Android tops RIM in US smartphone market share, Apple's iPhone third

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Google's Android surpassed Research in Motion's BlackBerry to become the largest mobile platform at the start of 2011, while Apple's iOS and iPhone took third before the Verizon iPhone 4 was released.



New market data released by comScore on Monday shows that Google Android was the largest mobile platform in the U.S. for the three-month period that concluded with January 2011. Android's growth of 7.7 percent over the previous quarter pushed the Google mobile operating system to 31.2 percent share, past RIM's 30.4 percent share.



RIM slid 5.4 percent while Apple saw its share of the U.S. market go up 0.1 percent, bringing it to 24.7 percent total domestic share. The market share statistics represent active mobile device subscribers, but the numbers apply to the period before Apple launched a CDMA variant of the iPhone 4 on Verizon in early February.



Apple and Google were the only mobile platforms to see quarter-over-quarter gains, as Microsoft's platform share of the U.S. market dipped 1.7 percent to 8 percent. Palm saw its presence slide 0.7 percent to 3.2 percent total.



In terms of hardware, the survey of 30,000 mobile subscribers found that Samsung was the top overall handset maker with a 24.9 percent share, representing 0.7 percent growth from the October 2010 quarter. Apple came in fifth among device makers, with its 7 percent share up 0.6 percent from the previous three-month frame.







In the January period, 234 million Americans ages 13 and older used mobile devices, and 65.8 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones. Smartphone use was up 8 percent from the preceding three-month period, comScore found.



Most mobile subscribers -- 68.1 percent -- said they used text messaging on their mobile device. Just 37 percent of mobile subscribers used a browser, 35.3 percent downloaded applications to their device, and 23.7 percent played games.



ComScore first reported in January that Google Android had surpassed the iPhone in total active U.S. subscribers for the first time. At the time, Google was still behind the market leader, RIM.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 104
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Sure, but it's a bit like saying Linux beat the iMac in terms of market share. Are we comparing hardware or platforms? Not disputing Android's success but it seems an odd comparison.
  • Reply 2 of 104
    How could Apple be so stupid to not to give away their mobile OS for free to any and all beleaguered smartphone manufacturers that are looking to scrape their way back into the black? Why would they want to give up OS marketshare at the expense of making actual profits on their products? The fools… the business savvy fools!
  • Reply 3 of 104
    prof. peabodyprof. peabody Posts: 2,860member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    Google's Android surpassed Research in Motion's BlackBerry to become the largest mobile platform at the start of 2011....



    Wrong!



    If it's just smartphone sales (and that's what the chart says), then it cannot by definition be a measurement of the size of the "platform." Even if it was, it's meaningless without including churn and obsolescence, which aren't included.



    This is just another recent, dodgy, channel-oriented, inside-industry sales report masquerading as "platform numbers."
  • Reply 4 of 104
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paxman View Post


    Sure, but it's a bit like saying Linux beat the iMac in terms of market share. Are we comparing hardware or platforms? Not disputing Android's success but it seems an odd comparison.



    Similar to the PC market, OS X does not sell as many units as Windows, but they're up at the top when you compare hardware to hardware - Dell vs Apple vs Toshiba.



    Another way to look at it would be by revenue. How much are consumers willing to spend on handsets? "Android" might sell two $99 handsets for every one $200 handset that Apple sells. That might even the numbers out. At the end of the day, revenue/profit is what powers everything. That would be another metric.
  • Reply 5 of 104
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Prof. Peabody View Post


    Wrong!



    If it's just smartphone sales (and that's what the chart says), then it cannot by definition be a measurement of the size of the "platform." Even if it was, it's meaningless without including churn and obsolescence, which aren't included.



    This is just another recent, dodgy, channel-oriented, inside-industry sales report masquerading as "platform numbers."



    I?m surprised AI didn?t pick up on that. Where does iOS and others fit in that list when you account for its other mobile offerings?
  • Reply 6 of 104
    The hemmdroids are foolish apple want a bees :-))
  • Reply 7 of 104
    daylove22daylove22 Posts: 215member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by paxman View Post


    Sure, but it's a bit like saying Linux beat the iMac in terms of market share. Are we comparing hardware or platforms? Not disputing Android's success but it seems an odd comparison.



    useless comparison as ios is only on Apple while android is on many brands.
  • Reply 8 of 104
    alandailalandail Posts: 755member
    shouldn't mobile platforms include both the iPod touch and iPad as iOS devices?



    it's Android vs iOS, and iOS should still be well ahead.
  • Reply 9 of 104
    macinthe408macinthe408 Posts: 1,050member
    Ok, and this data means just what to me?



    I use iOS because Android sucks; looks and feels like it was programmed by a bunch of dudes in a basement playing D&D between compiles.



    And that should mean nothing to anyone else. I like iOS; I think Android sucks. The data mean the same thing - it's personal.
  • Reply 10 of 104
    2 cents2 cents Posts: 307member
    This article is without meaning or perspective and is just troll fodder for fanboys of different sorts.
  • Reply 11 of 104
    gqbgqb Posts: 1,934member
    Give me numbers comparing iPhone to any other PHONE (or even all phones manufactured by a single company) and I'll be interested.

    Otherwise give me numbers comparing all Android devices to All iOS devices.



    Apple isn't competing against Google... its competing against Motorola, HTC, etc.

    And the Android manufactures are competing against each other (as in real dog-fight competition) as much or more than they're competing against Apple.



    This is purely a religious, not technological or economic story.
  • Reply 12 of 104
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    This report is pretty good for Apple, a Y-O-Y maintenance ( slight growth) of their position despite the growth of Android, 27% on one carrier ( itself serving about 27% of the entire US phone market), and Android's rate of growth has slowed.



    So I expect Apple to at least get to 35%-40% on all carriers, if not on Verizon alone. Maybe more. RIM may go to 20% but I think there is a market for keyboard driven stuff so it will stay there. Android may stay ahead, or be slightly behind the iPhone.



    Apple have to reduce prices, though, for sure.



    Quote:

    Give me numbers comparing iPhone to any other PHONE (or even all phones manufactured by a single company) and I'll be interested.

    Otherwise give me numbers comparing all Android devices to All iOS devices.



    The first is illusionary, the second is a bit more valid but nobody is going to include the iPod touch in a phone category - however valid that may seem.
  • Reply 13 of 104
    macrulezmacrulez Posts: 2,455member
    deleted
  • Reply 14 of 104
    andykempandykemp Posts: 34member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 2 cents View Post


    This article is without meaning or perspective and is just troll fodder for fanboys of different sorts.



    This is like posting an article on a Christian site denying the existence of God. They just want to start a flame war.
  • Reply 15 of 104
    andykempandykemp Posts: 34member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacRulez View Post


    Android may have the lead for now, but just wait till iPhone 4 comes out....



    iPhone 4? I can't wait till last year...
  • Reply 16 of 104
    c4rlobc4rlob Posts: 277member
    A herd of sheep can also out number a Lion - that herd can have black sheep, white sheep, gray sheep, small and big - doesn't mean I would want to be a sheep though!

    I don't think anyone is surprised by Android eventually outgrowing RIM and Apple in smartphone's specifically. What's news is how well Apple continues to do as only one manufacturer with one phone, as opposed to Google which has a version of Android running on every Tom, Dick, and Harry device out there.



    And since the Android, RIM, and iOS platforms are also built for tablets, I'd like to know the complete performance in market shares including tablets?
  • Reply 17 of 104
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    The stats are accurate enough.
  • Reply 18 of 104
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by c4rlob View Post


    A herd of sheep can also out number a Lion - that herd can have black sheep, white sheep, gray sheep, small and big - doesn't mean I would want to be a sheep though!

    I don't think anyone is surprised by Android eventually outgrowing RIM and Apple in smartphone's specifically. What's news is how well Apple continues to do as only one manufacturer with one phone, as opposed to Google which has a version of Android running on every Tom, Dick, and Harry device out there.



    And since the Android, RIM, and iOS platforms are also built for tablets, I'd like to know the complete performance in market shares including tablets?



    Most people would see tablets and phones as distinct categories. I estimate that iOS is selling more than Android, from last Dec. Just about.
  • Reply 19 of 104
    mdriftmeyermdriftmeyer Posts: 7,503member
    Keep making cheap phones that don't create profits and soon those companies will be out of business.
  • Reply 20 of 104
    I'm not concerned about this at all, Android can have all the market shares but iOS is still the best in terms of user experience and that's what matters to me as a user.



    I wouldn't mind Apple creating more variety of phones though. Differnt materials, different size, different color, etc, just like iPod.
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