Android picked to outsell Symbian by year's end

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ArtooDetoo

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Topic # 85149 14-Jun-2011 20:02

According to newly released stats from Kantar WorldPanel Comtech and reported in the UK's Guardian newspaper, Android's climb has continued unabated. The following figures are quoted from that report, rounded to the nearest whole number where possible.

Year to March 2011
          Android          Symbian          iOS
GB     +29%             -15%             -17%
GER   +34%           -22%             -11%
FR     +29%             -13%             -24%
ITA    +17%             -16%             +1.5

9 months to March 2011
          Android          Symbian          iOS
US     +36%            -9%                +6%
AUS +26%            -19%              -1%
JAP    +36%            -19%              -10%

(Excuse the cr@ppy formatting. Tab isn't working in this input box.}

It's most interesting to note that even in the US, Apple's presumed home field advantage has only delivered a 6% market share increase, that including the launch of the iPhone 4 on Verizon, the US's largest mobile network. Across the countries surveyed, Apple's average drop in market share was 8%, but that was small potatoes compared to the hit Symbian took - a staggering 16% drop.

One caveat - Although Apple's iOS had only a 6% gain in the US, it should be remembered that when compared to the iOS drop reported in the other large first world countries surveyed, their performance was 14% better than the world average, and the US has roughly a 50% share of the maker's products.

Having said that, it's certainly beyond question that Android is a tour de force in the smartphone arena.

Gartner, the respected industry research company, has predicted that it's possible, if not probable, that Samsung will overtake Nokia as the world's biggest smartphone maker in the third quarter of this year. With the Galaxy S 2 production ramping up, and massive apparent demand for the device, Samsung seems a virtual certainty to take the smartphone crown.

Now, with all that momentum, Google should be implementing a programme of massive product improvement. One can wish...

Cheers,
R2D2

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Reply # 481178 14-Jun-2011 20:34

because Android is the best! lol ;) nice

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billgates

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Reply # 481188 14-Jun-2011 21:10

Symbian devices are available in mid-high end pricing. Android devices are available in low-mid-high end pricing. iOS is high end pricing. Windows Phone is high end pricing. Nokia will bring mid-high end pricing for Windows Phone to the table for sure.

Would be intersting to see the sales figures of android devices by their pricing structure. It would be no where near the iPhone. As AFAIK, the top most selling android smartphone I have read about is the Samsung Galaxy S which has sold close to 11 million units so far in just over a year. iPhone sold 18 million units just last quarter.

Do whatever you want to do man.

tdgeek

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Reply # 481199 14-Jun-2011 21:30

Yes, you do have to look at apples vs apples excuse the pun.

Off course Andriod will dominate, but not due to CdTDroiD's incessant fanboi comments.

Android is a very good OS, as is iOS, some like one, some like the other. There are a lot of boxes to tick, everyones has their own requirements.

But you do have to remember that iOS 's figures are made up of one phone model provided by one manufacturer. Android is across many manufacturers, and many models, low end, mid range and the top end. So it will certainly take over, by virtue of volume. Plus, Apple is only in the top end price segment, so it will not make sales in the low and mid range as it has no products. You can compare the one phone that is in the same segment as iPhone, the Galaxy, that will give two high end phones a fair competition. In this case, the competition is iOS vs Android not Apple vs Samsung

Dunnersfella

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Reply # 481215 14-Jun-2011 22:02

tdgeek: Yes, you do have to look at apples vs apples excuse the pun.

Off course Andriod will dominate, but not due to CdTDroiD's incessant fanboi comments.

Android is a very good OS, as is iOS, some like one, some like the other. There are a lot of boxes to tick, everyones has their own requirements.

But you do have to remember that iOS 's figures are made up of one phone model provided by one manufacturer. Android is across many manufacturers, and many models, low end, mid range and the top end. So it will certainly take over, by virtue of volume. Plus, Apple is only in the top end price segment, so it will not make sales in the low and mid range as it has no products. You can compare the one phone that is in the same segment as iPhone, the Galaxy, that will give two high end phones a fair competition. In this case, the competition is iOS vs Android not Apple vs Samsung

Well that seems fair - the OP is only a small slice of the picture.
Perspective in the market is a good thing.

tdgeek

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Reply # 481224 14-Jun-2011 22:18

---Well that seems fair - the OP is only a small slice of the picture.
Perspective in the market is a good thng.---

Clarify?

Dunnersfella

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Reply # 481228 14-Jun-2011 22:30

tdgeek:
Clarify?

The market is full of market share figures - almost every day we see a 'Android is this, iOS is this, Symbian isn't this, Nokia aren't that' etc...
But here's the thing, you can't put market share in the bank.
Simply put, you can't pay people in percentages.
So taking into account the price that the phones are sold at is KEY, but it's almost always left out of the press releases we all see on websites / blogs.

tdgeek

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Reply # 481233 14-Jun-2011 22:40

Agreed. You will over time be able to get a fair representation of Phone 7 as there will be many models using WP7, to compare with Android.

iOS, you can never really see the comparative share, unless there was a model or models that had a choice of iOS or WP7 or Android, which wont happen. But having said that Apple seem happy being their own mobile phone ecosystem.

ArtooDetoo

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Reply # 481283 15-Jun-2011 07:40

billgates: As AFAIK, the top most selling android smartphone I have read about is the Samsung Galaxy S which has sold close to 11 million units so far in just over a year. iPhone sold 18 million units just last quarter.

I haven't followed the unit sales from each manufacturer, but that would be interesting in itself. If you have access to the figures, you could add them to this thread. Or maybe even start a parallel thread as I'm sure it will interest more than a few here.

Cheers,
R2D2

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ArtooDetoo

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Reply # 481288 15-Jun-2011 07:52

tdgeek:
But you do have to remember that iOS 's figures are made up of one phone model provided by one manufacturer.

I've seen that written on numerous occasions but it's not actually true. iOS has 2 smartphone models - iPhone 3Gs and iPhone 4. (If anyone knows the percentage of each device in the iOS universe, I'd be interested).

tdgeek:
Plus, Apple is only in the top end price segment, so it will not make sales in the low and mid range as it has no products.

Again, not actually true, although stated as a fact often enough. The 3Gs is Apple's mid market offering now, as the iP4 will become when the iP5 is released in September. The iP3Gs sells for US$99 in that market, certainly not a high price. Apple will likely never sell a low end phone because their business model demands a higher than average profit margin, IMHO something that a low-priced phone cannot deliver.

Cheers,
R2D2

Edit: spelling

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ArtooDetoo

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Reply # 481295 15-Jun-2011 08:13

Dunnersfella:
So taking into account the price that the phones are sold at is KEY, but it's almost always left out of the press releases we all see on websites / blogs.

Agreed. It doesn't matter how many market share percentage points you have if you're making a loss on every phone, and as long as a manufacturer is profitable and growing, then the shareholders will be happy.

Conversely though, if the manufacturer is seen to have a shrinking proportion of the market, even though profitable, it can make them less attractive to the purchasing public - something that is evident with both RIM and Nokia right now, and could easily spiral down to where their presence in the market is irrelevant, with the attendant loss of shareholder support.

Apple, in that respect, is certainly in no danger. Nor do I expect it will be since its management understands that to survive, it needs to always have the 'next great thing' under development. Their track record in that respect is outstanding.

Cheers,
R2D2

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tdgeek

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Reply # 481316 15-Jun-2011 09:09

---iOS has 2 smartphone models - iPhone 3Gs and iPhone 4.--- thats why I put model as unlike other brands they are very very similar, I should have clarified that

---The iP3Gs sells for US$99 ---

Although that is on a 2 year contract or US$449 + tax is bought outright.

---it needs to always have the 'next great thing' under development. Their track record in that respect is outstanding.(Re Apple) ---

The good thing is the big 3 or eventual big 3 (Apple, Google, Microsoft) will all be doing this to outdo the other, so for end users a market driven push in cellphone features

ArtooDetoo

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Reply # 481396 15-Jun-2011 11:46

tdgeek:

Although that is on a 2 year contract or US$449 + tax is bought outright.

Rumour has it that the iPhone 4 will be available next week unlocked from the US Apple Store for $649, $200 more than the 3Gs, so the 3Gs is mid-range to me. YMMV. Also, the 3Gs has been specialled recently for $49 on a plan.

The rumoured change of heart from Apple re the unlocked phones' availability in the States is in itself interesting. That gets them onto Sprint and T-Mobile amongst others without the US customers having to import, so that will also help iOS market share going forward. Apple certainly are not relinquishing market share without a fight.

We'll revisit this topic in the first week of July I think, when Q2 results are posted by Gartner, IDC and Nielsen. My prediction is that Android will continue its growth, Symbian will continue its slide and iOS will remain steady. Actually, I'd venture that Symbian will continue losing share until the end of Q3 and into Q4 since that's when the pundits are assuming WinPhone7/Mango will begin powering Nokia's devices.

And that's when it'll get more interesting.

Cheers,
R2D2

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tdgeek

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Reply # 481413 15-Jun-2011 12:13

Fair enough, good comments. I guess I dont see the 3GS as mid range as I see it as an older phone, behind the current featureset, unlike a new lower priced device. Perhaps Apple may enter the midrange as they do with iPods. An iPhone5 Lite, but that all gets messy as you would probably need two iOS's. Or a new phone that has the latest iOS with a smaller screen, less high end stuff as you get in lower end phones. Methinks the iPhone buffs like me will always get the top phone, but this would add new users to the Apple phone range if there was a NZ$499 new iPhone to choose from.Then make the 3GS if new, to a NZ$299 phone. The margins may be lower, but there are sales to users that would not have got an iPhone, and ongoing revenue from the AppStore.

But all in all, whatever phone you prefer, its healthy compeitition with is an enduser direct benefit.

oxnsox

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Reply # 481420 15-Jun-2011 12:26

The market for all platforms and products is worldwide. Why is it we tend to focus soo much on the American market where, it appears, they have poorer network performance than many other developed countries??

ArtooDetoo

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Reply # 481426 15-Jun-2011 12:38

oxnsox: The market for all platforms and products is worldwide. Why is it we tend to focus soo much on the American market where, it appears, they have poorer network performance than many other developed countries??

Not sure what you mean oxnsox. The numbers quoted at the top of this thread are the major smartphone markets in terms of units, and encompass the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and japan. It's not truly worldwide per sé, but it represents the bulk of smartphone sales.

The US gets a lot of attention because the majority of the English speaking web is US based, and they're a fairly insular people - perhaps that's why US figures are quoted so heavily. I believe that approximately 50% of all smartphone sales are in the US, so it doesn't surprise me that the mobile-related online media panders to that market.

But maybe you meant something entirely different? If so, my apologies.

Cheers,
R2D2

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