With smartphones, Android still rules

(Associated Press)

(Associated Press)

More smartphone users opted for Google’s Android operating system in the three months ending in April than Apple’s iOS and other systems, according to the latest data from ComScore.

The market researcher reported 107 million Americans now own smartphones, up 6 percent from the three-month period ending in January.

Android commanded 50.8 percent of the U.S. smartphone operating system market, up 2.2 percent, according to CNET’s report on ComScore’s study. The No. 2 smartphone operating system, Apple’s iOS, came in with 31.4 percent of the market, up 1.9 percent.

Both Android and iOS have benefited as BlackBerry maker Research in Motion continued to struggle. RIM remained No. 3 in operating system market share but took a major hit due to its troubles, falling to 11.6 percent of the market from 15.2 percent.

RIM has appointed JPMorgan Chase and Royal Bank of Canada to come up with options to help turn the company around and speculation includes a possible sale. More companies and governmental agencies are giving staffers the option of dropping their once-cherished BlackBerrys for smartphones running off Android or iOS.

Despite the popularity of its latest upgrade, the iPhone 4S, Apple was the third-most popular handset manufacturer with 14.4 percent of the market, compared with Samsung’s No. 1 spot with 25.9 percent of the handset market. Apple, however, overshadowed Samsung with a 1.6 percent gain in market share, compared with Samsung’s gain of just a half percentage point, according to ComScore’s data. Rounding out the Top 5 handset providers were LG (No. 2), Motorola (No. 4) and HTC (No. 5).

16 comments Add your comment

[...] the original here: With smartphones, Android still rules – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) « “Help me, Obi-wan Kenobi; you’re my only [...]

FalKirk

June 2nd, 2012
11:33 am

“With smartphones, Android still rules”

This blog is called “biz.beat” but you put up a headline like that? What’s more important to a business, market share or profit? If a high end dress shop sells 10 dresses for $100 dollars each and the low end dress shop sells 100 dresses for $1.00 each, who do you think “rules”? Market share means nothing unless it translates into profits.

Right now Apple has about 30% of the phone market share and it takes in well over 70% of the profits. Samsung makes about 15% of the profits and the remaining 15% is split up between all the others. Making four to five times more profit than your nearest competitor sounds like “ruling” to me and it’s exactly what Apple is doing

The pundits have it all backwards. Apple has 30% market share and 70% profit share and both are rising. Apple is squeezing their competitors into oblivion. There isn’t a company in the world who wouldn’t trade their market share for Apple’s profits. Focus on what’s important. Profits, not market share, is what matters.

Manuel

June 2nd, 2012
11:40 am

While I love Android this is downright pathetic, Google is one of the biggest companies out there and they don’t even bother pushing updates and now 5.0 is around the corner. http://tinyurl.com/cft8bla Here can download this App for free.

phonehome

June 2nd, 2012
1:36 pm

Buy the Iphone 4s—much better than all that android junk.

[...] from ComScore. The market researcher reported 107 million Americans now own … Read more on Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) … other posts by [...]

Dr.Biz

June 2nd, 2012
6:10 pm

Falkirk,

Profit share only matters if you’re a shareholder, or if you’re in upper level management of the company. It could also mean they’re ripping their customers off(see gas companies).

Market share is usually, not always, an indicator of the best products sold to customers, hence, which is why they have the larger market share. More people are buying, more people are satisified.

Jason

June 2nd, 2012
6:54 pm

Rimms new phones coming out in a few months will turn things around big. They bought a lot of patents and the new phones will have some new unique features, especially with the camera

Bob

June 2nd, 2012
7:00 pm

Apple profits are about to get cut big as carriers are pushing other phones and many markets are no longer offering subsidized iphones…see spain. The big 3 here continue to add new costs to consumers like a $32 activation fee each time you get a new phone. There’s already chatter they will stop paying full price for the iphone, which is very prone to break. 3 people i know have had to buy a new one or get it fixed after they dropped it and the screen cracked. and then there’s siri. the biggest marketing scam of the century. doesn’t work at all like the commercials say. but this is a nation of gullible people who love fads. so keep on buying when you can get the same thing for half the cost. i pay $5 a month for my data with tmobile. 200 mb. att charges $20 got 300. can u say suckers!!

You Moron

June 2nd, 2012
8:10 pm

You could put an Apple icon on a “steamer” and Apple zombies will buy them by the truckloads.

iPhone is a POS. You can’t replace the battery. You can’t increase storage. Same with iPad. Android devices usually have extra connection ports, like USB. iPhone and iPad are take them or leave them. Pathetic. That’s a great example of why Apple only has 9% of computer market.

20 somethings

June 2nd, 2012
9:26 pm

Your not cool if you don’t have an I phone. Anybody knows that. Apple knows that…

Calvin G. Sims, Sr.

June 3rd, 2012
4:01 pm

FalKirk

June 2nd, 2012
11:33 am

Thank you FalKirk. I thought something was wrong with me. I love my iPhone, I paid a lot for it. I did a lot of research before I bought it and I was wondering what I may have done wrong. Your article reassured me that I am not losing my mind.

Go Falcons!!!

thenexttning

June 3rd, 2012
4:14 pm

Went against grain and bought the Nokia Lumina 900 from At&t best decision I’ve made. Has the capabilities of other phones and was much better on the pocket.

Calvin G. Sims, Sr.

June 3rd, 2012
4:18 pm

Dr.Biz

June 2nd, 2012
6:10 pm

Now that I have thought about it. If I sell my phones for $100 and give you one FREE, I will probably sell a lot of them.

1 other thing: Apple makes just 1 phone, the iPhone. There is probably not enough room in this blog to list all of the different models that these other companies make. They sell for dirt cheap and people are buying them like hot cakes. They have totally captured the market on people who can’t qualify credit wise for something better; people who use pre-paid plans; and people who are waiting for their “Baby-Momma” to buy a phone and give them the Freebie.

Oh, and before it starts, I know full well there are exceptions, as in people who have credit, money, and no “Baby-Momma” who still opt for the cheaper phone.

Still, I stand behind my point.

Still, Go Falcons!!!

Banker Bob

June 3rd, 2012
7:50 pm

Falkirk – your point is fine, but marketshare dictates FUTURE earnings. Eventually the overly priced Iphones will be forced to reduce their price because of competition, and then, it WILL matter who has the most phones out there.

buywhatyoulike

June 3rd, 2012
10:11 pm

Can’t wait for the Galaxy S3 this summer.

mystery poster

June 4th, 2012
3:34 pm

I dunno, when I hear 30% market share but 70% profit share, I think I’m getting ripped off…