Sunday, July 3, 2011

Android Devices Growing But iOS Devices Could Be Defining Mobile Use

Android adoption has grown at a rate head-and-shoulders above everyone else.  The latest figure provided by Google showed that Android adoption is coming in at 500,000 units a day.  This information come across as a tweet from Andy Rubin, Google's Android-in-chief (Venture Beat).  And while no one else can lay claim to anything close, it could be Apple's iOS devices that are leading the charge in actual mobile use and future habits.

These Android figures do not accurate definite what is actually being sold, updates, or anything along that line.  What we do know is that Android tablets are gaining as wide an acceptance as its smartphone counterparts.  More than that, Apple's tablet, the iPad, is controlling more than a lion's share of use.  Internationally, the iPad controls nearly 90% of tablet browsing while it controls 97% of US share on the Web for tablets (Macrumors).  Now, comes word that iOS browsing controls 60% of all US mobile browsing (Fortune).  

That is saying quite a bit for a platform that many consider lose marketshare in a few years and even be overtaken by Microsoft's Windows Phone.  Whether that'll happen or not, time will tell but near terms, iPhone sales are growing once against and Android sales are now flat thank largely to CDMA iPhone sales.  

And with the pace of innovation and the coming iOS 5 update as well as a possible new iPhone hardware in the wings, it could be Apple further defining how mobile users, not only iOS users, use their smartphones and tablets.  It is not just native apps versus web apps but in areas like multi-touch, voice, and messaging.  

Thus, it's imperative that Google, RIM, Microsoft, and others continue to innovate in areas and absolutely avoid playing to Apple's rules.  And yes, Apple does need a kick in the butt from time to time.  And perhaps, iOS will go from second to third in a few years in terms of market share but by then, the market will expect other platforms to conform to how iOS devices work and serve our mobile needs.

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