Android is losing the smartphone war!

[ApplePope]

Consumers are going to find that buying an Android smartphone locks them into an ageing operating system

JOHANNESBURG - Fragmentation is busy killing Google’s OS, as Apple comes close to outselling Android for the first time.
Sales of Apple iOS and Android smartphones are now neck and neck in the US. According to research outfit NPD Group, iOS phones accounted for 43% of smartphones sold in the US in October and November. Android’s share? 47%. That’s the closest Apple’s operating system has ever been to Google’s “juggernaut”.
But, “Android is winning”.
Yes, Apple’s share of sales in those months (not to be confused with overall market share) would be higher because of the launch of the iPhone 4S. It’s also managed to succeed in the “middle” market by reducing the price of the iPhone 4 and the iPhone 3GS.
It’s these three devices that outsold all others in the US during October and November. That’s more sales than the Samsung Galaxy S II 4G and the Galaxy S – the two phones that helped propel Samsung to a record quarter.
The launch of the Samsung Nexus will no doubt change these rankings for the complete quarter (when December is included). Then again, Apple did see record activations over the holidays.
But, “Android is winning”.
HTC and Motorola’s sales are going backwards. In fact, HTC (the second-largest Android device maker) posted its first profit decline in two years. We don’t know yet how bad Motorola’s results are going to be, but they’re bad enough for the company to have warned about them before their release at the end of January. At least Samsung posted a record quarterly profit (on the back of those completely original smartphones that don’t copy a thing from anyone else).
And, Google’s deal to buy Motorola is up in the air and no one, especially the regulators, knows if it’s actually going to close. If that deal goes through, it’ll be negative for other device makers that have bet on Android. If it doesn’t go through, it’s arguably bad for Android as a whole too because Google loses the ability to build cohesive devices, focused on tight integration of hardware and software.
And what about that fragmentation?
Not even 1% of Android users are on the latest version (4.0/Ice Cream Sandwich) two months after it launched. In fact, according to Android’s own official stats, that number is 0.6%!

• More than half (55%) of Android’s active users are on Gingerbread (version 2.3), which was released in December 2010. And none of these users have any hope of ever upgrading to Ice Cream Sandwich (despite what Google tells you).

• A third of users (30.4%) are stuck on Froyo! That’s an OS that’s 18 months old!

• And 10% (easily 12 million devices) are somehow still using Donut and Eclair!?

Let’s not even get started on the Honeycomb (tablet) stats.
Consumers are going to start figuring out that buying an Android smartphone locks them into an ageing operating system that they cannot upgrade. Unless Google fixes this mess, and quickly…

So, how many people here are on 4.0 ics? i know I'm on the latest iOS version

Android is losing the smartphone war - Broadband | Moneyweb

[Doctor_Doom]

And somewhere, people care.

Doom however does not and nor does any of his 2,500+ salves.

[Ps360]

hows everyone on the iphone 3g and the regular iphone loving iOS5


also the froyo/doughnut/eclair phones and such don't have the hardware to support ICS (ICS is native 720p and such) which makes sense.


My samsung galaxy s2 is stuck at gingerbread right now but samsung is currently optimizing the ICS update for it right now, or i can just go download a third party one right now if i wanted to.


ICS is already out for the Transformer prime and the original transformer (which is a honeycomb tablet).



also taking news posts from a local south african news source seems like your grasping at straws

[ApplePope]

And somewhere, people care.

Doom however does not and nor does any of his 2,500+ salves.

You sound more like the incredible Hulk, i think he speaks in third person

hows everyone on the iphone 3g and the regular iphone loving iOS5

Its about time they updated to a new phone, anyway the majority of iPhone users can be using iOS 5 unlike Android users left behind.

[Nagflar]

You sound more like the incredible Hulk, i think he speaks in third person

Guess you don't really read comics with Doctor Doom in them.

[Ps360]

Guess you don't really read comics with Doctor Doom in them.

wasn't he the fantastic four villian.

im not sure i liked that series or not

oh well.

[ApplePope]

Guess you don't really read comics with Doctor Doom in them.

i guess not, I'm more of a DC person anyway

[Ps360]

the reason HTC did a decline is because they didn't really put out a good phone in a while (that apple lawsuit loss isn't helping) (the Titan 2 will probably be their return, but it uses the Windows mobile OS so dunno)

Motorola puts out the droid alot so i doubt they will have bad sales records.


and samsung is currently dominant in the entire smartphone industry, don't need a science degree to find out why they are making so much money


And now ASUS is dominating the Tablet part with it's transformer series. The Prime is the first tablet on the market with the Tegra 3, which is a massive improvement over all the other tablets out there due to it being a Quad core processor. Not to mention they listened to customers when making the prime and has a good price. It's doing so well they are releasing a economic 7-inch version for $249 (called the ASUS memo, but we all know what that is) and a 100$ more 1080p Screen version with a 5 MP camera upgrade on the front cam.

[ApplePope]

the reason HTC did a decline is because they didn't really put out a good phone in a while (that apple lawsuit loss isn't helping) (the Titan 2 will probably be their return, but it uses the Windows mobile OS so dunno)

Motorola puts out the droid alot so i doubt they will have bad sales records.


and samsung is currently dominant in the entire smartphone industry, don't need a science degree to find out why they are making so much money


And now ASUS is dominating the Tablet part with it's transformer series. The Prime is the first tablet on the market with the Tegra 3, which is a massive improvement over all the other tablets out there.

The HTC titan 2 isn't even dual core? what is that? Not future proofing the device for when WP7 apollo comes out.

Motorola isn't that safe, not even the investors have faith in Googles aquisition of Motorola
Investors lose faith in Google

Samsungs success is based on copying every Apple device with bumped up specs.

Asus is not dominating the tablet market, the might have the most powerful tablet but their sales are not even denting the iPads

[Ps360]

Motorola isn't that safe, not even the investors have faith in Googles aquisition of Motorola
Investors lose faith in Google

don't see what they are worrying about, The Mobile side of motorola and google will make a great bunch.


also the 4s Pretty much ripped everything the S2 had (remember, it came out internationally in febuary of last year, it only touched the US Right before the 4S was announced. the 4S Doesn't even have NFC or a AMOLED screen.)


for people who want a comparison between the phones:

US AT&T version (the closest to the International version you can get in the US):
http://www.compare-cellphones.org/Sa...pple-iPhone-4S


International version:
http://www.compare-cellphones.org/Ap...ng-Galaxy-S-II

[ApplePope]

don't see what they are worrying about, The Mobile side of motorola and google will make a great bunch.


also the 4s Pretty much ripped everything the S2 had (remember, it came out internationally in febuary of last year, it only touched the US Right before the 4S was announced. the 4S Doesn't even have NFC or a AMOLED screen.)


for people who want a comparison between the phones:
Apple iPhone 4S vs Samsung Galaxy S II

So the 4S copied Samsung because they both came out in the US around the same time? I fail to see the logic in that? The 4S certainly did not copy the S2, it had the exact same design as the iPhone 4 and it has the same processor as the iPad 2. The only thing the same is the camera even though the iPhones one is superior

How is the iPhone 4S copying the S2? tell me how?

[Wargazsem]

And somewhere, people care.

Doom however does not and nor does any of his 2,500+ salves.

Had to post, his shit kill's me and I have no idea why. This pic's sum's Doom up.

[Tyrion619]

I'm just gonna go ahead and quote myself from a different thread and end this.

When the iPhone comes out with expandable memory, replaceable battery, the ability to add 3rd party & user-created apps (without having to jailbreak it), and a screen that doesn't shatter if you drop it from a foot off the ground, then maybe I'll consider getting one.

Until then, all iPhone arguments are rendered null & void. Period.

[Wargazsem]

I'm just gonna go ahead and quote myself from a different thread and end this.

Welp, can't argue with that, damn what is this world coming to raider fan broncos fan keep agreeing. I'm still using the ole backflip phone, think I've been up for an upgrade for awhile now.

[Ps360]

So the 4S copied Samsung because they both came out in the US around the same time? I fail to see the logic in that? The 4S certainly did not copy the S2, it had the exact same design as the iPhone 4 and it has the same processor as the iPad 2. The only thing the same is the camera even though the iPhones one is superior

How is the iPhone 4S copying the S2? tell me how?

When the International version came out they had this ad shown in the countries it came out to (Way Before the US launch) around Jun 24, 2011. They partnered with Vlingo Voice services to make a program for their phone. It's main purpose is to do hands free stuff while driving (write memos, look for music, GPS navigation, all that nice stuff):





Guess what iPhone 4S Unveiled as it's main "upgrade reason" feature?

Siri!







These are totally not Related in any way possible!


"but siri tells you cupcake recipies hurp"


But Android comes with google voice search, Pre-installed into every single android phone.




the Samsung Galaxy S2 Has a Notifications bar that is really easy to use, basically all you do is swipe from the top and bam, Notifications that are easy to access and read on a nice grey-ish background.



When the iPhone 4S was unveiled, it has the same exact feature, right down to the UI (picture of the S2 taken from my phone, Nothing has been changed UI Wise at all. You can go to your local AT&T store and see for yourself.)

Pictured: "Great artists steal" - Steve Jobs

That alone is enough for it to be called a ripoff, but i can continue if you want.




ill just throw this in for extra measure

[ApplePope]

Apple was just delivering the users what they needed with the notification centre, i would compare that to Google bringing the App market to android.

Secondly, Apple bought Siri long before Vlingo and Samsung partnered up
BREAKING NEWS: Siri bought by Apple

[Tyrion619]

Welp, can't argue with that, damn what is this world coming to raider fan broncos fan keep agreeing. I'm still using the ole backflip phone, think I've been up for an upgrade for awhile now.

I know, right? Broncos fan & Raiders fan agreeing. Who woulda thought?

Even weirder is the fact that I've agreed with something Ps360 posted. Twice! In here and in the gun control thread.

[Ps360]

it's still ripping off vlingo, which came out in 2009

[ApplePope]

it's still ripping off vlingo, which came out in 2009

Siri was founded in 2007, so how is Apple copying GS2 now? huh?

Siri (software) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Doctor_Doom]

You sound more like the incredible Hulk, i think he speaks in third person.

Excuse me while Doom laughs hysterically. Doom smash, yes? Doom strongest there is!