In Q4 last year, Apple was best selling handset brand, sold 37 million Smartphone. In number of shipment, none of Android-based Smartphones were close to iOS-based iPhone in Q4 last year. But, a leading market research company NPD has reportedly stated that Android was real winner in Q4 last year. The research firm stated, in all Smartphone buyers, Android grabbed 48% of the total Smartphone market share, while iOS succeeded to account just 43% of share. Android was considerably ahead of Apple’s iOS among first-time Smartphone buyers in Q4 last year. Android attracted 57% of First-Time Smartphone Buyers, while Apple lured only 34% in Q4 of 2011.
Executive director, connected intelligence for The NPD Group—Ross Rubin—said, “Attracted by a faster processor, improved camera and the Siri speech-driven agent, most iPhone buyers paid a premium for the iphone 4S, making it the top-selling handset in Q4. The iPhone 4S outsold the iPhone 4 by 75%, and outsold the iPhone 3GS, available for free on AT&T, five to one.”
Some of users distracted from Apple’s iPhone due to lack of 4G connectivity, whereas, Android support of LTE at Verizon—exclusively preferred by users in US. A wide range of Android apps and supporting to carriers’ fastest network gave big advantages for proliferation of Android OS worldwide. In addition to these advantages, Android was preferred worldwide definitely due to its price, features, and carrier ability especially support of LTE.
The biggest problem for the Android is its fragmentation, and there isn’t a single mobile OEM brand like Apple that is securing a huge market share. There’s a big competition among Android manufactures itself for the shipment, ironically, the Android features like display are different on different devices—which can be changed according to users’ preference. That’s why Samsung were dominated over LG, HTC and more, despite of all having the same OS.
Undoubtedly, Android and iOS were dominating over whole mobile OS market in Q4 last year—collectively accounted 91% of the total mobile OS market share. The strategy of both Apple and Android are different, Apple offers few Smartphone a year—release a new model each year—whereas, there are number of Android Smartphone in the market with many OEM players.
source: The NPD
