their own OS (Bada). It wasn't more than a couple of months after Google announced their intention to buy Motorola Mobility.
Its hard for me to say what all of that really means in the end. But the point right now, is that Google does not have their biggest Android distributor really supporting them.
In my opinion, I think there is a collective bit of head scratching going on at Google because their original plans are not working out. They are not getting the kinds of revenues they had hoped for from the mobile ad business.
There has also been a loss of focus from the company since Eric left as CEO. Larry spends way to much time chasing after Facebook with Goolge+.
The relevance for this thread is that, while these numbers speak well of Android today. I think there are lots of signs that show their market share is by no means secure. If Microsoft or Samsung deliver a solid OS release in the next year, the game might change.
One really key sign of that is the rate and which users switch ecosystems. Apple's numbers are extremely solid. Google's are not.
I think that this could be the reality with Google. What will be hard for Google to deal with is that this model means that Android will bring in even less money for the company.
What I find ultimately hand shaking about the Android fan boy's around here...or frankly anyone who is throwing phone hardware specs around..is that they all miss the point.
How does Google make money off of Android? Google has not figured out how to do that yet despite having such a massive market share. That, my friends, is one massive FAIL on Google's part.
True, but hard to gauge. Maybe we can do an iOS vs Android comparison that excludes the absolute garbage Android phones? That would get rid of those people.
----------
Well, if a lot of people get Android phones, they'll become Google users and go into the Google ecosystem. My friend is the perfect example. He, at this point, will buy anything Google makes in the future.
The problem is that their PCs failed...
And I really think Google providing free mobile OSs is considered antitrust because it is "dumping" (selling at a loss to kill competitors). There was an article on MR on how Adobe became the standard because of super-pirating of their software, which I suspect they made easy on purpose.
Anyone know what sort of metrics they use to come up with these numbers? Is it a historical record of how many of each device have ever been registered, a survey of users regarding their current devices, or a registry of only devices that are currently active?
If it is a historical aggregate of devices registered, the numbers may be misleading, because my impression from what I have heard and read (no, I have no hard numbers) is that owners of Android devices tend to replace them more frequently than owners of iOS devices (my own brief and certainly non-representative experience was that the two Android devices I had were both replaced after only four months).
It certainly wouldn't surprise me if Android phones outsell iPhones, however. Everyone and his dog in Canada is offering two "free" (with three year contract) Android phones AND a "free" Samsung 10.1 tablet (or if you prefer, you can get a "free" Samsung tablet with a cable contract). Samsung must be making a fortune off our telcos/cable providers!
If it is a historical aggregate of devices registered, the numbers may be misleading, because my impression from what I have heard and read (no, I have no hard numbers) is that owners of Android devices tend to replace them more frequently than owners of iOS devices (my own brief and certainly non-representative experience was that the two Android devices I had were both replaced after only four months).
It certainly wouldn't surprise me if Android phones outsell iPhones, however. Everyone and his dog in Canada is offering two "free" (with three year contract) Android phones AND a "free" Samsung 10.1 tablet (or if you prefer, you can get a "free" Samsung tablet with a cable contract). Samsung must be making a fortune off our telcos/cable providers!
Android users have to buy new phones more often just so they can get the new OS! LOL Its not only in Canada you can get Android phones for free or dirt cheap, I just took this pic today in a local grocery store in California, there are everywhere. The phones all ranged from $29-$79. No credit checks, no contracts and month to month. The phones were all crap of course but people with bad credit who can't afford an iPhone or a data plan jump all over these. THIS is the only reason Android has taken a lead in marketshare...
Attachments
Dont worry android is here to stay like it or not. People want choice and thats why android is so popular . think about it and maybe you will understand. enjoy.
This is precisely why Android leads in phone market share but Apple leads by a huge margin in profits. Kind of reminds me of how Symbian had cornered most of the market with cheap phones before the iPhone came around. Only question is whether history will repeat itself when Windows 8 phones arrive, with the cheap phones once again relegated to the dustbin.
----------
Well, that remains to be seen. I suspect that Windows 8 will have a larger impact on the market for Android than it will on the market for the iPhone. But I can easily see a future in which iOS, Android and Windows 8 each own about 1/3 of the market.
Thanks but I have had 7 Android phones over the past 3 years. I got sick of all the force closes, crashes, battery pulls and waiting around for OS updates that never happened. Its still the same old BS. ICS has been out for 5 months, you know how many Android phones are running it? 3% That is just pathetic. I sold my Galaxy S2 a few days ago and I am loving my iPhone 4s, thanks
Well, it isn't exactly "fake", but it isn't LTE either. The powers that be (and we are not speaking of Apple here) have decided that HSPA+ can be called "4G", so when HSPA+ is active, that is by definition considered 4G, so Apple is complying with the agreed-upon standards.
I don't doubt the story about your friend, but what I've read the in numbers show that he is not the majority.
An interesting read about the market share of Android and who has the most to gain from this.
Asymco: The Opportunity of for a Windows Phone
Believe me when I tell you my Android phone running on 4G LTE will kick the pants off an iPhone 4S when it comes to battery life.
I remember being on these message boards 3 years ago or so and everyone said that Android would never take off and it would fail. I think a few people are just upset because it hasn't failed like they wanted it to or predicted it would. I think the competition is exciting and makes a better phone market for all of us no matter the flavor you choose.
Believe me when I tell you my Android phone running on 4G LTE will kick the pants off an iPhone 4S when it comes to battery life.
I remember being on these message boards 3 years ago or so and everyone said that Android would never take off and it would fail. I think a few people are just upset because it hasn't failed like they wanted it to or predicted it would. I think the competition is exciting and makes a better phone market for all of us no matter the flavor you choose.
The Motorola Droid Razr Maxx is a really good phone. Certainly one of the best. But it also points to one of the huge problems with Android phones and an issue why I know many Android users are not happy.
The Droid Razr is released on November 11, 2011 and then the Maxx comes shortly there after. Why in the world did Motorola pull such a bone headed move? They should have just released the Maxx only, or at least both at the same time.
Believe me when I tell you my Android phone running on 4G LTE will kick the pants off an iPhone 4S when it comes to battery life.
I remember being on these message boards 3 years ago or so and everyone said that Android would never take off and it would fail. I think a few people are just upset because it hasn't failed like they wanted it to or predicted it would. I think the competition is exciting and makes a better phone market for all of us no matter the flavor you choose.
The iPhone 4S claims 40 hours for audio playback, 10 for video, 9 with internet browsing over wifi, and 6 on 3G (or 4G). CNET got 9.2 hours in a test.
I found a 21.5 hour talk time claim for your Razr (I also found an article saying that it's much less than that, but no test results) , but I know that my friend's Nexus has a much shorter battery life than an iPhone 4 or 4S.
Also, according to Motorola on the Razr Maxx page: "Whip through the web for 7 hours straight. Get your movie fix with 15 uninterrupted hours of flick watching. Jam out all weekend. Yes, on one full charge, you can listen to music for two and half days straight."
So your Razr Maxx does have a longer battery life than the 4S. However, most Droids do not. The Razr Maxx was a good choice then.
Last edited:
Android phones are for those who can't afford an iPhone
OK, before I get flamed for sounding like a pompous biased A**,
I must say that I have friends who have Android phones, and when I show them an iPhone, and show them why they need one, they always say, "Well, I'd love an iPhone, but I just can't afford....".
Or they reply, ..." but I got this for free, and look what it does!" and then try to show me how it's ALMOST as good as an iPhone.
I've never had anyone say, "Well, I've compared them, and I really think this is better because..." (other than FREE)
Most Android owners tell me they want an iPhone, but they're under some contract still, that they were told their Android was almost as good, etc.
One friend at work had an iPhone, sold it to buy an Android, then sold the Android to go back to the iPhone, and told me it was a huge mistake leaving the iPhone.
As far as cost, I tell people "Buy an iPhone ONCE, and if you take care of it, you can sell it after a year or so and get the latest model for FREE." When I had a 3GS, which I bought for $360 (including tax), I used it for a year, sold it after one year for $360, and bought the 4 on opening day for $360.
If my 4 hadn't been stolen at work, I could have easily sold it and bought a 4S for free. I don't think you can do this with Android phones (although new ones are free
Oh, and when does an Android smartphone release make the evening news? Why is that?
OK, before I get flamed for sounding like a pompous biased A**,
I must say that I have friends who have Android phones, and when I show them an iPhone, and show them why they need one, they always say, "Well, I'd love an iPhone, but I just can't afford....".
Or they reply, ..." but I got this for free, and look what it does!" and then try to show me how it's ALMOST as good as an iPhone.
I've never had anyone say, "Well, I've compared them, and I really think this is better because..." (other than FREE)
Most Android owners tell me they want an iPhone, but they're under some contract still, that they were told their Android was almost as good, etc.
One friend at work had an iPhone, sold it to buy an Android, then sold the Android to go back to the iPhone, and told me it was a huge mistake leaving the iPhone.
As far as cost, I tell people "Buy an iPhone ONCE, and if you take care of it, you can sell it after a year or so and get the latest model for FREE." When I had a 3GS, which I bought for $360 (including tax), I used it for a year, sold it after one year for $360, and bought the 4 on opening day for $360.
If my 4 hadn't been stolen at work, I could have easily sold it and bought a 4S for free. I don't think you can do this with Android phones (although new ones are free
Oh, and when does an Android smartphone release make the evening news? Why is that?
Yes, and it's so important in your life for you to keep track of these figures.
Just sayin.
This fight between Android and iOS users over who's the most popular/most sold really shouldn't matter to you the end user. It's not like Apple/Google is gonna throw in the towel and drop support for it's platform just because the other guys have higher numbers. Neither one is in decline and in jeopardy like RIM. There's no reason you both can't exist at the same time. And it doesn't really make a different to you guys which one is on top. As long as you have your phone and find it suits your needs well who cares about the rest?
Most people don't really care what they answer phone calls on. Price will always dictate sales regardless of two devices functions. The more expensive device will win out when the buyer has the discretionary income to purchase those things. It's only natural for Android to maintain a great lead in numbers. How this plays out in the long run is anybody's guess. With saturation like that seen in the Android phone market, you will undoubtedly see more developers take notice. Along with the ability to create your own marketplace that is independent of the actual OS is very cool. Look at Valve, their mobile app is already selling their online pc content. It's only a sneeze away from selling it's own app version of Android OS..It's little things like that which make the world look really neat and a nice place to do direct sales. Will developers want to keep dishing out money to apple via percentage skimmed off the top with new markets opening on the other horizon? Who knows.