Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

[Icemage]

This post is specifically for Omgwtfbbqkitten.

The NPD Group: As Android Solidifies Lead, Google Acquisition Has Potential to Revitalize Flagging Motorola

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, August 22, 2011 – According to The NPD Group, a leading market research company, Google's Android operating system (OS) continued to dominate U.S. smartphone market share, accounting for 52 percent of units sold in the second quarter (Q2) of 2011. Like Android, Apple's iPhone OS (iOS) experienced slight quarterly gain rising to 29 percent in Q2; however, BlackBerry OS share fell to 11 percent, as Windows Phone 7, Windows Mobile, and webOS held steady at less than five percent of the market each.

Fascinating, no?

As a dedicated Appletard-hater, this sort of official confirmation that the public finally begins to see that the emporer has no clothes makes me smile.


Icemage

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

This post is specifically for Omgwtfbbqkitten.

Seems more like something WM3k would be more interested in.

Or someone I know personally, for that matter.

[Neverslip]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

It's just too bad that iPhone gets all the better applications, imo. I have Android and have iApps-envy. I'd really like to see Epic Win and Infinity Blade on my phone. There are more but those are the ones I can think of atm.

[Feba]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

I know a guy who makes porn apps for Android, brings him a few thousand dollars in cash every month. He's in the final stages of being hired by Google, probably to work on Android security.

Nothing else of interest to say.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

Dunno why this was directed to me.

All it seems to really show is that Apple's position is weakening. If they can whip up a cheaper Android based tablet by Motorola with flash storage that isn't laughable and has a 4G chip for lower than what iPad2 goes for, color me interested.

Of course, its important to note that Android never had loyalty to a phone to start with and Apple's OS's only appear on Apple devices. This is basically their proprietary nonsense coming back to bite them in the ass, just like it did with Mac Vs. Windows. Google's acquistion of Motorola just pours salt on the wound.

[Raydeus]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

Warning: This post is completely off topic.

[Icemage]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

Dunno why this was directed to me.

You were the one complaining a few weeks back about how Apple was due for their comeuppance; I'm simply pointing out that it's already happening.


Icemage

[Mhurron]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

As a dedicated Appletard-hater, this sort of official confirmation that the public finally begins to see that the emporer has no clothes makes me smile.

Lies, damn lies, and statistics.

Android is on several phones on many carriers. Until last February the iPhone was on one phone on one carrier, now it is on two carriers. Android would have to be a complete steaming pile of crap not to have more total devices out there, but by your own post the iPhone has 29% market share, no android phone has that grab.

If that is comeuppance, I wish I could fail that hard.

[Icemage]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

Lies, damn lies, and statistics.

Android is on several phones on many carriers. Until last February the iPhone was on one phone on one carrier, now it is on two carriers. Android would have to be a complete steaming pile of crap not to have more total devices out there, but by your own post the iPhone has 29% market share, no android phone has that grab.

If that is comeuppance, I wish I could fail that hard.

And? Still means more Androids than iPhones are being sold. That sort of logic is about as porous as "Well, there's only one manufacturer of Macs, but many manufacturers of PCs. No PC manufacturer has that kind of grab." The fact that Apple only uses two carriers is entirely their own fault.


Icemage

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

You were the one complaining a few weeks back about how Apple was due for their comeuppance; I'm simply pointing out that it's already happening.


Icemage

I didn't complain about anything but their premium pricing for features that are dirt cheap. Their complacency was obvious fact and comeuppance inevitable. That's what happens when you're cozy and complacent about your position as market leader.

Unless its a dedicated gaming console, being proprietary and exclusive is bound to come back to haunt you. Apple just repeated Windows Vs. Mac all over again, which shows they haven't learned anything from their own history.

They're still ravaging the PC market with iPad right now, though, and its going to be that same complacency that gets them in trouble

They will not back down from elite prices on tablets and especially so with their personal computers and laptops,, then will continue to overcharge for features because they can. And then someone with a better deal will beat them.

What needs to happen now is a epic shitstorm in the App market to get some regulation in there to put an end to outright IP theft and the people that profit from it.

[Mhurron]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

Like I said, lies, damn lies and statistics. You can take those exact same numbers to say Android is the best selling smart phone OS ever (it's not yet). You can also use those exact same numbers to say the iPhone is the best selling smart phone ever (it is). It all depends on which bias you feel like pushing that day. In your cause, you went the sky is falling for Apple. Again, I wish I could fail as hard as that.

Lets also look at what that link is really saying. 52% of smartphone devices SOLD in Q2 were android. 29% SOLD in Q2 were iPhones. There were several good Android devices unveiled during Q2, there were no new iPhones and iPhone 5 is dangling like a carrot in the near future. In this context this makes sense that there would be a surge in sales for Android devices, but says nothing to the overall popularity or penetration of the OS.

That sort of logic is about as porous as "Well, there's only one manufacturer of Macs, but many manufacturers of PCs. No PC manufacturer has that kind of grab.

When you're talking popularity, the individual sales are important. What you're doing is justifying that Packard Bell was a great buy because Windows has so much more sales than the MacOS.

How about we compare Apples to apples, so to speak, and JUST talk about the OS. Android and iOS.
The truth about Android vs. iPhone market share

"Now, let’s take a look at the operating systems in the U.S. According to reports released this month by comScore, if you factor in all of the devices that use iOS including iPhones, iPads and iPod touches, Apple reached 37.9 million people. Android, according to the data, reached 23.8 million on phones and tablets.

That’s a 59 percent lead for iOS over Android."

Lets focus outside the US -
"In Europe, Apple’s iPhone, iPod touch, and iPads have a combined installed base of 28.9 million users. Android’s user base is at 13.4 million users."

28 > 13, by a good bit. That includes all iOS devices and all Android devices, phones and tablets.

iOS is more popular. No phone has hit the popularity that the iPhone has. You can say it's their own fault for having limited exposure, but with limited exposure, and in many cases a much higher price, iPhone has significantly more popularity than any individual Android device. The iPhone had people changing carriers, Android never did.

iOS apps also make developers more money than Android development does.

Your claims of 'the public finally begins to see that the emporer has no clothes.' I don't see it, and in any practical term, it's not happening.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

Mhurron was thanked for letting me know what my closet Apple fanboy friend's response would be before even bringing this up to him.

Said thanks was then promptly removed.

[DakAttack]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

The iPhone had people changing carriers, Android never did.

This is because the iPhone was only available with a single carrier, back when it was a novel idea.

[Icemage]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

Like I said, lies, damn lies and statistics. You can take those exact same numbers to say Android is the best selling smart phone OS ever (it's not yet). You can also use those exact same numbers to say the iPhone is the best selling smart phone ever (it is). It all depends on which bias you feel like pushing that day. In your cause, you went the sky is falling for Apple. Again, I wish I could fail as hard as that.

Lets also look at what that link is really saying. 52% of smartphone devices SOLD in Q2 were android. 29% SOLD in Q2 were iPhones. There were several good Android devices unveiled during Q2, there were no new iPhones and iPhone 5 is dangling like a carrot in the near future. In this context this makes sense that there would be a surge in sales for Android devices, but says nothing to the overall popularity or penetration of the OS.

There's also the issue of the iPhone having a healthy head start on Android. I don't see any case where I (or anyone else) claimed that Apple was doomed; only that their hype machine has failed to march on to world domination.

If we're talking raw install base numbers, sure iOS holds an advantage because of its earlier release. At the current trend, however, how long will they hold the advantage open? There's hundreds of thousands of smartphones sold per day, and Android at its current pace is closing the gap (worldwide as well, not just North America).

How about we compare Apples to apples, so to speak, and JUST talk about the OS. Android and iOS.
The truth about Android vs. iPhone market share

"Now, let’s take a look at the operating systems in the U.S. According to reports released this month by comScore, if you factor in all of the devices that use iOS including iPhones, iPads and iPod touches, Apple reached 37.9 million people. Android, according to the data, reached 23.8 million on phones and tablets.

That’s a 59 percent lead for iOS over Android."

...

iOS is more popular. No phone has hit the popularity that the iPhone has. You can say it's their own fault for having limited exposure, but with limited exposure, and in many cases a much higher price, iPhone has significantly more popularity than any individual Android device. The iPhone had people changing carriers, Android never did.

Note for clarity: Your link is from April 28, 2011.

Let's use some more recent data, shall we?

(Aug. 4, 2011)
comScore Reports June 2011 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share - comScore, Inc

78.5 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones during the three months ending in June 2011, up 8 percent from the preceding three month period. Google Android ranked as the top smartphone platform with 40.1 percent market share, up 5.4 percentage points. Apple strengthened its #2 position with 26.6 percent of the smartphone market, up 1.1 percentage points from the prior reporting period. RIM ranked third with 23.4 percent share, followed by Microsoft (5.8 percent) and Symbian (2.0 percent).

Now, granted, that's smartphones only, and doesn't include iPads and iPods, so Apple still has a significant advantage in terms of overall devices (there I agree with you). However, with that said, curbing the growth of the iPhone - which is still growing, just not as much as previously - shows that it is possible to break the deathgrip Apple has on its consumer base.

iOS apps also make developers more money than Android development does.

Your claims of 'the public finally begins to see that the emporer has no clothes.' I don't see it, and in any practical term, it's not happening.

Considering that Apple had effectively no consequential competitors two years ago and is now in 2nd place for what has become their flagship product is good enough for me.


Icemage

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Google Android dominates smartphone sales (NPD)

Mhurron, the fact remains that there are other options gaining ground now and two of them can be made available of smartphones that are not proprietary or exclusive to specific carriers.

Apple branded products might remain trendy for a while longer, but when they remain expensive and and platform-specific, they'll eventually lose ground. Value tends to win out over trendy in the long run.