By Bryan Winters
Right now there are four major players up for this huge global market.
1. Android
2. Apple
3. Microsoft
4. Blackberry
Comparing the different smartphone
Industry experts love predicting who the winners and losers will be in this race, and the interesting thing is how industry experts can be wrong. Well, that's not particularly surprising. Apparently futurists, statistically speaking, have a bad record. Most forecasted futures don't happen.
So it was fun to look back at last year view on this year in smartphone world. Before we go there though, let's first ask the question, are we comparing apples with apples? – if you'll please excuse the pun.
- You see Apple sells hardware and software combined into a single device – the iPhone.
- Windows sells software onto different smartphone manufacturer devices. Just like it does with PCs.
- Blackberry is the same as Apple – a combined hardware and software offering.
- And Android doesn't sell anything. It is given away. It ends up on many different manufacturer devices.
What got predicted last year then?
Gartner, a leading global forecaster, saw that Android had climbed for four consecutive years from 4% in 2009 to 60% in 2012. Apple had climbed moderately from 14% to 22%. Windows had seriously entered the fray however.
Gartner, and others, decided a year ago that Androids run was finished. Another commentator claimed in June 2012, "Android growth to end in 2012 as Microsoft begins to steal Google and Apple's thunder."
What is 2013 looking like? The June 2013 quarter saw Android capture 79% of the global market for smartphones and 68% of the tablet market. Windows phone rose from 3.1% to 3.7%.
Doesn't pay to be an industry forecaster. That's what I reckon.
Bruce - 10 years ago
…the real winner in this “war” has been the consumer; the guy in the street like you and I.
It’s now 2014 and the “smart phone” has well and truly entered the “commodity product” phase of it’s existence. Which means, mass manufacturing at prices we can all afford. The world leader in pure product shipment terms is now China; they have introduced very sophisticated smartphones with features similar to the so called “leaders” yet they can do this for one third the price.
I have used a Chinese smartphone (Android) for 2 years and it is still as good as the day I bought it. So any one thinking of purchasing one of these; no need to break your bank account any longer – the cheap, reliable and clever smartphone is here now.