Google Android continues growth streak over Apple's iPhone
Google's Android mobile OS has continued to widen its lead on Apple's iOS in terms of U.S. smartphone subscribers, while Research in Motion and Microsoft have fallen even further behind, according to a new survey.
comScore's MobiLens report found Google Android to be the top smartphone platform with 38.1 percent market share in the U.S. during the period from March to May. The platform's 5.1 percent gain outpaced Apple's 1.4 percent increase to 26.6 percent.
The gains posted by Android and iOS were taken from BlackBerry maker RIM and Microsoft, which lost 4.2 percent and 1.9 percent market share, respectively. RIM's share of subscribers stands at 24.7 percent after the drop, while Microsoft held onto a 5.8 percent share. Palm fell slightly from 2.8 percent in February to 2.4 percent in May.
According to the survey, Apple maintained its lead over RIM after having passed its rival in terms of active U.S. users last month. Quarterly sales of the iPhone surpassed BlackBerry smartphones last October, with Apple CEO Steve Jobs remarking, "I don't see them catching up with us in the foreseeable future." RIM recently formed a committee to review its corporate structure after the company's struggles prompted investors to call for an ouster of its co-CEOs.
Source: comScore
In terms of handset share market share, Apple continued to gain on third-placed Motorola, though the iPhone maker still has a long way to go to catch its rival. Apple gained 1.2 percent to reach 8.7 percent of mobile subscribers in the States. Meanwhile, Samsung, LG and Motorola held onto the top three spots with respective shares of 24.8 percent, 21.1 percent and 15.1 percent.
Source: comScore
Also of note, the survey saw gains in the number of subscribers who reported using their mobile phones to play games, download apps, and use a browser. Subscribers who play games on their phones jumped from 24.6 percent in February to 26.9 percent in May, while 38.6 of respondents said they download apps on their phones, up from 36.6 percent. Finally, the share of subscribers who use a browser on their mobile phones increased by 1.5 percent to reach 39.8 percent.
Android saw the first blip in a two-year growth rampage last quarter when it experienced its first sequential loss of market share in a region since it began its rapid ascension in 2009. Needham & Co. analyst Charlie Wolf predicted last month that Android would resume its growth pace in the June and September quarters before experiencing a "material decline" in the December quarter after the release of the iPhone 5.
comScore's MobiLens report found Google Android to be the top smartphone platform with 38.1 percent market share in the U.S. during the period from March to May. The platform's 5.1 percent gain outpaced Apple's 1.4 percent increase to 26.6 percent.
The gains posted by Android and iOS were taken from BlackBerry maker RIM and Microsoft, which lost 4.2 percent and 1.9 percent market share, respectively. RIM's share of subscribers stands at 24.7 percent after the drop, while Microsoft held onto a 5.8 percent share. Palm fell slightly from 2.8 percent in February to 2.4 percent in May.
According to the survey, Apple maintained its lead over RIM after having passed its rival in terms of active U.S. users last month. Quarterly sales of the iPhone surpassed BlackBerry smartphones last October, with Apple CEO Steve Jobs remarking, "I don't see them catching up with us in the foreseeable future." RIM recently formed a committee to review its corporate structure after the company's struggles prompted investors to call for an ouster of its co-CEOs.
Source: comScore
In terms of handset share market share, Apple continued to gain on third-placed Motorola, though the iPhone maker still has a long way to go to catch its rival. Apple gained 1.2 percent to reach 8.7 percent of mobile subscribers in the States. Meanwhile, Samsung, LG and Motorola held onto the top three spots with respective shares of 24.8 percent, 21.1 percent and 15.1 percent.
Source: comScore
Also of note, the survey saw gains in the number of subscribers who reported using their mobile phones to play games, download apps, and use a browser. Subscribers who play games on their phones jumped from 24.6 percent in February to 26.9 percent in May, while 38.6 of respondents said they download apps on their phones, up from 36.6 percent. Finally, the share of subscribers who use a browser on their mobile phones increased by 1.5 percent to reach 39.8 percent.
Android saw the first blip in a two-year growth rampage last quarter when it experienced its first sequential loss of market share in a region since it began its rapid ascension in 2009. Needham & Co. analyst Charlie Wolf predicted last month that Android would resume its growth pace in the June and September quarters before experiencing a "material decline" in the December quarter after the release of the iPhone 5.
Comments
feb/2011 should be 26.6%
may/2011 should be 28.2%
and the increase is 1.6%, not 1.4%
2) I'm wondering how MacRulez is going to spin this article.
What was the survey of exactly?
The only issue is who is making any money at this so as to cover their cost of capital. Apple is, Google is not.
a. Many people are waiting for the next iPhone, including myself, to upgrade
b. Not including iPads and iPod Touch into the equation means Android vs iOS data cannot compared.
I'd say the iPhone 4 is doing well considering it's a year old almost.
Frankly, no one serious cares. Not when Apple is said to be gaining share, not when Android is said to be gaining share, at the levels they are at.
The only issue is who is making any money at this so as to cover their cost of capital. Apple is, Google is not.
READ: "Apple continues to overcharge for inferior hardware while Google does not"
Apple fanboys will never admit that their precious overpriced, phone is no longer the status symbol it once was.
I realize this is only for Smartphones but nothing of meaning can really be derived by this as
a. Many people are waiting for the next iPhone, including myself, to upgrade
b. Not including iPads and iPod Touch into the equation means Android vs iOS data cannot compared.
I'd say the iPhone 4 is doing well considering it's a year old almost.
I'm with you on this. I intentionally skip models of Apple products, and even more so due to the two year contract I had when I got the 3GS. I intentionally skipped the 4, and am awaiting the 5. My credit card will drop the moment I'm able to get the 5. I think there are a lot of people waiting for the 5. We'll see how their numbers look after it's introduced.
READ: "Apple continues to overcharge for inferior hardware while Google does not"
Apple fanboys will never admit that their precious overpriced, phone is no longer the status symbol it once was.
Goodbye. Thanks for the comments.
READ: "Apple continues to overcharge for inferior hardware while Google does not"
Apple fanboys will never admit that their precious overpriced, phone is no longer the status symbol it once was.
READ: Apple's business model is sustainable while Google's is not.
1) Based on the rate of the growth of the smartphone market MS looks like it's selling quite a few more handsets. Still, a loss in marketshare does look bad.
It's not clear, it depends on the methodology for the first number. I think it may be a survey of platforms by current phones in circulation and use. ie. Just because MS has 6% of the smartphones in use doesn't mean that they're selling 6% of phones now.
The wording was clearer on the NIelsen survey which almost exactly matched the numbers for Apple & Android with this graphic from an earlier article
The variance between RIM & MS in the two surveys is interesting.
READ: Apple's business model is sustainable while Google's is not.
I made a comment about this in another thread, and with that guy's comment (which is now deleted
I pay a premium (if you can even call it that, for me it's value added services - thus fair value) for things such as the App Store, the entire iOS ecosystem, the "user experience" first emphasis of iOS software design, and a mobile operating system that can operate smoothly and lag free with an 800 mhz processor instead of a battery burning 1.2ghz.
But then again when you look at the amount of revenue paid apps generate on Android, I can see why Android users have a hard time justifying paying a "premium" for an iOS device: they're generally pretty... thrifty.
Samsung sells more than any others? Wow.
They have the top US share in handsets yes, but remember that includes dumb-phones. None of the free market research that I've seen breaks down the OEMs by platform.
the columns for apple are wrong.
feb/2011 should be 26.6%
may/2011 should be 28.2%
and the increase is 1.6%, not 1.4%
actually it's
feb/2011 should be 25.2%
may/2011 should be 26.6%
and the 1.4% is correct.
the columns for apple are wrong.
feb/2011 should be 26.6%
may/2011 should be 28.2%
and the increase is 1.6%, not 1.4%
Actually NO.... If you look at the source (comScore) it should be
Feb/2011 = 25.2%
May/2011 = 26.6%
Regardless, looking at any of this in a vacuum is going to be misleading...
Hardwarre:
Apple has never built more than two phones for sale at the same time and is claiming 8.7% of the entire phone market... that's freaking mindblowing... note this is the phone market, not the smartphone market.
Samsung/LG/Moto seem who seem to release a "new model" every 3 months in a dozen or more product lines cover an entire spectrum of hardware from prepaid disposables to smartphones.
Apple doesn't actually compete outside the smartphone market hence this statistic is easily misinterpreted. It's not inaccurate, just easy to misinterpret.
Software:
iOS is in use by 26.6% of smartphone subscribers. So, with 2 phones they own a quarter of the smart phone market. Still pretty impressive in my book. Could they build 5 different phones, sure, but there profit margins would be dramatically reduced... and then quality would be reduced to compensate and they'd be in the same boat as Samsung/LG/Moto.
Goodbye. Thanks for the comments.
Google doesn't sell a product. If Apple gave away phones the way the android providers and RIMM do and could keep up with demand, then Android would be dead in the water. I would venture that Apple's 27% share generates 2X the profit to Apple than than the totality of profits of the multiple Android vendors. I don't think the Android vendors are absorbing the full amount of rebates and discounts.
I made a comment about this...
[...]
...they're generally pretty... thrifty.
I couldn't have said it any better.
I also skipped iPhone 4 and 3G. Worth to mention the point somebody made earlier, only Apple make real money on this and equally important their users are happy to pay for the privileges and not because it's trendy or pretty (although both are true as well).
If Apple gave away phones the way the android providers and RIMM do
Well the iPhone for $49 is already pretty lucrative. If that were offered on both carriers with a reasonably priced unlocked version then we'll really see Apple make strides against Android providers
1) Based on the rate of the growth of the smartphone market MS looks like it's selling quite a few more handsets. Still, a loss in marketshare does look bad.
The other question is how many of these are WP7 and how many are still the old WM6.5?
Windows Phone 7 is not backwards compatible so there are a lot of business users stuck on the old OS and still buying old phones until the software they currently use is rewritten for WP7 (or a different OS).