Gartner: Android Tops iOS in 3Q 2010 Global Smartphone Market Share

[ikir]

Spelling = Crap

Switching from an iPhone to an Android I can tell you the difference between the two is not even noticeable.

Yes compared to your first gen iphone in your sig ah ah ah ah
Just joking, anyway in my experience iPhone OS is far superior and i know a lot of switchers and smartphone users since i work in IT. But Android is pretty cool and the only real alternative to iOS imho.

 

[Amnak]

Good I'm glad I'd say Apple works best when there not on top. They always play like a small company and that's how it should be... Have you read engadget about the next gen galaxy tab with super Amoled screen... Way to shoot yourself in the foot .... The galaxy tab is just being released and your talking about the next generation that's why apple sells because they talk about the here and now and work secretly on the future.

 

[WeegieMac]

I don't get why this makes such massive headlines or excites so many people.

Android is an OS, not a device, and it's on numerous handsets made by numerous manufacturers, available on a number of different carriers.

It's obviously going to be the dominant OS in smartphones considering it's more readily and widespread available.

 

[iWonderwhy]

Huge rise from the year ago quarter for Android.

 

[WeegieMac]

Well done Android, Im so glad I own you in my pocket.

Help you sleep better at night?

 

[kingtj]

Exactly! But ....

If Apple really wants to beat Android sales consistently, moving forward? The most important thing is offering the iPhone on all major wireless carriers!

As an Android phone user right now, myself? I have NO question in my mind that the iPhone is a superior phone! Only problem is, I can't justify the monthly expense for AT&T's wireless package. Even if the iPhone comes to Verizon, I don't see that really bringing monthly costs down.

I need to be able to put an iPhone on discount carriers like Cricket, MetroPCS, or heck - maybe even T-Mobile, to see better pricing. How about a U.S. Cellular iPhone? That'd work too.

I'd rather take quality over quantity. This isn't to say that every single Android powered device is crap, but I just prefer the quality of an iPhone.

This is totally expected.

 

[pubwvj]

Bogus

These sorts of statistics are so bogus. They're comparing the sales of one vendor (Apple) to a whole class of vendors (those selling phones with a OS (e.g., Android, Windows)). This is like comparing Apples to oranges. A better comparison is that Apple has X portion of the market and Motorola has Y portion of the market for phones. Apple has Z portion of the market for computers and Dell has N portion of the market. Apple wins both times. Besides, it is all irrelevant. Why should I care if someone else wants to buy and use inferior lemming technology? I buy Macs and iPod because they're better - they do what I need.

 

[richpjr]

As usual, these types of articles get people all worked up. The anecdotal stories (my mother's cousin's father has a Droid and it freezes all the time or I work at a McDonalds and have never seen a single employee use an Android phone but two people got iPhones for Christmas) are really meaningless. Market share is a good indicator that Google is doing something very right. Keep in mind that competition only benefits the consumer in the long run. Just because other people chose a different phone than you doesn't mean your choice doesn't work for you.

 

[Popeye206]

I don't think their design issues impacted their sales that much. 13.4 M units sold is pretty impressive.

Android's sold 20.5M units is probably because there's lots of Android devices and choices - so, I'd say the closed garden (incl exclusivity, licensing) approach that you mentioned above is more likely.
... but keep in mind, also, that some of those 13.4M chose Apple because of the benefits of closed garden. P.

Paul, I agree with you and wanted to expand... I think Apple's "Closed garden" is more preferable to the general public. Sure, geeks like to mess around, but the average consumer like my girl friend does not give a crap about tweaking or messing with her phone. She just wants it to work and work well. She even has a Droid and after playing with my iphone, wishes she had one.

Personally, I think Apple's approach is what most consumers want. Simple, slick, stylish and just plain works well.

BTW... I'm guilty too, but we should be careful feeding the trolls. But it sure is fun to see their outlandish and narrow sighted comments.

Besides... these stats only mean that Apple and Google are kicking some serious butt. Nokia, RIM and MS should be very concerned about the amazing growth of both platforms.

 

[ikir]

Many of the people I know that had an iPhone now have Android devices. Back in the day, everyone would sing the praises of the iPhone. Now, its more an object of ridicule. I kind of fell silly for still using one and kind of hide it when in public. Guess it all depends.

Are you joking? This is the stupidest comment i've ever seen on macrumors
And replying to your other post, iPhone 4 reception is much more better than 3Gs and many other phones i've used like Samsung galaxy, and testing both with death grip iphone wins lol. get the fact and stop trolling, internet is already full of FUD and false. information. Now i will return to hide with my iphone, i must be sure nobody see me!

 

[ChazUK]

I don't get why this makes such massive headlines or excites so many people.

Android is an OS, not a device, and it's on numerous handsets made by numerous manufacturers, available on a number of different carriers.

It's obviously going to be the dominant OS in smartphones considering it's more readily and widespread available.

The biggest thing people should take out of these metrics is how well Apple do considering their perceived carrier choice limitations.
Some will use it to bash Apple but I think it's testament to how well they've grown in the smartphone industry so far.

 

[Stella]

These sorts of statistics are so bogus. They're comparing the sales of one vendor (Apple) to a whole class of vendors (those selling phones with a OS (e.g., Android, Windows)). This is like comparing Apples to oranges. A better comparison is that Apple has X portion of the market and Motorola has Y portion of the market for phones. Apple has Z portion of the market for computers and Dell has N portion of the market. Apple wins both times. Besides, it is all irrelevant. Why should I care if someone else wants to buy and use inferior lemming technology? I buy Macs and iPod because they're better - they do what I need.

This is not bogus at all - they are comparing smartphone *operating systems*, and not individual manufacturers, which is completely valid.

If this is 'all irrevelent' why bother to add your comment?

 

[iWonderwhy]

can u compare iOS to Andriod platform where each flavor of andriod is so diffrent?

Spelling it wrong once is fine, but twice?

 

[Poll Smoker]

Why should I care if someone else wants to buy and use inferior lemming technology?

An Apple butt-boy calling others "lemmings."

The ironing is delicious!

 

[WeegieMac]

This is not bogus at all - they are comparing smartphone *operating systems*, and not individual manufacturers, which is completely valid.

If this is 'all irrevelent' why take the bother to add your comment?

It is bogus to an extent, and of course individual manufacturers come into it.

They're counted in the figures printed because their handsets offer the OS on their devices. If a Motorola and an HTC are sold, that's two Android "sales".

So yes, they are comparing smartphone *operating systems* but one of these *operating systems* is on multiple devices by multiple manufacturers which when sold count towards Androids total.

 

[rhinosrcool]

Funny how when Apple leads, all the comments point out that it's because they make a superior product and then when they trail, people point out it's because they make a superior product in limited quantities/models.

Apple is a company guys, not some kind of god. You don't need to constantly praise them and apologize for them.

I agree with this.

As much as I like my iPhone4, the top android phones are pretty nice.

 

[MonkeySee....]

And in other news....

"Windows is on more computers than osx"

derp di derp derp.

 

[Intarweb]

I think symbian would sell more if it didn't share its name with the renowned sex machine I could never see myself owning one. Yes, even more than it already does.

Fail. That would be a sybian not a symbian.

 

[michial]

Anderoid = Chevy Impala

iOS = BMW M5

Which one would I rather have?

Therein lies the schtick, and the ultimate destiny of apple. I am an apple user and love their products but I do not see why they cannot branch out a bit just from a business perspective. Why not place their phone on all the us carriers and give android a run for their money. Why not make a few products that are more in the Impala range. You can still make quality but cut back on bells and whistles. Apple if they continue to stick to one carrier, and a poor one at that, will watch as the competition passes by. At the beginning of the iphone years there was no competition, apple stood alone, but now others are competing in the market and this will be similar to the 80s when apple slipped back into a niche product that only the few stuck with. Consumers in tough ecenomic times like to have an option for a honda, and not just a bmw. Think of how many sales a 699 or 799 macbook would generate, and still retain excellent support and quality, but reach the massive demographic who are not in the bmw sphere?

The other problem is apple slowly displacing its core mac users by foisting ios onto the macintosh. Many pro apple users are alarmed and fear the freedoms they enjoy on the imac and mbp will soon be just another ios device with locks and gates all around it. Apple really needs to make wise decisions here and drop the pride. Why cant we have the best of both worlds, ios devices and the mac osx together, an elite line of phones, and even a more basic type of smartphone on all the carriers-without sacrificing quality. There is such a thing as doing both. It is possible.

I say kudos to android. I dont like them, but while apple rests on decisions from 2007 they will be dwarfed, and as tech advances the competitors will be able to make more and better smartphones. Already two years later the androids are getting better. They are not where the iphone is YET but they will be.

 

[MacAttack89]

What about all those iDroids out there lol

 

[Mattie Num Nums]

Yes compared to your first gen iphone in your sig ah ah ah ah
Just joking, anyway in my experience iPhone OS is far superior and i know a lot of switchers and smartphone users since i work in IT. But Android is pretty cool and the only real alternative to iOS imho.

Thats the thing though. What revolutionary seperates the first iPhone from the current? The same revolutionary thing that separates iPhone from Android.... NOTHING! I chose my EVO because it has a bigger screen, 4G (available in my area), and I save 25 bucks a month on a Cell Phone Bill.

 

[Stella]

It is bogus to an extent, and of course individual manufacturers come into it.

They're counted in the figures printed because their handsets offer the OS on their devices. If a Motorola and an HTC are sold, that's two Android "sales".

So yes, they are comparing smartphone *operating systems* but one of these *operating systems* is on multiple devices by multiple manufacturers which when sold count towards Androids total.

Yes, it is two Android sales - because two Android devices were sold. This is a report on Operating systems.

If you think this is bonus then so are marketshare reports of Desktop Operating systems? i.e., Microsoft 90%, Apple 5%, Linux 1%, etc?

Are you just upset because this report didn't show Apple as #2?

 

[firewood]

These sorts of statistics are so bogus. They're comparing the sales of one vendor (Apple) to a whole class of vendors (those selling phones with a OS (e.g., Android, Windows))...

It's not a bogus statistic to developers. These numbers basically tells developers how fast the customer base is growing for smartphone apps, divided up by development platform (iOS vs. Android vs. Symbian vs. BB).

 

[paradox00]

It's not a bogus statistic to developers. These numbers basically tells developers how fast the customer base is growing for smartphone apps, divided up by development platform (iOS vs. Android vs. Symbian vs. BB).

If you're talking about developers, all iOS devices should be included, not just the iPhone.

I'm not sure what these numbers are really good for, the only present part of a picture. People place too much importance on market share. Market share only really becomes an issue if there is one dominant player, that's not how I expect the cell phone market to turn out.

 

[samcraig]

These sorts of statistics are so bogus. They're comparing the sales of one vendor (Apple) to a whole class of vendors (those selling phones with a OS (e.g., Android, Windows)). This is like comparing Apples to oranges. A better comparison is that Apple has X portion of the market and Motorola has Y portion of the market for phones. Apple has Z portion of the market for computers and Dell has N portion of the market. Apple wins both times. Besides, it is all irrelevant. Why should I care if someone else wants to buy and use inferior lemming technology? I buy Macs and iPod because they're better - they do what I need.

I can this the WINFAIL response of the thread.

Basically you're upset that Apple isn't on top so you would prefer to jury-rig another statistic to make it so they are.

Why should you care? I don't know. Maybe you should tell us why you DO care. You posted.

As for buying and using "ineferior" and "lemming" technology - I'm unclear. Are you talking about the millions of iPhone users or Android users? Because the shoe fits both feet.