What better way to start a Monday

[RoboMonkey]

Canalys: Apple has grabbed 26% of the U.S. smartphone market - Apple 2.0 - Fortune Tech

 

[gallandof]

I love the % increase of androind, 1300% year over. keep that up and we will have taken over in 2 years time

 

[lunatic59]

I found the global statistics equally interesting, but you have to read the associated articles to get the picture. Let me see if I can summarize the global 3rd quarter results:

Symbian (Nokia) leads with a 33% market share. While that is an overall decline, they show strength in the emerging markets, specifically India, Russia, Brazil, China and Indonesia.

Android is at 25%, although interestingly the articles never mention the number. However "a quarter of the market" is referenced several times and if my high school math teacher was right, "a quarter" of a set is 25% of that set.*

(*my mistake ... the number is mentioned in the last paragraph of the article)

Apple's global share grew to 17% moving ahead of Blackberry (RIM)

RIM was at 15% and saw growth in India despite the ongoing security concerns overseas.

Microsoft was at a marginal 3% although the Windows7 phone looks promising. With their track record of mobile OS adoption rates, unless MS can provide a really spectacular experience, it's got a long hard climb ahead of it.

 

[If_Only_VZW_had_iPhones]

% increased is misleading. Fastest growing... % increased, those are all just ways to say "I'm not #1 and I just started.

Go back to the iPhone 1. I wonder what their % increase was after 1 year. I bet it was astronomical since if people bought a smartphone, it was an apple. But that increase % doesn't tell the full story.

If I invent a competitor smartphone, 1 for me, and I sell one to a buddy a year later. That's a 100% increase over a year's time. If I sell 130 of them, I match the numbers that Droid puts out. Wow, sounds great huh? Well, maybe if I only told you the % and didn't break it down for you how I got my numbers it would sound impressive

 

[Frisco]

I found the global statistics equally interesting, but you have to read the associated articles to get the picture. Let me see if I can summarize the global 3rd quarter results:

Symbian (Nokia) leads with a 33% market share. While that is an overall decline, they show strength in the emerging markets, specifically India, Russia, Brazil, China and Indonesia.

Android is at 25%, although interestingly the articles never mention the number. However "a quarter of the market" is referenced several times and if my high school math teacher was right, "a quarter" of a set is 25% of that set.*

(*my mistake ... the number is mentioned in the last paragraph of the article)

Apple's global share grew to 17% moving ahead of Blackberry (RIM)

RIM was at 15% and saw growth in India despite the ongoing security concerns overseas.

Microsoft was at a marginal 3% although the Windows7 phone looks promising. With their track record of mobile OS adoption rates, unless MS can provide a really spectacular experience, it's got a long hard climb ahead of it.

Great, informative post, lunatic. I had no idea RIM and Apple were so neck-and-neck.

 

[lunatic59]

% increased is misleading. Fastest growing... % increased, those are all just ways to say "I'm not #1 and I just started.

These are not growth numbers but current market share numbers. The growth numbers are different ... but equally impressive for Android at over 1,300%.

Go back to the iPhone 1. I wonder what their % increase was after 1 year. I bet it was astronomical since if people bought a smartphone, it was an apple. But that increase % doesn't tell the full story.

I recall iPhone fans crowing about the growth numbers (and deservedly so) after each new phone release, but you are right, it's not the full story.

iPhone shipped 5.5 million units in the U.S. for the 12 month period where Android handset sales in the U.S. were at 9.1 million for the same period.

If I invent a competitor smartphone, 1 for me, and I sell one to a buddy a year later. That's a 100% increase over a year's time. If I sell 130 of them, I match the numbers that Droid puts out. Wow, sounds great huh? Well, maybe if I only told you the % and didn't break it down for you how I got my numbers it would sound impressive

I broke it down for you. It still sounds impressive, don't you think?

 

[gallandof]

% increased is misleading. Fastest growing... % increased, those are all just ways to say "I'm not #1 and I just started.

Go back to the iPhone 1. I wonder what their % increase was after 1 year. I bet it was astronomical since if people bought a smartphone, it was an apple. But that increase % doesn't tell the full story.

If I invent a competitor smartphone, 1 for me, and I sell one to a buddy a year later. That's a 100% increase over a year's time. If I sell 130 of them, I match the numbers that Droid puts out. Wow, sounds great huh? Well, maybe if I only told you the % and didn't break it down for you how I got my numbers it would sound impressive

sure the numbers are misleading but they are none the less impressive. Nothing was stopping the other platforms from growing that much other than consumer choice, all these people that bought droid could have just as easily gone with ios, BB, winmo, or palm yet they decided to go droid. maybe this 1300% increase would have only been a 45% increase for ios, but im sure it still would have been just a big deal in that situation.

and if you invent a phone and sell 131 devices in a year then kudos to you for sticking it to the man and creating your own hardware and software. if you dont make your own software, guess what your % isnt going to you its going to the OS you choose to make a phone with.

 

[Palmetto Fellow]

iPhone shipped 5.5 million units in the U.S. for the 12 month period where Android handset sales in the U.S. were at 9.1 million for the same period.

Around these parts, we call that "nearly double"...even though actually double would have been 11 million.

Are you saying that Androind phones sold "nearly double" the amount of phones sold by Apple over a particular 12 month period of time?

It makes sense to me...There is only one iPhone...and dozens of Android phones.

 

[lunatic59]

Around these parts, we call that "nearly double"...even though actually double would have been 11 million.

Are you saying that Androind phones sold "nearly double" the amount of phones sold by Apple over a particular 12 month period of time?

It makes sense to me...There is only one iPhone...and dozens of Android phones.

I'm not sayin' it ... these guys are .: Canalys: expert analysis for the high-tech industry

Spin the data any way that makes you happy.

 

[gallandof]

that whole theres only one iphone argument is so useless, there are multiple versions wether you want to think so or not. iphone4 and all of their different sizes, iphone 3gs and all their sizes. Granted there are still a ton more android phones.

 

[OfTheDamned]

Around these parts, we call that "nearly double"...even though actually double would have been 11 million.

Are you saying that Androind phones sold "nearly double" the amount of phones sold by Apple over a particular 12 month period of time?

It makes sense to me...There is only one iPhone...and dozens of Android phones.

Well, At&t is offering 2 different iPhone 4s (16GB and 32GB) and the iPhone 3GS 8GB right now on their site so really there are 3 iPhones. If you really want to get technical or argumentative, they are also selling refurbs of the 32GB 3GS, 16GB 3GS, 16GB 3G and 8GB 3G on the site too. That would make it 7 iPhones for sale in the US.

While I agree that 7 vs 27 isn't really all too even especially when you think about the fact that Apple is one carrier in the US while Android is on 5 or 6. Still, they can't complain about any of that as they chose to do things that way. They chose to limit themselves to "one" phone and one carrier. Although being on multiple carriers and having multiple models isn't doing too much for RIM these days either.

 

[Kabob]

Microsoft was at a marginal 3% although the Windows7 phone looks promising. With their track record of mobile OS adoption rates, unless MS can provide a really spectacular experience, it's got a long hard climb ahead of it.

If WP7 phone is to succeed they need to pull an Apple and release WP8 in 3 months at a dramatic price reduction...

 

[If_Only_VZW_had_iPhones]

These are not growth numbers but current market share numbers. The growth numbers are different ... but equally impressive for Android at over 1,300%.

no they aren't equal, because iPhone has been around longer and people who already have iphones aren't going to buy a new iphone just to keep their stats up. What we are measuring is people who are getting their first smartphone, starting from zero. Apple is already established. "most improved" awards don't mean you're the best, they simply mean you came up from zero faster than anyone else came up from zero at this particular point in time.

Who this stat really zings are the other smartphones coming into the market at the same time as Droid, not the reigning champ.

I recall iPhone fans crowing about the growth numbers (and deservedly so) after each new phone release, but you are right, it's not the full story.

iPhone shipped 5.5 million units in the U.S. for the 12 month period where Android handset sales in the U.S. were at 9.1 million for the same period.



I broke it down for you. It still sounds impressive, don't you think?

shipped and sold.... there is a difference. it also includes Backflips and Devours and whatever other completely locked down version of Droid, too. So we're comparing apples to oranges. Droid is comparing ALL their devices to iphone's flagship. People who are behind usually pad their stats to compensate.

Even if you took just the flagship droids (X, D2 and Incredible, I'd argue), that's still more honest than including the devour in your numbers



The true test is to look at all the 3rd party accessories for the iphone compared to droid. Companies like Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine aren't making "Droid compatible" head units, they are making ipod/iphone compatible stuff. There's a business/economic reason for that based on more than because the bossman owns a particular product.

 

[byteware]

no they aren't equal, because iPhone has been around longer and people who already have iphones aren't going to buy a new iphone just to keep their stats up.

Let's put a few things in perspective.

Apple has NEVER sold 25% of Smartphones globally.

Apple has NEVER sold 43.6% of smartphones in the US.


Let me put it a little better in perspective:

comScore Reports August 2010 U.S. Mobile Subscriber Market Share - comScore, Inc

In the US, Q3, Apple had 24.2% of smartphone subscribers.

In the US, Q3, Android has 19.6% of smartphone subscribers.

Android is nearly as established as the iPhone, and it's still selling nearly 2 to 1 over Apple.

And that was during the iPhone 4 launch.

I gotta say, it really isn't looking good for Apple.

At this point, I would say that they are desperate for the iPhone to be sold on Verizon.

 

[lunatic59]

no they aren't equal, because iPhone has been around longer and people who already have iphones aren't going to buy a new iphone just to keep their stats up. What we are measuring is people who are getting their first smartphone, starting from zero.

No. What "we" are measuring is the number of units shipped by OS from the twelve month period ending the 3rd quarter of 2010. There are no qualifiers about the statistics being only for new smartphone buyers or any other delimiting characteristic. That's all. I'd agree that it would be an invalid comparison if we are looking at iPhones sold vs. Android Phones shipped, but it was shipping quantities for both ... apples to apples.

Apple is already established. "most improved" awards don't mean you're the best, they simply mean you came up from zero faster than anyone else came up from zero at this particular point in time.

Who this stat really zings are the other smartphones coming into the market at the same time as Droid, not the reigning champ.

That was but one aspect of the report, but impressive nonetheless. And if you acknowledge that Android "came up faster than anyone else" and now hold a larger percentage of the market both in the U.S. and globally ... doesn't that make Android the "reigning champ"?

shipped and sold.... there is a difference. it also includes Backflips and Devours and whatever other completely locked down version of Droid, too. So we're comparing apples to oranges. Droid is comparing ALL their devices to iphone's flagship. People who are behind usually pad their stats to compensate.

You can try and justify your position all you want by artificially limiting the playing field, but the numbers still stand. The comparison is Apple iPhones to Android phones. And, the truth is that the comparison is valid because it includes not only their flagship product (the iPhone 4) but their base model as well (3G). Nobody's padding the stats.

Even if you took just the flagship droids (X, D2 and Incredible, I'd argue), that's still more honest than including the devour in your numbers

I reiterate, these are not my numbers. This is not my report. If you want to argue the validity of the data talk to Canalys. And again, the report isn't a comparison of phones of a certain build or feature set by OS, it's TOTAL phones shipped by OS. You may dislike the comparison and disagree with the interpretation, but the numbers are the numbers. Show me where they are wrong.

The true test is to look at all the 3rd party accessories for the iphone compared to droid. Companies like Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine aren't making "Droid compatible" head units, they are making ipod/iphone compatible stuff. There's a business/economic reason for that based on more than because the bossman owns a particular product.

Only because of Apple's proprietary connectors is specific compatibility required to be engineered into the product. When you use standard connections like USB, WiFi, Bluetooth and standard phone jacks, that level of engineering isn't necessary to establish compatibility.

 

[If_Only_VZW_had_iPhones]

artificially limiting???? all android is doing is slapping a droid sticker on something and then using it in their stats against the iphone. a $20 devour from Walmart prepaid /= iphone. So using Devour stats in your totals is not statistically honest.

Droid appeals to more markets... not everyone wants a supercomputer in their hand, some people want nothing more than what a backflip offers, I understand that. That's fine for a business model to make money. However, you can't have your cake and eat it, too on this one. If you want to compare apples to apples, take the flag ship droids and compare to flagship iphone.

 

[gallandof]

The true test is to look at all the 3rd party accessories for the iphone compared to droid. Companies like Pioneer, Kenwood, Alpine aren't making "Droid compatible" head units, they are making ipod/iphone compatible stuff. There's a business/economic reason for that based on more than because the bossman owns a particular product.

And what does it mean by iPod/iPhone compatible? that it can play music through the speakers? can control music through the speakers? last I saw almost all new headunits, even thos coming direct from manufacturer have a 3.5mm headphone jack that allows you to play your droid through it, 90% if not 100% of all new aftermarket headunits have a 3.5mm jack. so I dont see where im missing out here? The droid has way mroe accesories since its standardized not proprietary. they just arent labeled Droid compatible.

 

[lunatic59]

The droid has way mroe accesories since its standardized not proprietary. they just arent labeled Droid compatible.

That's because they don't have to be. You only need to be LABELED "compatible" when you use proprietary connectors, interfaces or protocols. You don't see TV's labeled "Sony compatible" or "Samsung compatible" because they use standardized connectors (RCA, coax, DVI) and deliver standardized signals.

Let me give you an example ... my boss drives and Infiniti M35 and has an iPhone 3GS. He didn't have any problems pairing it with the on-board Bluetooth and the manual specifically states it's iPhone compatible. While he prefers his iPhone, he prefers not dropping important calls constantly even more, so just for use in the car he picked up an LG Ally from Verizon (Free, plus the monthly contract added to his family plan). He had no problem pairing that with his car. However the manual did NOT state it was Android compatible. The point is it didn't need to.

 

[If_Only_VZW_had_iPhones]

And what does it mean by iPod/iPhone compatible? that it can play music through the speakers? can control music through the speakers? last I saw almost all new headunits, even thos coming direct from manufacturer have a 3.5mm headphone jack that allows you to play your droid through it, 90% if not 100% of all new aftermarket headunits have a 3.5mm jack. so I dont see where im missing out here? The droid has way mroe accesories since its standardized not proprietary. they just arent labeled Droid compatible.

thing about that is, whenever it has the 3.5mm jack, you can't control the droid through the headunit.

a 3.5 is simply universal, and generic. I can listen to music from my LG Scoop on that. But I have no options to FFWD, skip, or anything through the headunit.

Face it, like porn drove the VHS over beta market, it's the 3rd party market that will determine the success of iphone and other smartphones, not flooding the market with inferior products with a Droid sticker on it.

 

[gallandof]

That's because they don't have to be. You only need to be LABELED "compatible" when you use proprietary connectors, interfaces or protocols. You don't see TV's labeled "Sony compatible" or "Samsung compatible" because they use standardized connectors (RCA, coax, DVI) and deliver standardized signals.

Let me give you an example ... my boss drives and Infiniti M35 and has an iPhone 3GS. He didn't have any problems pairing it with the on-board Bluetooth and the manual specifically states it's iPhone compatible. While he prefers his iPhone, he prefers not dropping important calls constantly even more, so just for use in the car he picked up an LG Ally from Verizon (Free, plus the monthly contract added to his family plan). He had no problem pairing that with his car. However the manual did NOT state it was Android compatible. The point is it didn't need to.

thats what I was implying. that you dont need to label it as droid compatible

thing about that is, whenever it has the 3.5mm jack, you can't control the droid through the headunit.

a 3.5 is simply universal, and generic. I can listen to music from my LG Scoop on that. But I have no options to FFWD, skip, or anything through the headunit.

Face it, like porn drove the VHS over beta market, it's the 3rd party market that will determine the success of iphone and other smartphones, not flooding the market with inferior products with a Droid sticker on it.

this may just be my personal opinion. but I find my headunit controls to be way to clunky to replace on screen controls for either my ipod touch, droid or zune. its easier to just tap the lock button and fastforwad skip etc... Again this is just my experiences with it. usually with the head units it was a matter of two-three button presses to skip a song, compared to 1 button and a screen tap, or simply 1 button hold on my droid (volume rocker music controls while screens locked).

I'm not arguing that the droid has more accesories for it, it doesn't thats easy to see. But I will make a point that most of the iPhones accesories are useless when the same thing can be done and any standard device of the same type. which then goes back to the whole apple philosophy so I cant complain too much I guess. Granted stadard acceroies will for the most part work with an i[hone same way as with a droid the mass consumer market wont know this.

 

[lunatic59]

thats what I was implying. that you dont need to label it as droid compatible

Yeah, I know. It's just with certain people (not you) you have to bludgeon them about the head and neck with blunt objects until they get the point. Just a bit of polite bludgeoning

 

[gallandof]

bludgeon away!

 

[If_Only_VZW_had_iPhones]

thats what I was implying. that you dont need to label it as droid compatible

I hear ya, but iPod/iPhone compatible is a valid point.

this may just be my personal opinion. but I find my headunit controls to be way to clunky to replace on screen controls for either my ipod touch, droid or zune. its easier to just tap the lock button and fastforwad skip etc... Again this is just my experiences with it. usually with the head units it was a matter of two-three button presses to skip a song, compared to 1 button and a screen tap, or simply 1 button hold on my droid (volume rocker music controls while screens locked).

and what's then nice about the iphone is it gives you the choice. unlike droid. Judging by the size of the 3rd party developers, you are probably in the minority

 

[byteware]

I hear ya, but iPod/iPhone compatible is a valid point.

So, let me get this straight.... the fact that the iPhone is limited to only using accessories marked as compatible, while Droid can use just about any accessory from any manufacturer... is a good thing for the iPhone?

and what's then nice about the iphone is it gives you the choice. unlike droid. Judging by the size of the 3rd party developers, you are probably in the minority

This is absolutely hilarious. Someone using choice as an argument in the iPhone's favor.

 

[If_Only_VZW_had_iPhones]

So, let me get this straight.... the fact that the iPhone is limited to only using accessories marked as compatible, while Droid can use just about any accessory from any manufacturer... is a good thing for the iPhone?

porn, a third party developer, decided the VHS/Beta debate

This is absolutely hilarious. Someone using choice as an argument in the iPhone's favor.

the entire open vs closed debate is baseless anyways... more apples to oranges.