Android phones more in demand than iOS phones -- Neilson

[zoiks]

http://blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/online_mobile/u-s-smartphone-market-whos-the-most-wanted/

U.S. Smartphone Market: Who’s the Most Wanted?
April 26, 2011

Things change quickly in the U.S. smartphone market.

According to The Nielsen Company’s monthly surveys of U.S. mobile consumers from July-September 2010, consumers planning on getting a new smartphone had a very clear preference: A third (33%) wanted an Apple iPhone. Slightly more than a quarter (26%) said they desired a device with the Google Android operating system (OS). And 13 percent said they wanted a RIM Blackberry.

But consumer preferences can be fickle. Those same surveys for January 2011 – March 2011 show just how much things have changed: According to the latest figures, 31 percent of consumers who plan to get a new smartphone indicated Android was now their preferred OS. Apple’s iOS has slipped slightly in popularity to 30 percent and RIM Blackberry is down to 11 percent. Almost 20 percent of consumers are unsure of what to choose next.

Those dynamics are already translating into sales. Half of those surveyed in March 2011 who indicated they had purchased a smartphone in the past six months said they had chosen an Android device. A quarter of recent acquirers said they bought an iPhone and 15 percent said they had picked a Blackberry phone.

Which brings us to the installed base of smartphone consumers: As of March 2011, 37 percent of mobile consumers who owned a smartphone had a device with an Android OS. Apple’s iOS, claimed by 27 percent of consumers, is now outpacing Blackberry, which has 22 percent of the market.

 

[Oyeve]

Throw non-smartphone devices (wifi tabs) in the mix and its a different story. Surprised BB has 22 percent.

 

[alent1234]

android and blackberry phones can be bought on BOGO and almost free deals. iphone 4 will run you $300 or more when you include tax and activation

 

[runawayprisoner]

Well, I guess this is kind of expected when the iPhone 4 is the sole warrior on the market and its better replacement is nowhere to be seen until Fall or even later.

I guess the year-end 2011 Holiday Season survey would be interesting...

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

android and blackberry phones can be bought on BOGO and almost free deals. iphone 4 will run you $300 or more when you include tax and activation

There's also 100 models that come out every year while iPhone only has 1 a year.

 

[zerocool84]

There's also 100 models that come out every year while iPhone only has 1 a year.

One new model a year but people saying they only ever have one phone on the market is not true. Multiple colors and sizes and different versions but like we've already said, that's what is hurting Apple in the smartphone front and why everyone is saying they need to bring in a cheaper phone to the market.

 

[Arp_]

Nothing is really hurting Apple at the moment. Who cares about market share? As long as Apple has biggest revenue in the industry and it is still steadily increasing, what's the problem?

 

[zsdersw]

Nothing is really hurting Apple at the moment. Who cares about market share? As long as Apple has biggest revenue in the industry and it is still steadily increasing, what's the problem?

The smartphone space isn't quite the same as the personal computer market, in which Apple's obscurity is more of a benefit than a detriment. Market share in the smartphone market is everything in terms of app sales/development. Apple's not hurting in that regard, but long-term.. yes, Apple does need to be more worried about market share in the smartphone space than they have historically been in the personal computer space.

 

[akugami]

iOS's demand percentage has remained largely static and only dipped slightly. However, iOS is more popular with consumers than ever. Android's growth has come mostly at the expense of other mobile phone platforms. Also note the line that says "Almost 20 percent of consumers are unsure of what to choose next." Basically rendering any solid conclusion useless since such a large percentage could swing either way. The smart phone segment of the cell phone market has such incredible growth that Apple is selling nearly twice as many phones as previously and still losing market share in terms of percentages. It does point to Android having better growth but it's not like iOS is hurting.

 

[runawayprisoner]

The smartphone space isn't quite the same as the personal computer market, in which Apple's obscurity is more of a benefit than a detriment. Market share in the smartphone market is everything in terms of app sales/development. Apple's not hurting in that regard, but long-term.. yes, Apple does need to be more worried about market share in the smartphone space than they have historically been in the personal computer space.

Actually, this is not cause of concern for Apple either way even if "analysts" are spinning it that way. Like I have posted before, many times, to the point people kept calling me out for it, these marketshare statistics only include phones, and as such means nothing.

If they were to include other devices that Apple is selling in the same iOS ecosystem (namely iPod Touch and iPad), the fact, and pure fact, is that sheer number alone, Apple is outselling Android as a whole platform by a lot. When you look at the numbers purely for app development, then iOS apps on the App Store can reach a much wider audience on iOS.

And even if this only concerns smartphone, as you have put it, there is no way Apple should be concerned when it's going toe to toe against so many manufacturers and phones. Imagine 1 phone against 30 phones (in one generation), or 4 phones with 2 variances each for a total of 8 phones against something like 200-300 phones of varying designs and prices and you'll quickly see how marketshare per phone Apple doesn't have anything to worry about.

It's not that Apple is losing or that it's lacking behind. Android is just growing, and that's good.

But just to play wih statistics a bit, assume iOS sold something like 400 devices last week, and Android sold 200, compared to Blackberry selling 400, for a total of 1,000, that means Android gets 20%, iOS 40%, and BlackBerry 40%, right? Then this week, iOS sold 700, BlackBerry sold 300, and Android sold 1,000, for a total of 2,000, that means Android gets a whopping 50%, iOS a meager 35%, and BlackBerry a mere 15%. Does that mean the other two was "losing" sales? No. They sold more than last week.

See how these "last time" history charts play out? They make it look like the same market isn't changing and that users are somehow abandoning their Apple or RIM handsets to go with Android. But that's not the case at all.

 

[zsdersw]

Actually, this is not cause of concern for Apple either way even if "analysts" are spinning it that way. Like I have posted before, many times, to the point people kept calling me out for it, these marketshare statistics only include phones, and as such means nothing.

If they were to include other devices that Apple is selling in the same iOS ecosystem (namely iPod Touch and iPad), the fact, and pure fact, is that sheer number alone, Apple is outselling Android as a whole platform by a lot. When you look at the numbers purely for app development, then iOS apps on the App Store can reach a much wider audience on iOS.

And even if this only concerns smartphone, as you have put it, there is no way Apple should be concerned when it's going toe to toe against so many manufacturers and phones. Imagine 1 phone against 30 phones (in one generation), or 4 phones with 2 variances each for a total of 8 phones against something like 200-300 phones of varying designs and prices and you'll quickly see how marketshare per phone Apple doesn't have anything to worry about.

It's not that Apple is losing or that it's lacking behind. Android is just growing, and that's good.

But just to play wih statistics a bit, assume iOS sold something like 400 devices last week, and Android sold 200, compared to Blackberry selling 400, for a total of 1,000, that means Android gets 20%, iOS 40%, and BlackBerry 40%, right? Then this week, iOS sold 700, BlackBerry sold 300, and Android sold 1,000, for a total of 2,000, that means Android gets a whopping 50%, iOS a meager 35%, and BlackBerry a mere 15%. Does that mean the other two was "losing" sales? No. They sold more than last week.

See how these "last time" history charts play out? They make it look like the same market isn't changing and that users are somehow abandoning their Apple or RIM handsets to go with Android. But that's not the case at all.

You appear to not understand what I said. The success and development of an app ecosystem requires a growing marketshare, so yes.. if Apple starts losing ground it is going to matter. That is a fact. Contrast that with Apple's personal computer business... in which their lack of broad appeal/customer base is more helpful than hurtful (less prone to attack/hacking). In the smartphone/tablet market, growth of their ecosystem's marketshare matters much more.

 

[Ns1]

well i guess we'll have to see what happens when ip5 comes out.

 

[runawayprisoner]

You appear to not understand what I said. The success and development of an app ecosystem requires a growing marketshare, so yes.. if Apple starts losing ground it is going to matter. That is a fact. Contrast that with Apple's personal computer business... in which their lack of broad appeal/customer base is more helpful than hurtful (less prone to attack/hacking). In the smartphone/tablet market, growth of their ecosystem's marketshare matters much more.

You appear to not get my response.

The ecosysem is iOS. iPhone is just the phone in that ecosystem. If you were to count the whole ecosystem, which also includes the iPod Touch and iPad, then Apple is on top of everyone else by a large margin.

It's not that apps are developed only for iPhones, so counting only iPhone for app development is not showing the whole picture.

 

[shortylickens]

Meanwhile trolls are in excess supply.

 

[alkemyst]

android and blackberry phones can be bought on BOGO and almost free deals. iphone 4 will run you $300 or more when you include tax and activation

QFT...android is preferred due to price, not performance.

 

[Patranus]

Android could take the other 30% of the market share and Google would still have less revenue off the entire Android platform per year than Apple has in a single quarter via iTunes.

 

[alkemyst]

coincidence?

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lan...r-android-glorifies-animal-cruelty.html?lanow

 

[zsdersw]

You appear to not get my response.

The ecosysem is iOS. iPhone is just the phone in that ecosystem. If you were to count the whole ecosystem, which also includes the iPod Touch and iPad, then Apple is on top of everyone else by a large margin.

It's not that apps are developed only for iPhones, so counting only iPhone for app development is not showing the whole picture.

You appear incapable of addressing your replies correctly.

The original stipulation that I replied to was that marketshare doesn't matter to Apple. It's pretty clear that it does. Your reply is not to what I posted, but to the OP.

 

[Ns1]

QFT...android is preferred due to price, not performance.

both my parents and my aunt/uncle now have android phones



...because they were free.

 

[Dulanic]

both my parents and my aunt/uncle now have android phones



...because they were free.

And if apple wasn't well.... apple the 3gs would be free too. It is such old tech it is all it should be. Oh that's right apples image is too good for free.

Sent from my Samsung Epic using Tapatalk

 

[Oyeve]

Apple makes apple products, so yeah, they lead. If their was only one company making/distributing android and if there was only one company making PCs then this would be newsworthy. You cant really say apple is on top against android and you cant say android is on top against apple. If apple had oems then it would be interesting but that will not happen while jobs is still alive. I swear, if I had a trillion dollars I would create a whole new computer/os and gadget and never oem. Then there would be fair comparisions.

 

[zerocool84]

Android could take the other 30% of the market share and Google would still have less revenue off the entire Android platform per year than Apple has in a single quarter via iTunes.

Yes because Google relies on App purchases for it's revenue

People always seem to forget that Apple's strategy is not everyone's strategy. Google seems to be doing just fine.

 

[Patranus]

Yes because Google relies on App purchases for it's revenue

People always seem to forget that Apple's strategy is not everyone's strategy. Google seems to be doing just fine.

As of the most recent numbers released, the entire Android platform generates ~1 billion dollar per year in revenue for Google.

 

[Inspector Jihad]

Android could take the other 30% of the market share and Google would still have less revenue off the entire Android platform per year than Apple has in a single quarter via iTunes.

http://techcrunch.com/2011/03/25/search-googles-castle-moat/

this is a pretty neat article i came across. just goes to show that we can sit here and talk bullshit but all these companies have lots of people and lots of things going on that we don't know anything about.

we can sit here and criticize apple, google, microsoft and the others but they have smart people making big decisions.

 

[zerocool84]

As of the most recent numbers released, the entire Android platform generates ~1 billion dollar per year in revenue for Google.

Like I said, that's not their strategy. You're still in this thinking that Android in itself is the way Google is trying to make money, it's not. Apple needs iTunes to make money, Google doesn't need Android to make money. That's not their strategy. For some reason you think they have the same strategy and they don't. There's a reason why Google doesn't need to charge licensing fees to make accessories for their phones and such. That's not their strategy.