Android and iOS Numbers Continue to Surge While Competitors Slide
By Rob Scott
August 24, 2011
August 24, 2011
- Based on Q2 statistics, Android has extended its dominance as the most popular smartphone operating system in the U.S., while Apple’s iOS also continues to gain traction.
- According to NPD, 52 percent of smartphones shipped in the U.S. during the second quarter were running Android (up 19 percent from the previous year). Apple’s iOS earned a 29 percent share, up seven percent from Q2 2010.
- NPD reports that these figures may have an impact on the potential revitalization of Motorola. “Google’s acquisition of Motorola shifts the balance of power in the handset-patent conflict between Google and its operating system competitors,” said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD. “Android’s momentum has made for a large pie that is attractive to Motorola’s Android rivals, even if they must compete with their operating system developer.”
- Market gains for Android and iOS have negatively impacted the competition. Market share for Research In Motion’s BlackBerry OS dropped significantly from 28 percent in the second quarter of 2010 to 11 percent this year. Microsoft’s Windows Mobile also suffered, falling from 10 percent in Q2 2010 to four percent in Q2 2011.
- Prepaid smartphone numbers are on the rise, which may also impact Motorola (8 percent of prepaid phones were smartphones in Q2 2010, a figure that jumped to 22 percent this year). “Android is also leading the charge in the rapidly growing prepaid smartphone market,” Rubin said. “This was once a key segment for Motorola that the company has an opportunity to reclaim as prepaid carriers build their smartphone portfolios.”
4 Comments
Sadly yes. It’s a solid, reliable system for productivity though granted, lacking the bells and whistles.
Sadly yes. It’s a solid, reliable system for productivity though granted, lacking the bells and whistles.
I’m not sure how things with Motorola will play out (there’s been a LOT of varied speculation in recent weeks), but I’d have to agree that it feels like RIM is playing catch-up in the smartphone space. Failure of the PlayBook to gain traction is one thing, but if the BlackBerry continues to slide, RIM will obviously have bigger problems.
I’m not sure how things with Motorola will play out (there’s been a LOT of varied speculation in recent weeks), but I’d have to agree that it feels like RIM is playing catch-up in the smartphone space. Failure of the PlayBook to gain traction is one thing, but if the BlackBerry continues to slide, RIM will obviously have bigger problems.
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