Android overtakes Apple total user base, targets set on RIM

[Phokus]

Apple had flat growth from August to November, but Android led the way yet again. Rim had a precipitous drop.

http://androidcommunity.com/android-beats-iphone-in-number-of-total-users-for-first-time-20110107/

At this rate, it looks like Android will equal or surpass RIM in Q1 of this year?

 

[Lifted]

I think Apple may jump quite a bit starting next month (if the rumors are true) when VZW starts carrying the iPhone.

 

[Phokus]

I think Apple may jump quite a bit starting next month (if the rumors are true) when VZW starts carrying the iPhone.

It'd be interesting if true, but Android phones coming Q1/Q2 are going to knock the socks off of the Iphone if they basically keep it the same as the AT&T version (except CDMA and possibly LTE compatability)

 

[Lifted]

It'd be interesting if true, but Android phones coming Q1/Q2 are going to knock the socks off of the Iphone if they basically keep it the same as the AT&T version (except CDMA and possibly LTE compatability)

To the geeky types, yeah, but to the 95% who have no clue, iPhone is better because it's iPhone.

 

[Bateluer]

To the geeky types, yeah, but to the 95% who have no clue, iPhone is better because it's iPhone.

That little Apple symbol is worth a lot of money.

Seriously though, Apple will soon see its mobile market relegated to the same position as they are on the desktop/laptop side.

 

[MrX8503]

It'd be interesting if true, but Android phones coming Q1/Q2 are going to knock the socks off of the Iphone if they basically keep it the same as the AT&T version (except CDMA and possibly LTE compatability)

I think even with an outdated iPhone4, it will have crazy sales on Verizon. People were canceling their contracts with other carriers and putting up with crappy ATT just to get an iPhone. No other phone has that kind of mass leverage.

If the iPhone is released outside of ATT, its going to be very popular. Then not too long after that you'll get an iPhone5.

 

[zoiks]

Awesome. With the influx of new sweet phones, the sky's the limit. Glad to see Android kicking ass.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

i thought fragmentation was going to hurt android.

 

[vshah]

i thought fragmentation was going to hurt android.

it's overblown. 99% of the apps work on 99% of the phones. now, if you're phone is 2 years old and uses a shitty cpu, you can't expect the latest apps to work as well, but that is true of any platform.


maybe not 99%, but you get the idea.

 

[s44]

i thought fragmentation was going to hurt android.

Engadget comments have been unreadable for months because of iPhans repeating this latest Jobs mantra.

 

[MrX8503]

i thought fragmentation was going to hurt android.

Android is selling very well, but its app development is not at the level of the iPhone just yet.

 

[Wonderful Pork]

While the market share metric is good, it doesn't show it by carrier. iPhone has 25% of the market share with only 1 official carrier (not counting the few that use T-Mo). Once it opens up to all other carriers officially then the numbers will hold a bit more weight.

For a fair comparison, what is the smartphone marketshare for AT&T only, which supports all "new" mobile OSs (maybe not WebOS and WP7 yet, but those are <10% combined)?

(and, I'm not an apple fan, I want the new hotness released at CES, but I do metrics at work all the time. You can make numbers say anything.)

 

[vshah]

Android is selling very well, but its app development is not at the level of the iPhone just yet.

i was surprised to see that ford is releasing it's sync app for android /blackberry first, to be followed by iPhone.

 

[Anubis]

Android is selling very well, but its app development is not at the level of the iPhone just yet.

FWIW iphone app development has a multy year head start

 

[lupi]

Not surprised by any of this. I had to do some setting up on a new android for my fatherinlaw recently and for just a basic lg droid phone is was pretty damn sweet.

At least I still get to use my old BB cause no one knows how to make a modern phone without a fucking useless piece of crap camera on it (at least for the tmo network).

 

[Patranus]

Huh, we had a graph a few days ago that said the exact opposite of the OP.

 

[sciwizam]

Huh, we had a graph a few days ago that said the exact opposite of the OP.

That one was from Nielson, this is from comScore and in the Nielson's report they were within margin of error.

 

[Rottie]

I think Apple may jump quite a bit starting next month (if the rumors are true) when VZW starts carrying the iPhone.

Maybe not they will have difficult time with the choice to wait for an iPhone 5 thisd summer they will feel an iPhone 4 very old

 

[AnyMal]

These numbers aren't suprising considering that every other Android phone is given away as a freebie on contract.

 

[dguy6789]

These numbers aren't surprising considering there's tons of Android devices on every carrier that outdo the iPhone in any number of ways.

 

[QueBert]

FWIW iphone app development has a multy year head start

Not really valid seeing how the very early iPhone apps I bought were better than the apps I bought last month for my Android. If you compare both app stores from 90 days in, Apples had vastly better app. The Marketplace isn't a baby anymore, yet I couldn't tell when I using the apps. They look butt ugly (with a few exceptions) and just don't perform as well.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Not really valid seeing how the very early iPhone apps I bought were better than the apps I bought last month for my Android.

Which apps?

 

[Brian Stirling]

Android has a big hurdle to cross in the quality app area due largely to the fact that so many with Android expect things for free and are much less willing to part with even small amounts of cast to support good apps. So, what Android tends to get are quicky apps of dubious quality and too little effort made to improve them BECAUSE the developer isn't compensated! I know I don't want to work for free -- do you?


Brian

 

[foghorn67]

Android has a big hurdle to cross in the quality app area due largely to the fact that so many with Android expect things for free and are much less willing to part with even small amounts of cast to support good apps. So, what Android tends to get are quicky apps of dubious quality and too little effort made to improve them BECAUSE the developer isn't compensated! I know I don't want to work for free -- do you?


Brian

huh? My Droid is infested with good, quality apps.

Same can be said for iPhone users. Most iphone guys that I know don't buy apps.

 

[MrX8503]

Developers make quite a bit more money on iOS. However that happens comes from many factors.