Google’s mobile and desktop web browsers had their best performance ever in December, NetApplications says in its latest study. Although Android still trails the iPhone in absolute share of the web with just 0.05 percent versus Apple’s 0.44 percent, it grew a much faster 54.8 percent versus just 20.1 percent for Apple’s platform. The BlackBerry too had a better month at 22.2 percent growth while the only major platforms below them are Symbian (19 percent growth) and Java ME (15.6 percent).
Let’s keep the numbers simple and examine these factoids.
Let’s say that for every 0.01% of absolute web share, it equals 1 million devices. That puts Apple at 44 million and Android at 5 million. Apple’s iPhone OS devices are sitting around the 50 million mark so that’s not a bad estimate.
Android’s web use grew 54.8% whereas Apple only grew 20.1%. So Androids web browsing share grew 54% to the current level (of 0.05%) and iPhone’s share grew 20% to the current level (of 0.44%). So using the figures above (for devices), we’re guessing that Android sold about 1.75 million devices. And Apple sold about 8 million. In the same period.
That’s great growth, Android. Not.
All of these numbers are bollocks anyway. I reckon Android phone browse more than most due to the usability of the web combined with the lack of decent native apps. It’s therefore my opinion that even though this article is overstating Android considerably, it’s probably doubly overstated.
I moved from iPhone to Android(HTC hero) at beginning of december. The android device is no way perfect. Video playback is not great with large files, the keyboard was very slow until I took off haptic feedback and it definitely isn’t as simple as the iPhone to pick up and just use. However, on the positive side:
I can run multiple apps at once(listen to streaming radio while using my tracks to map my running routes for instance)
I am not limited by the apple (and mobile provider) monopoly on the app store so my iplayer app works on wifi, hsdpa and 3g which is great for the way into work.
There are thousands of apps in the market place, I haven’t felt limited yet by the apps on offer(well actually the facebook one is a bit crap) and these apps are being added to and improving at a hell of a rate.
I think that android is a real competitor to iPhone, the 2.0/2.1 release when made properly available will be the decider but would expect to see the numbers above changing in the following year.
I’m not denying that Android is possibly the only competitor but it’s plain to see that it’s still not there yet.
The second factor with regards to the App Stores is the lack of apps for “everyone else”. I’m not surprised that you found all you needed – knowing what I know of you and I think that I would be the same. But we are not anywhere near the primary demographic for these markets. These are the folk who get the device and a few months later have spent a hundred quid more on apps which won’t port to the new platform.
In truth, my frustration with Android is purely functional. I’m not interested in only having 256 MB (or 340MB or 520MB) of apps available to me. I keep gigabytes of apps installed on my iPhone as it is. And neither the hardware nor the software support better.
Agree that its not there yet, if I was suggesting a new phone for my parents or someone else not especially tech proficient then the iPhone would be the one atm. But the useabilty and number of apps is getting there and there are a large number which cater to the “normal” user.
Wrt the number of apps which can be installed, I currently have approx 30 installed and wasn’t even aware that there is a limit. I believe some of the apps are allowed to run from (user expandable)sd card which may cure that potential issue but will see how it goes on.
Will be very interested to see the HTC release of eclair and am hopeful this will cure the video lag problem. That said, I also cant wait to see what Apple come up with for iPhone 3.* and 4.
The current OS cannot run apps from external cards and for the most part, Android phones have shipped with >512 MB of internal storge for apps. You may have around 30 apps installed but it’s not necessarily the number of apps, but the size of them. The handset manufacturers know this which is why the internal storage on phones hasn’t been great. But this is self-defeating as we saw with the G1 and Cupcake – the latter having to be hacked (stripped) to fit on the tiny amount of flash on the former.
The usability of apps is not really there by any stretch of the imagination but it’s something that is trotted out every now and then. Look at the Android JesusPhone – the Nexus One – UI designed for engineers by engineers.
And numbers? There may be 20 000 apps but they’re not, as a whole, great. And the big names aren’t there. I guess it proves one thing, Linux on the desktop was never delivered as promised (I’m sure 2010 will again be trumpeted as the Year of Desktop Linux), but Linux on Mobile actually has some potential.
Android is hamstrung by lacklustre software releases, poor (shoddy) software, hardware releases which are not forward compatible (or forward thinking) and a general lack of vision by the executors.
Y’know what’d be nice? If you actually had a Nexus One to try for yourself instead of trotting out all the tired apple fanboy unfacts you read around the internet. If you did you’d know that the UI is lovely and the app store has everything you could possibly want in it. Name a useful app on your iphone and I bet I can find something similar on android. The only area it’s lacking in is games, but it’s been a viable gaming platform for a lot shorter a period than the iphone, that will grow with time.
I can’t understand why you’re in such a hurry to bury android anyway – competition fosters creativity. If apple are forced to improve their platform because of having some genuine competition then you as an iphone user will benefit too – what good does it do you to badmouth android? Do you have some personal interest in seeing Steve Jobs’ pocket grow fatter? Let apple do their own advertising, and try looking at things with unbiased eyes for a moment.
I’ve used a HTC Magic and a a HTC Hero. Quite extensively (which is what happens when people I work with get technology – inevitably I have to fix them) Other than OLED and speed there’s nothing the Nexus One can offer over and above those.
The UI on Android is only lovely to people who are neither discerning nor aware. The scrolling and touch provide odd lags and yes, this will improve on the Nexus One but it shouldn’t happen on second generation hardware (like the Magic and the Hero).
The hardware has been capable of games but it’s developed so much slower. Stupid design decisions such as limiting app size and the issues with this compunded by a lack of internal space and apps needing to reside on internal flash means they handicap app development before they start. You’re complaining that I’m spreading unfacts, yet everything I wrote above was true at the time of writing, three months ago. I don’t think anything has changed either – so why don’t you stop being a Fandroid and take it for what it is.
It’s simple Niall. It should be better. It’s had the time. It has developer mindshare. It’s obvious that Android needs more than speed and OLED. But the problem is that Google is an engineering company, not a design company and with the Nexus One, they make this evident. This is why the colour depth is all wrong on it.
So, it’s more than “tired apple fanboy unfacts” and if you can’t see that, maybe you need to turn your attention back on yourself. I want Android to be better. You seem happy with being shortchanged.