Android device activations now exceed 500,000 per day
More than a half-million Android devices are now being activated every day, and the number is growing at 4.4 percent worldwide, the head of Google's mobile platform has revealed.
Rubin disclosed the numbers in a message posted on his official Twitter account Tuesday morning. Rubin is Google's vice president of engineering, the mastermind behind Android, and a former Apple engineer.
The numbers show the pace of activations for Android is growing rapidly. In December of 2010, Rubin revealed on Twitter that Google was then activating 300,000 Android devices per day.
Last October, in a surprise appearance on his company's quarterly earnings conference call, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs talked about Android and iOS activations. At the time, Google had said it was activating 200,000 Android devices per day, while Jobs revealed that Apple was activating 275,000 iOS devices each day with a peak of 300,000 on some days.
Since the iPhone first launched in 2007, Apple has sold more than 200 million iOS devices. iOS powers the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and is also found in the new Apple TV.
For some time now, sales figures have shown that sales of Android-powered devices, available in multiple form factors and configurations from numerous hardware makers, have moved ahead of the iPhone and iOS.
While Android has grown in market share, Apple's profit share has eclipsed the rest of the mobile industry. In fact, one recent analysis showed that Apple could buy rivals Nokia, Research in Motion, HTC and Motorola Mobility all at once with its estimated $70 billion in cash.
Apple has panned the Android platform as fragmented and inferior to its own integrated approach. Manufacturers such as Samsung and Motorola will install their own custom user interfaces on top of the Android mobile operating system to differentiate their devices on the market.
For its part, Google has countered by promoting Android as an "open" platform, free from the types of restrictions that Apple places on users of the iPhone and iPad. The Cupertino, Calif., company maintains strict control over the iOS App Store, and all software available for download on the platform must first be reviewed and approved.
Rubin disclosed the numbers in a message posted on his official Twitter account Tuesday morning. Rubin is Google's vice president of engineering, the mastermind behind Android, and a former Apple engineer.
The numbers show the pace of activations for Android is growing rapidly. In December of 2010, Rubin revealed on Twitter that Google was then activating 300,000 Android devices per day.
Last October, in a surprise appearance on his company's quarterly earnings conference call, Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs talked about Android and iOS activations. At the time, Google had said it was activating 200,000 Android devices per day, while Jobs revealed that Apple was activating 275,000 iOS devices each day with a peak of 300,000 on some days.
Since the iPhone first launched in 2007, Apple has sold more than 200 million iOS devices. iOS powers the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, and is also found in the new Apple TV.
For some time now, sales figures have shown that sales of Android-powered devices, available in multiple form factors and configurations from numerous hardware makers, have moved ahead of the iPhone and iOS.
While Android has grown in market share, Apple's profit share has eclipsed the rest of the mobile industry. In fact, one recent analysis showed that Apple could buy rivals Nokia, Research in Motion, HTC and Motorola Mobility all at once with its estimated $70 billion in cash.
Apple has panned the Android platform as fragmented and inferior to its own integrated approach. Manufacturers such as Samsung and Motorola will install their own custom user interfaces on top of the Android mobile operating system to differentiate their devices on the market.
For its part, Google has countered by promoting Android as an "open" platform, free from the types of restrictions that Apple places on users of the iPhone and iPad. The Cupertino, Calif., company maintains strict control over the iOS App Store, and all software available for download on the platform must first be reviewed and approved.
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While Android has grown in market share, Apple's profit share has eclipsed the rest of the mobile industry. In fact, one recent analysis showed that Apple could buy rivals Nokia, Research in Motion, HTC and Motorola Mobility all at once with its estimated $70 billion in cash.
Apple has panned the Android platform as fragmented and inferior to its own integrated approach. Manufacturers such as Samsung and Motorola will install their own custom user interfaces on top of the Android mobile operating system to differentiate their devices on the market.
That says it all. It's all you need to know.
Moving right along then . . .
For its part, Google has countered by promoting Android as an "open" platform, free from the types of restrictions that Apple places on users of the iPhone and iPad. The Cupertino, Calif., company maintains strict control over the iOS App Store, and all software available for download on the platform must first be reviewed and approved.
Android is "open" to virus attacks - and other malicious code - and you are "free" from any sort of quality control.
what about data comparing this to the industry as a whole? so what android has double daily activations of iOS - if iOS is still growing - and Android is at the expense of everybody else is that a bad thing?
More than a half-million Android devices are now being activated every day, and the number is growing at 4.4 percent worldwide, the head of Google's mobile platform has revealed.
Interesting given that all other recent info has Android growth stalling relative to the rest of the market.
It's like saying that Porsche is failing because it's selling fewer cars than Ford. Not everybody likes Porsches, and a Porsche isn't the right car for a large number of people - who might prefer something cheaper and more practical. Nevertheless, all Porsches are aimed at a relatively affluent market segment and turn a much higher profit margin than a Ford Focus does.
Apple is a profit, not market share driven company. They don't care one iota about numbers like this.
I think they do. They do realize that losing market share (especially in a platform war) can lead to heavily reduced profits in the future.
Android just has tremendous reach, compared to the iPhone. As Asymco pointed out, the iPhone currently is inaccessible to over 90% of the addressable market (because such a large percentage is pre-paid where Apple does not compete at all, and competes for only about 50-75% of the post-paid market).
Apple's share has been relatively stable. I think we have seen the limits of their organic growth at these price levels. Android's success is a reflection of the destruction of Nokia and RIM's market shares. Once Apple starts competing at those levels (cheaper, contract free, unlocked phone), then things will really get interesting.
It may be wildly profitable to sell us (elders) phones, but it's not necessarily where the market is heading. Maybe Apple needs to get some "cool" back.
However, I am still looking forward to the iPhone 5!!
This really is an inane comparison. You're comparing an OS which runs on a small range of premium-priced devices with an OS which runs on a vast range of phones, many of which are given away for free with moderately priced contracts. I bet many people who buy an Android phone are just buying a phone, and don't really know or care that it has Android installed.
It's like saying that Porsche is failing because it's selling fewer cars than Ford. Not everybody likes Porsches, and a Porsche isn't the right car for a large number of people - who might prefer something cheaper and more practical. Nevertheless, all Porsches are aimed at a relatively affluent market segment and turn a much higher profit margin than a Ford Focus does.
yes we all get that - but at the same time - if someone is shopping for a phone such that the contract price is effectively the same - and there is only a nominal difference in acquisition price - and 9 out of 10 people you see or ask for advice have an android based device - and only 1 has an iOS device - might that influence your decision?
The Ford to Porsche comparison might be more applicable if the cost of maintenance was the same - and the cost of insurance was the same - and the purchase price of the Porsche was only 10% or 20% higher rather than 400% higher (or whatever the real numbers are).
Yes we get it that it cost more to buy a higher quality product and those companies make a higher profit - and yes profit margin is more important than market share - but market share - and perhaps more - market (or brand) perception is not unimportant.
If the opinion of Porsche was that it is an overpriced - niche product - that is not as compatible or useful as other cars then maybe it would be a better comparison.
TI bet many people who buy an Android phone are just buying a phone, and don't really know or care that it has Android installed.
Yeah, like my older brother. Though I wish he would have asked me first. I would have steered him to the Verizon iPhone. Oh well.
At one point Apple could always rely on the Mac/Apple faithful. I really don't think that is true any more. The core group of Apple faithful may have increased but it has become a very small part of Apple's customer group. If Android phones match or even step ahead of Apple phones how many of Apple's current customer group will stay faithful to the platform? That's the real question.
I still feel that Apple has to decrease their product cycle time at some point, or Apple has to change it up in some form.
Think Blackberry. Think Mac prior to Steve.
Apple is a profit, not market share driven company. They don't care one iota about numbers like this.
They do.
Everyday? So in 1 year everyone person in the world will have an android device?!?
Even at that rate it would take approx. 35 years... at today's population.
Everyday? So in 1 year everyone person in the world will have an android device?!?
There's far more than 182M people in the world.
And many people replace their phone yearly with the latest and greatest.
As for the comments that "Apple doesn't care about this" -- they sure do. That's exactly why the iPhone 4S is coming out in September.
Interesting given that all other recent info has Android growth stalling relative to the rest of the market.
That could just mean that everyone else is activating at the same or a higher rate so Android's percent of the market is standing still.
I think they do. They do realize that losing market share (especially in a platform war) can lead to heavily reduced profits in the future.
Android just has tremendous reach, compared to the iPhone. As Asymco pointed out, the iPhone currently is inaccessible to over 90% of the addressable market (because such a large percentage is pre-paid where Apple does not compete at all, and competes for only about 50-75% of the post-paid market).
Apple's share has been relatively stable. I think we have seen the limits of their organic growth at these price levels. Android's success is a reflection of the destruction of Nokia and RIM's market shares. Once Apple starts competing at those levels (cheaper, contract free, unlocked phone), then things will really get interesting.
Yes, it will be between those two. I think Nokia is going to fall off a cliff. Although I would like to see some barrier between iOS and Android.
Interesting report from Australia shows iOS at 40%, as nokia collapsed. Android got to 23% but it's rate of increase is slowing.
That could just mean that everyone else is activating at the same or a higher rate so Android's percent of the market is standing still.
Or the other information, from analysts, is faulty. Far from the first time. They say things newsworthy to get press, not because they're necessarily true and proven.
Because Android phones DO have numerous hardware faults compared to other phones.