Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010 • Hacker News Board

Re: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

#31

Post by wan23 » Mon, May 10, 2010, 6:13 PM UTC

not_an_alien wrote: post #22

revaaron wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. Fragmentation is probably the biggest reason we'll never see Android Market-sales on a per-device basis top what each iPhone user spends in the App Store- there's a wife range of CPU power, RAM, graphics capability, peripherals, multitouch or not, etc on Android devices. Like being back in the world of Windows CE...

The same is happening to the iPhone ecosystem; at a slower pace, but it's happening. Before it was the iPhone 2G; now it's iPhone 2G, 3G, 3GS, iPad, soon the new iPhone 4G... soon there will be way too many differences in resolution, screen size, CPU and OS too. Sales per-device is irrelevant, IMO. If I sell 100 for 10 devices, it's better than selling 90 for 3 devices. It's not like I have to add one IF() condition…

People don't seem to notice that on the iPhone platform fragmentation is limited because people keep buying new devices.

Usage stats from my app in April (somewhat unscientific but illustrates my point decently): iPhone 3G: 49 users iPhone 3GS: 48 users iPod Touch 2nd Gen 4 users iPod Touch 1st Gen 3 users iPhone Edge 2 users iPod touch 1 user iPad 1 user (might have been me...)

Re: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

#32

Post by MWinther » Mon, May 10, 2010, 6:14 PM UTC

not_an_alien wrote: post #22

revaaron wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. Fragmentation is probably the biggest reason we'll never see Android Market-sales on a per-device basis top what each iPhone user spends in the App Store- there's a wife range of CPU power, RAM, graphics capability, peripherals, multitouch or not, etc on Android devices. Like being back in the world of Windows CE...

The same is happening to the iPhone ecosystem; at a slower pace, but it's happening. Before it was the iPhone 2G; now it's iPhone 2G, 3G, 3GS, iPad, soon the new iPhone 4G... soon there will be way too many differences in resolution, screen size, CPU and OS too. Sales per-device is irrelevant, IMO. If I sell 100 for 10 devices, it's better than selling 90 for 3 devices. It's not like I have to add one IF() condition…

Well, the 2G is being phased out with the next OS release, meaning that even though people will still use their old one development will still be focused on a few core devices. The first major fragmentation will be with the new hi-res screen on the next iPhone, the 3G and 3GS aren't really that different to develop for.

Re: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

#33

Post by hboon » Mon, May 10, 2010, 6:15 PM UTC

not_an_alien wrote: post #21

While people will want to dismiss this because it's based in several devices, prior to the release of the new iPhone, and because it's still restricted to AT&T - all valid facts - the important thing to notice here is trend. Android devices have been gaining market pretty solidly lately; first the AdMob ad pushing statistics, now unit sales... this seems to be one from many more that will come. Apple has no reason to…

Not necessary. Their strategy seems to be going for the mass market with their iPhone-OS-based products rather than a niche with OS X-based products. Look at their:

1. Pricing for iPhone (after the initial launch), iPod touch and iPad launch price. They aren't the most expensive "smartphones" and tablets. 2. App store app prices, especially for iPhones/iPod touch. They don't control the prices, but they provide a list to choose from and they indirectly influence pricing. See (3). 3. App store top X, what's hot, etc charts. Apps are sold exactly like mp3s.

Re: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

#34

Post by dagw » Mon, May 10, 2010, 6:23 PM UTC

moultano wrote: post #7

davidedicillo wrote: post #2

No news here. 1. More networks, more devices. It's like saying that Windows sells more than Macbook Pros. 2. Everyone and their mothers knows that in a month Apple will introduce a new one 3. Soon the big majority of cell phones will be what we usually call smartphones. It would be fool to think that one single device will maintain dominate the marketshare. The point is that if you look at the single device, no-one i…

Does that matter to us? When I'm deciding what to support as a developer I care only about the size of the platform.

If all you care about is number of potential users you should target either S60 or JavaME.

Re: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

#35

Post by emehrkay » Mon, May 10, 2010, 6:30 PM UTC

Good to see that an open platform is leading the way with these "super personal computers" (phones/tablets).

I still love my iphone and pad, but it is nice to know that the market leader isnt some corporation who is bent on defining how the market should move

Re: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

#36

Post by ergo98 » Mon, May 10, 2010, 6:32 PM UTC

revaaron wrote: post #14

symesc wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. And I think this is why Adobe's anti-trust activity against Apple won't go very far. Apple is very comfortable taking part of the market, owning it, doing things their way, and making boatloads of money. They are not trying to be everything to everyone. Disclosure: I just switched from iPhone to a Google N1 because I was tired of the box Apple put me in.

@symesc: I just switched from an iPhone to a N1 for the same reason. An inferior phone for a dozen reasons- but a switch I plan to stick with, for now.

>An inferior phone for a dozen reasons

The iPhone 3GS is an inferior phone for a dozen reasons. In fact it could be called crippled.

Re: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

#37

Post by barrkel » Mon, May 10, 2010, 6:33 PM UTC

hboon wrote: post #33

not_an_alien wrote: post #21

While people will want to dismiss this because it's based in several devices, prior to the release of the new iPhone, and because it's still restricted to AT&T - all valid facts - the important thing to notice here is trend. Android devices have been gaining market pretty solidly lately; first the AdMob ad pushing statistics, now unit sales... this seems to be one from many more that will come. Apple has no reason to…

Not necessary. Their strategy seems to be going for the mass market with their iPhone-OS-based products rather than a niche with OS X-based products. Look at their: 1. Pricing for iPhone (after the initial launch), iPod touch and iPad launch price. They aren't the most expensive "smartphones" and tablets. 2. App store app prices, especially for iPhones/iPod touch. They don't control the prices, but they provide a lis…

And developer tool lock-in: section 3.3.1.

Re: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

#38

Post by ergo98 » Mon, May 10, 2010, 6:36 PM UTC

davidedicillo wrote: post #2

No news here. 1. More networks, more devices. It's like saying that Windows sells more than Macbook Pros. 2. Everyone and their mothers knows that in a month Apple will introduce a new one 3. Soon the big majority of cell phones will be what we usually call smartphones. It would be fool to think that one single device will maintain dominate the marketshare. The point is that if you look at the single device, no-one i…

>No news here.

Is this like "the seven stages of grief" or something?

Yeah, there is big news here, denial-be-damned.

A few short months ago we were all told that there was just so much confusion in Android-land. So many choices and so many versions it was a major turn off for consumers. Instead the one-sized-fits-all iPhone model was the winner (and it was). Now it's "duh...of course Android moves ahead" as if that's the new reality.

>Everyone and their mothers knows that in a month Apple will introduce a new one

The Nexus 2 will be out in a very short while. The Samsung Galaxy S will be out with 3x the GPU power. The Evo 4G of course. And on, and on, and on.

>The point is that if you look at the single device, no-one is even closed to Apple's number.

It was never about a single device. It has never been a single device.

Re: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

#39

Post by revaaron » Mon, May 10, 2010, 6:39 PM UTC

ergo98 wrote: post #36

revaaron wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

@symesc: I just switched from an iPhone to a N1 for the same reason. An inferior phone for a dozen reasons- but a switch I plan to stick with, for now.

>An inferior phone for a dozen reasons The iPhone 3GS is an inferior phone for a dozen reasons. In fact it could be called crippled.

@ergo98: The 3GS is indeed crippled, but an objective user would be hard pressed to call it inferior. In the end, to each their own- some folks (including myself) are willing to put up with the limitations of the N1, and some folks are willing to put up with the limitations of an unjailbroken iPhone.

Re: Android-based Smartphones Outpaced Apple's iPhone in Q1 2010

#40

Post by ergo98 » Mon, May 10, 2010, 6:40 PM UTC

revaaron wrote: post #39

ergo98 wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>An inferior phone for a dozen reasons The iPhone 3GS is an inferior phone for a dozen reasons. In fact it could be called crippled.

@ergo98: The 3GS is indeed crippled, but an objective user would be hard pressed to call it inferior. In the end, to each their own- some folks (including myself) are willing to put up with the limitations of the N1, and some folks are willing to put up with the limitations of an unjailbroken iPhone.

>some folks (including myself) are willing to put up with the limitations of the N1

Which limitations would those be?

>but an objective user would be hard pressed to call it inferior

It is absolutely inferior in at least a dozen ways. It is superior in a variety of other ways (polish), however I am simply using the same phrasing that you used relative to the N1.