Android a sinking ship?

[Aerimus]

Just point those idiots in this direction:

Android's UK phone sales quadruple ? The Register

"Sales of Android-based phones more than quadrupled in the UK during the most-recent quarter."

Seriously. In the end the article really was taking data that, albeit was sobering, was not indicative of what they were pulling from it. You can't use one set of data, and ignore all other sets of data. Android is growing faster than any other mobile OS and their are obviously going to be some bumps along the way. But that article seems to me like a kid who had a book report and wrote it an hour before his class started with only skimming the cliff notes. That guy should be fired.

 

[Aerimus]

This only applies to the Nexus One.

They collect their data by brand, so they have no information on "Android Users" in general because all other brands makes phones with different OS's. HTC doesn't only make android phones, so the number of HTC phone users who will purchase Android phones doesn't equate to Android users wanting Android phones.

Edited to add: Apparently, this also applies to the G1

Mostly true, but the article specifically states that it's all "with google" phones, which would also include some others including the Mytouch etc. Feel free to correct me and add the other "with google" labeled phones.

 

[byteware]

Just point those idiots in this direction:

Android's UK phone sales quadruple ? The Register

"Sales of Android-based phones more than quadrupled in the UK during the most-recent quarter."

What's also interesting is that Apple lost market share, even though the market didn't grow.

So, it's not a case of "it grew, but less than the overall market". It's a case of the market stayed the same, and Apple lost market share.

 

[LoyalServant]

That's always been the issue with Apple..... they gain huge amounts of market share early on, and instead of fostering an environment that they can hold onto that share and expand it they screw it up.
I think they do it on purpose...

Then others come along and fill the gap, people start jumping ship - which is what we are seeing now... their market share declining.

Then the media reports Apple having blow-out quarters despite losing market share (??) and how phenominal they are doing despite the fact that on paper they look like crap financially compared to everyone else...

Microsoft sells 10 copies of Window$ a second... which is over 350 million copies a year but Apple is having a blow out quarter with a few million computers sold... okay.

I don't see Apple gaining market share anytime soon.
But I am not predicting their demise as others like to do.
They will live, but it will still be a product that caters to a very small crowd.

 

[lunatic59]

Mostly true, but the article specifically states that it's all "with google" phones, which would also include some others including the Mytouch etc. Feel free to correct me and add the other "with google" labeled phones.

There are so many problems with the data set that any reasonable conclusion is impossible, and even generalities are questionable. The biggest problem is that the data specifically excludes the majority of handsets that compete directly with the iPhone. The most notable would be the HTC EVO and the Desire, Droid (all versions) and the Galaxy Class from Samsung. The rationale being that because the UI is common across OS's it would unfairly skew the data, however the survey has done just that only in Apple's favor by excluding these numbers.

For me to understand these conclusions i'd need to see the data at a much more granular level and trend it for myself. Honestly, I don't trust blogs to provide any useful information since they fall under the broad spectrum of editorial content and therefore can promote (erroneous) conclusions with a specific agenda. The "blogosphere" is quickly becoming a serious weapon in the arsenal of marketing firms.

 

[Aerimus]

What's also interesting is that Apple lost market share, even though the market didn't grow.

So, it's not a case of "it grew, but less than the overall market". It's a case of the market stayed the same, and Apple lost market share.

You misread it. All phone sales, including dumb phone sales were stagnant. However, smartphone sales were up 21% year over year.

Smartphones as a group accounted for exactly two-thirds of all contract sales in the second quarter of the year, an increase of over 21 per cent when compared to the same period in 2009. To be exact, GfK's stats refer to what they call "Advanced OS" phones, which they define as phones that "are able to run independent compatible applications." We'll call them smartphones.

Interestingly, overall contract-sales growth

 

[Aerimus]

There are so many problems with the data set that any reasonable conclusion is impossible, and even generalities are questionable. The biggest problem is that the data specifically excludes the majority of handsets that compete directly with the iPhone. The most notable would be the HTC EVO and the Desire, Droid (all versions) and the Galaxy Class from Samsung. The rationale being that because the UI is common across OS's it would unfairly skew the data, however the survey has done just that only in Apple's favor by excluding these numbers.

For me to understand these conclusions i'd need to see the data at a much more granular level and trend it for myself. Honestly, I don't trust blogs to provide any useful information since they fall under the broad spectrum of editorial content and therefore can promote (erroneous) conclusions with a specific agenda. The "blogosphere" is quickly becoming a serious weapon in the arsenal of marketing firms.

I totally agree, and this is a VERY horrible(great?) example of a blog post gone wrong.

 

[vbetts]

Android isn't going anywhere anytime soon. All the phone companies are jumping on Android like little school girls, and can't get enough of it. People want Android, and Android has proven to be what anyone of almost any age wants. I've sold the Backflip to people mainly looking for a phone for their kid. I've sold the Hero to teens(above 18 of course) and up to middle 30s, Moment and Intercept I've sold to the older crowd. Evo, I've sold to everyone. Same with the My Touch Slide. We don't sell Palm Pre any more. I do sell Iphones, but compared to Android phones my Iphone sales are nothing.

 

[byteware]

You misread it. All phone sales, including dumb phone sales were stagnant. However, smartphone sales were up 21% year over year.

I didn't misread it.

Smartphones as a group accounted for exactly two-thirds of all contract sales in the second quarter of the year, an increase of over 21 per cent when compared to the same period in 2009.

It's a 21% increase over Q2 2009, not a 21% increase over Q1 2010.

Interestingly, overall contract-sales growth

 

[partridge]

Seriously. In the end the article really was taking data that, albeit was sobering, was not indicative of what they were pulling from it. You can't use one set of data, and ignore all other sets of data. Android is growing faster than any other mobile OS and their are obviously going to be some bumps along the way. But that article seems to me like a kid who had a book report and wrote it an hour before his class started with only skimming the cliff notes. That guy should be fired.

Read the news, google it, whatever, but it is clear to anyone with a working brain that Android is on the rise, big time.

To be honest, having read your posts I'm not even sure what your standpoint is or what you're trying to say about this topic other than criticising everyone elses posts.