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Apple Edges Out Research in Motion in U.S. Smartphone Market Share

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Apr 12, 2001
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115628-nielsen_us_smartphone_share_oct10_500.jpg


Research firm Nielsen today published a report outlining the results of its survey of U.S. smartphone users for October 2010, finding that Apple has finally caught up to Research in Motion in market share, with the two companies finishing in a "statistical dead heat" with Apple's iPhone claiming 27.9% of the market and Research in Motion's BlackBerry line grabbing 27.4%. Google's rapidly-growing Android operating system claimed 22.7% of the market.

While Apple outsold Research in Motion last quarter on a global basis (14.1 million vs. 12.4 million) and other reports had suggested similar results for the U.S. alone, Nielsen's study notably focuses on installed user base rather than new sales.

Nielsen's report also offers a look at future smartphone purchasing plans across several demographic divisions, finding that the iPhone (30%) nudges out Android (28%) as the most desired smartphone among those likely to purchase a new device, with the iPhone leading among current smartphone owners and Android leading among users currently on featurephones who are seeking to upgrade to smartphones.


115628-nielsen_smartphone_by_age_500.jpg


Broken down by age, the iPhone leads Android as "most desired" in all age brackets except the 35-54 range, with users in the 35+ brackets markedly less certain about their most desired smartphone operating system than younger users. Finally, the study finds that female users lean relatively strongly toward the iPhone over Android as their most desired smartphone (30.9% vs. 22.8%), while male users prefer Android by a 32.6%-28.6% margin.

Article Link: Apple Edges Out Research in Motion in U.S. Smartphone Market Share
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/12/01/apple-edges-out-research-in-motion-in-u-s-smartphone-market-share/
Like it has been pointed out before not worth anything. Happen last year at the end of 3Q. If Apple can pull it off for 3Q in a row it might be worth something but until then you just have the yearly spike throwing off the numbers.
 
Once Apple gets on other US carriers in 2012, the iphone market share will sky rocket.

At least the other generic brand iphone makers have a chance with Apple locked into ATT until 2012.
 
ten-oak-druid said:
Once Apple gets on other US carriers in 2012, the iphone market share will sky rocket.

At least the other generic brand iphone makers have a chance with Apple locked into ATT until 2012.
Click to expand...

Better happen soon because Android is dangerously gaining market shares...
Okay, now you know how old I am... ;)
 
ten-oak-druid said:
Once Apple gets on other US carriers in 2012, the iphone market share will sky rocket.

At least the other generic brand iphone makers have a chance with Apple locked into ATT until 2012.
Click to expand...

Agreed.... Android got its foothold solely because Apple misjudged how long they should stay exclusive to AT&T in the USA. Additionally, Android phones were practically being given away this year (buy two for $100 on Verizon). HTC and Motorola wanted badly to gain some market share even if it cost them profits because they want to gobble up the smartphone market before iPhone comes out for other carriers in the USA.

Android is going to keep doing well if it remains the cheaper option. Folks who are still using a standard "Feature Phone" are likely those who don't have the money to upgrade to a smartphone or are those who are still holding out for the iPhone on their preferred carrier. The former group is likely going to go with Android because there are bound to be some really inexpensive options available. The latter group is likely going to give Apple until Q1 of 2011 before cutting bait. There is also a group of folks in the USA who went with Android while still waiting for iPhone on their carrier (as previous surveys have shown, 33% of Android owners on Verizon say they would switch to iPhone).

Anyway, the rapid growth of Android in 2010 was all about giving the hold-out folks an option that made it worth "cutting bait" with Apple. I would have been shocked if Android did not gobble up that customer base. The real question is whether or not they can retain those customers when their contracts are up. The Android phone makers need to beat Apple on two fronts to retain those customers: customer satisfaction and price.
 
Simply does NOT matter. The cell phone market is so vast, no one company will EVER control it all.

That means, logically, that several companies will split market share. As long as you have a good chunk, you are golden. Apple will be golden. So will Android. So will RIMM for a while. Not so fast, Microsoft...
 
ten-oak-druid said:
Once Apple gets on other US carriers in 2012, the iphone market share will sky rocket.

At least the other generic brand iphone makers have a chance with Apple locked into ATT until 2012.
Click to expand...

Why do you think it's 2012? That being said, they need to get on all networks by 2012 starting with Verizon in 2011.
 
The more interesting chart would be the profit comparison between Android and iOS.

It's inevitable that Android will pass iOS there are just to many phones and carriers for Apple to hold the lead.

But Apple should continue to lead in profits for a long time to come.
 
Funny how the headline for all other sites with this data is insane ANDROID GROWTH...
 
WiiDSmoker said:
Android = Male
iPhone Stock = Female
iPhone JailBroken = Male

What gender are you?
Click to expand...

how about this

Android: Tinkerer
iPhone stock: Person who just wants it to do what they want as is without having to mess with it
iPhone JailBroken: Tinkerer

There are plenty of female geeks/tinkerers too you know.
 
tdream said:
Funny how the headline for all other sites with this data is insane ANDROID GROWTH...
Click to expand...

Was thinking the very same thing. It's kinda getting pathetic that Apple-centric sites like this HAVE to take a dig at RIM or Android every chance they get. I still maintain that Blackberries are pretty damned awesome devices, even though I've moved on. They're still the only thing out there that'll allow you wake/sleep the device on a schedule and allow you turn the phone off and have it turn itself on to engage the alarm to wake you. Little things, but there are a number of them I miss.

but I digress...
 
Rodimus Prime said:
Like it has been pointed out before not worth anything. Happen last year at the end of 3Q. If Apple can pull it off for 3Q in a row it might be worth something but until then you just have the yearly spike throwing off the numbers.
Click to expand...

"While Apple outsold Research in Motion last quarter on a global basis (14.1 million vs. 12.4 million) and other reports had suggested similar results for the U.S. alone, Nielsen's study notably focuses on installed user base rather than new sales."
 
I do see a lot of more girls with iPhones. That's an interesting statistic. They don't even call it phone, but iPhone. Like, "I need to charge my iPhone," or "I called him on my iPhone."
 
For as much talk about Android -vs- iPhone, we're still not dealing with a real test of the various OS's popularity.

Bottom line: iOS is available on 1 device, on 1 carrier in the US. Android is on dozens of devices, on all the major carriers.

We will see a real test if (and only if) the iPhone is available on all 4 major US carriers. I am quite confident iOS will do well. Will android be larger? Quite possibly, but as a user of both operating systems (and reasonably tech savvy), I can declare unequivocally that I prefer iOS. Android, at this point, offers nowhere near the fit, finish, and end-user satisfaction of iOS. What android does offer, however, is flexibility in carrier and phone styles.

Don't get me wrong... Android has a great notification system, and the ability to use widgets (or not) is nice, but for other things like media playback / syncing, web surfing (pinch to zoom, scrolling, etc are so much smoother on iOS), and quality app availability, android is very far behind iOS.

If and when the iPhone is available on other carriers, we'll see where they stand... all of the numbers now simply reflect Verizon / Sprint / T-Mobile -vs- AT&T. How does Android do on AT&T... I don't know the answer to that, but I'd guess much worse than the iPhone.
 
tigress666 said:
how about this

Android: Tinkerer
iPhone stock: Person who just wants it to do what they want as is without having to mess with it
iPhone JailBroken: Tinkerer

There are plenty of female geeks/tinkerers too you know.
Click to expand...

True that. And if Android television ads are any indication, they seem to be marketing their devices to insecure young males who need reassurance from a device that they are men. Pitiful ads for those who understand psychology and realize what the marketers must think of their customers.

Jealous Apple haters have tried for years to pretend that only women like their products, but the reality is that everyone likes Apple except for tinkerers. But since the tinkerers like to broadcast their views, we have to put up with a lot of insecure males trying to act tough.
 
My first reaction was how well Android have done. Serious growth in a short space of time.

Would be good if the market place kept a good balance between iOS, RIM, Android and MS. Keep everybody innovating and pricing competitively.

Anyone know the worldwide share, I can only find stats that don't seen especially reliable.
 
alywa said:
Bottom line: iOS is available on 1 device, on 1 carrier in the US. Android is on dozens of devices, on all the major carriers.

We will see a real test if (and only if) the iPhone is available on all 4 major US carriers. I am quite confident iOS will do well.
Click to expand...

This might be news to you, but for the rest of us in other countries outside the US, your scenario exists already. The US is now the only country where the iPhone isn't available on multiple carriers. BTW, Android is doing quite well for itself elsewhere in the world where it competes with the iPhone toe-to-toe.

NebulaClash said:
but the reality is that everyone likes Apple except for tinkerers.
Click to expand...

Your gross generalization offends me. I'm a tinkerer and I like Apple products. Especially their deep ties to a little known system called Unix. The difference is I don't like everything Apple makes or does, because frankly, I'm not paid to defend them nor do I think it's healthy when one agrees 100% with everything a corporation does.
 
Cynicalone said:
The more interesting chart would be the profit comparison between Android and iOS.

It's inevitable that Android will pass iOS there are just to many phones and carriers for Apple to hold the lead.

But Apple should continue to lead in profits for a long time to come.
Click to expand...

Only AAPL shareholders are interested in profit share. Phone users are more interested and concerned about hand set share because this is where app developers will go.
 
KnightWRX said:
Your gross generalization offends me. I'm a tinkerer and I like Apple products.
Click to expand...

Valid point. I was indeed overgeneralizing based on what was said in the thread earlier. Obviously the UNIX underpining of OS X makes it the system of choice for developers and tinkerers.

As for the male versus female thing, those numbers are simply a reflection of how Android is advertised. Males see those ads, are too stupid to resist the psychological bludgeoning, and think, huh, guess I'd better like Android to be a man.

Real men don't care what anyone thinks, and they choose whatever tech they feel like.
 
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