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Topic: Mobile OS

Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

Summary: As Android and iOS go head to head, BlackBerry has the most to lose with an already struggling marketshare.

Zack Whittaker

By for Between the Lines |

Apple, in whatever form today's launch may take, is investing a lot in the next-generation smartphone.

iOS' marketshare has stagnated at below 10 percent over the past year, increasing this year from 26 percent in April to 27 percent in July, according to comScore figures out in August.

Because Android runs on a variety of smartphones and therefore has a wider scope for market penetration, its share is far higher at from 36.4 percent in April to 41.8 percent in July. With this, it shows faster growth and expansion across the U.S. market.

As the BlackBerry share continues to drop from 25 percent to 21 percent between April and July, its dwindling figures leaves little to its defense.

(Source: Flickr)

iOS 5 alone will not knock out Android from the top spot of mobile operating systems. For Apple to come close, it needs to either sell more devices running iOS, or to increase its breadth across the iOS compatibility range.

Apple's share is limited to the iPhone and iPad, but is nevertheless held back by the traditional iPod as the thorn in its side. If Apple is to kill off a selection of the traditional iPod classic and shuffle models in favour of an iOS 5 powered iPod touch, the fight is on with Android as its nearest competitor.

While the increased spread of iOS devices may not displace Android's share, it could have a lasting effect on the BlackBerry; with recently announced phones hoping to rejuvenate poor sales and a meagre financial forecast.

BlackBerrys have, for some time, been the black sheep of the mobile market. While handsets are broad in range and have a higher, greater scope than the Windows Phone range, Microsoft doesn't seem to want to compete just yet. Had it wanted to, it would have sped up the Nokia deal to ensure the phone giant floods the market with upcoming Windows powered handsets.

As Research in Motion hangs on by its claws to the edge of the marketshare cliff, Android and iOS combined will be an unstoppable force in the mobile operating system marketshare. Microsoft, Research in Motion and Nokia will be left out in the dark as the top two battle it out -- as seen in the ongoing patent spat, probably in court.

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Topics: Mobile OS, Apple, Hardware, Mobility, BlackBerry

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19 comments
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  • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

    no android handset compares to the market share of iphone 4, and I kind of doubt many can compete with the blackberry bold or iphone 3gs. Let android sell as many dumb 'smartphones' as they want. Nobody is rushing to drop their bold or iphone for a bionic or whatever other $400 android.
    KenoshaSysAdmin
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

      @KenoshaSysAdmin Actually, I personally know 5 people who have traded in iPhones for high end Android phones and 1 who went from Android to iPhone.<br><br>The 5 who went to Android had a variety of reasons, but each said that they prefered the ability to get content where they wanted and disliked the Apple iTunes ecosystem among their reasons.<br><br>The 1 who went from Android to Apple was an early adopter of Android and had a bad experience with an early Android phone. They didn't want to do the work to sort through the Android world and found that the iPhone met their needs.<br><br>I personally have used BB, iPhone and Android and am currently very happy with my Droid Bionic and after the deals that VZ gave, I paid around $200 for it.
      sbf95070
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

        @sbf95070 These are people who like getting junk and don't mind spending hours tinkering. You, sir, have a specific kind of friends. They're not representative of the wider audiences. Apple's quality-ratified stuff is precisely what most want.
        pkhunter
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

        @pkhunter<br><br>Um, stats don't lie. It does NOT take a tech head to use an Android phone, nor is there a lot of tinkering needed.<br><br>These phones are NOT religious icons or sources of divine intervention into the world of mere mortals - they're tools to accomplish a specific task or set of tasks. You may bow at the alter of Jobs, facing toward Cupertino 5x a day, but the rest of the world has a more rational grasp on what's important. Why do Apple fans think everything Apple is a zero sum game?<br><br>Up-front acquisition and monthly telecom service costs are the primary concerns for the vast majority of users, then apps. Apple sells style along with a very nice user interface (UI); that's its schtick and it works for Apple. Google's Android is an operating system (OS) with an equally nice UI, and has a nice app catalog. Andoid is used by a variety of manufacturers; Apple refuses to license iOS. So, to establish OS market share for iOS and Android, you have to add up the market shares of each manufacturer's device sales based on OS. In that instance, monthly sales and activiations of Android devices outpaces iOS device activations. That fact does NOT reflect badly on Apple, the iPhone or iOS - its just a fact.

        Both iOS and Android are killing off the other mobile competitors - WPx, BB, WebOS, Symbian. The mobile market is rapidly consolidating around Android and iOS, so this is a win for both Apple and Google. It is NOT a zero sum game where Apple wins and Android loses.
        IP-Man
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

        @IP-Man While overall I don't disagree with your post you do lose credibility with some of your statements. Why is it that if somebody doesn't agree you have to jump to fanboy comments and BS like bowing to the alter of Jobs. That's just a lame talking point pathetic argument. Then to make the claim that Apple sells style. Again, lame talking point pathetic argument. People buy what they want or is available to them due to finances or carrier options. There are people out there that buy Apple products as a style accessory just as there are that will by an Android devices for the same reason, but in either case they are a small minority even though Apple haters try to portray them as the majority of Apple users.
        non-biased
        Reply Vote

  • It's Not Always About Apple - Get Over It!

    Wot? No Amazon Fire?

    The market may radically alter over the next few months, with both Android and M$ having to consider their pricing. As the AppleFan has said, no single phone will defeat the iPhone, at least for a while, but this discussion isn't about models, it's about OSs - and Apple has probably peaked, with the number - and more important - the *variety* of Android phones finally beginning to take its toll.
    Heenan73
    Reply Vote

    • MS is LOSING market share, not gaining

      @Heenan73 MS has lost over 50% of the market share it owned before the WP7 was released a year ago. Sorry, but I don't see MS as being in the competition here.

      Consumers have pretty much REJECTED the MetroUI and they keep trying to shove it down people's throat by adding it to Win8.
      wackoae
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

      @Heenan73 Correct, the conversation is about OS yet if I understood the article all Android devices were included but not all iOS devices were, only the iPhone and iPad.
      non-biased
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

    I see Android and Apple iOS going head to head for the main position and the differences between the two are becoming less of an issue. So they will battle back and forth for the next couple of years. BlackBerry on the other hand will appeal to those that are not interested in the Apple/Android turf war and who will have the advantage of seeing what BlackBerry has to offer in 2012. (Yes, I said advantage).
    Stix2002
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

    apple and BlackBerry are both going to end up having to bow to Android simply because of the one factor both seem to be missing,,blackberry and apple are both devices,,android is an operating system across a whole plethora of devices,,as long as apple is just apple it will continue to be a very profitable also ran,,android will continue to expand it's footprint in the market simply due to being offered by every major ( and most minor ) carrier,,and in just about every level of handset from entry level to extreme top of the line,, I for one will not be very sorry to see apple pushed back into their rightful position of taking money from suckers who choose not to think
    twisted4evr
    Reply Vote

    • Sorry but that is wrong

      @twisted4evr Android is the OS of mostly CRAPWARE. It has no real following and most "fandroids" are in reality nothing more than Apple haters.

      Android's numbers are mostly based on the fact that it is installed on a lot of crapware, not because it is a popular OS. You don't see people waiting in line to buy "the latest a greatest" or per-ordering stuff in drones because it is an Android product.

      If anything, Google's lack of control or quality may end up tarnishing the brand and in the long run Android may just be looked at as the OS of crapware.
      wackoae
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

      @twisted4evr <br><br>Hmmm... you claim that Apple is just a device while Android is an operating system across a plethora of devices.<br><br>Ever heard of the iPad? iPod Touch? Oddly devices that run Apple's mobile operating system -- you have heard of iOS?<br><br>Yes, Android is likely to continue to outsell Apple in the smartphone market due to the sheer volume of suppliers. On the other hand, Apple has the largest corporate share of the smartphone market, the tablet market and the music player market. Do you think that Samsung, Motorola, HTC, Nokia, etc.'s CEOs wouldn't sell their firstborn for Apple's market share?<br><br>Don't bother responding since I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person. It's not fair to you and no challenge for me.
      DNSB
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

      @twisted4evr Apple is not a device, it's a company. iOS is it's mobile OS just like Android is Google's mobile OS. The iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch are Apple's devices that run iOS. Now that it's been explained to you try to remember.

      Android has taken the majority of market share because the OEMs have flooded the market with devices running the OS from top of the line to low end crap. With this model using a quality OS like Android you are all but guaranteed to grab market share but market share leadership is not the end game for Apple and I think that is where so many miss the big picture. Sure, Apple would love to have the highest market share using their current model but they are fine being number 2 or 3 while holding around a quarter of the market in the US at least. Their goal is to produce a quality device that will sell well and produce nice profits for their share holders. If their ultimate goal was overall market share domination they would cut margins across the board and release more devices. With the 3GS continuing to be available on AT&T over the past year they saw a new market option that didn't require introducing new lower end models and they were very successful with it. Doing this again with the 4 and lowering the 3GS to free they are spreading themselves across more of the market without getting into the race to the bottom game that other OEMs have to deal with. Android OEMs constantly have to produce devices from high end to low end that differentiate themselves from each other and this is hurting their bottom line. I think in the long run Android will carry the larger market share if they can hold it together but the selection of devices will be slimmed down as the OEMs realize they can't maintain this model.
      non-biased
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

    When Android supports Secure Email, Notes, Calendar, Tasks and Contacts sync to my Outlook #and# good battery life like my Blackberry, then get back to me. (like never)
    John Hanks
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

    RIM will always have its core group, theses are people with a heavy investment in their Blackberries. They should eb able to keep the company afloat, while RIM figures out its next move.
    Rick_Kl
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

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  • RE: Android, iOS head to head; BlackBerrys to be hit the hardest

    for me, Android is like the Windows in mobile OS. I know there's WP7, but hey, we're talking about the status...
    zaghy2zy
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