The smartphone market is headed to a duopoly of Google's Android and Apple's iOS and perhaps it's time to sweat whether a No. 3 platform has a chance in hell to compete.
Nielsen on Tuesday outlined a few statistics that aren't surprising, but could be construed as alarming nonetheless.
- 71 percent of U.S. smartphone owners either own an Android device or iPhone.
- 83 percent of apps downloaded in the last 30 days use the iPhone or an Android device.
The chart below outlines the situation:
Given the current state of affairs I have to side with the carriers who want another option. The issue is I'm not sure who else can step up. Windows Phone 7 could be an option, but Nokia is a no-show in the U.S. RIM has its own issues. Who can step up and derail the duopoly or bust situation?
Related:
- 2012 Mobile state of the union: Part 1 of 3: Smartphones
- AT&T exec: Don't count out Microsoft or RIM in smartphone race
- Verizon CEO: There will be a legit No. 3 mobile OS
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