Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market • Hacker News Board

Re: Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market

#81

Post by kfje4wesdf » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 4:58 AM UTC

bonch wrote: post #77

guelo wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> #1 in volume doesn't always mean #1 in profit. Unless you're an Apple shareholder why does that matter? As a developer #1 in market share is a very significant milestone.

> As a developer #1 in market share is a very significant milestone. Unless you're Android, which has significantly less apps than iOS and is getting bad press for its malware problems. Additionally, iOS runs on the iPad, so iPhone developers can universally target the #1 tablet in the world. Google makes very little off of Android. They've been following Apple's lead design-wise (look at images of what Android was g…

Interesting becuase it is becoming increasingly obvious that Android is aiming wide, yet their userbase are not as automatically app savvy or interested as Apple users.

Re: Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market

#82

Post by georgieporgie » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 5:12 AM UTC

trotsky wrote: post #27

georgieporgie wrote: post #24

Somewhat off-topic: is there any reason not to get Virgin Mobile's $150 LG Optimus V for the purpose of exploring Android development? Aside from smaller memory and lower-res camera, it looks like I don't miss out on anything from top of the line models.

I've played with one, it is a very acceptable phone and a fine dev platform. I think it's a good idea.

Thanks for the thumbs-up. I snagged the last one in town at Target for $109 (if you view the gift card as 'cash').

I've already connected it via Wifi and downloaded apps. Looks like can play with quite a lot of features without even activating.

Re: Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market

#83

Post by queenOfEngland » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 5:20 AM UTC

bonch wrote: post #78

jerf wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's begging the question; since Android is not a serious competitor to the iPhone, the fact that Android is doing so well is therefore proof that Android is not a serious competitor to the iPhone. You neglected to spell out that first clause but your statement is clearly based on that. I'd suggest the much more plausible line of logic, along with being logically sound, is that as Android is now outselling the iPho…

First off, like many Android fans, you insist on comparing an operating system to a single phone. It would be a shock if a free OS on multiple phones didn't outsell a single phone. However, the word "outsell" is a weird one, because Android doesn't cost anything, so it's not Android that's outselling anything--it's the total sum of the multiple phones that just happen to run Android compared to the one phone that run…

The post above is exactly why I left Hacker News. The level of discourse here has descending to the prattle that you read in the Engadget comments. Yes, everyone here has read all of the talking points (boring, boring, really old talking points). Many phones versus a few. Many makers. Profit margin.

Seriously, how incredibly boring.

Re: Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market

#84

Post by queenOfEngland » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 5:23 AM UTC

rimantas wrote: post #43

Kylekramer wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They currently make most of the profit. But with declining market share puts those profits in severe danger in the future. And god, if I never heard the "Google sells you" line again, it would be too soon. Apple has an ad platform too, you know.

> But with declining market share puts those profits in > severe danger in the future. Can someone explain, how this got upvoted? 50% of profits with just 4% of market share, the article we ar discussing there sates that Apple's market share grew (6,4 to 7 percent in OEM, 24.6 to 24.7 in total smartphones market. Even more—Apple was the only growing besides Google), and somehow "declining market share" gets upvoted?…

Can someone explain how your post got upvoted?

Keep looking in the past.

Re: Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market

#85

Post by queenOfEngland » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 5:25 AM UTC

YooLi wrote: post #30

valjavec wrote: post #14

This is so funny. Android is gaining it's share and everyone is trying to create iPhone killer. Noone is doing an Android killer:)

It's because all Android has done is blurred the line between smart phone and feature phone. It's Android phones now that are the free and BOGO phones and that's exactly what Google wants--a base out there that they cannot be excluded from for their primary business, advertising. ex.: http://macdailynews.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/110303_andro...

10 points.

Again, another BULLSHIT post. The dominant Android phones are overwhelmingly the high-end phones that retail in the $600-$700 range. They all come with thousand-dollar plus contracts. There may come a time where such a blurring occurs, but it won't be until the cost of data contracts significantly drops. And you can bet that Apple will be fighting for that market as well.

Re: Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market

#86

Post by lispm » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 5:37 AM UTC

Kylekramer wrote: post #22

lispm wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? Apple makes much of the profit. A report claims that Apple makes with 4% global market share 50% of the profits: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/01/31/apples_4_mobil... Google does not even really sell a phone. Google sells you, the user.

They currently make most of the profit. But with declining market share puts those profits in severe danger in the future. And god, if I never heard the "Google sells you" line again, it would be too soon. Apple has an ad platform too, you know.

How much revenue of Apple do you think comes from that ad platform?

Compare that with Google.

Re: Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market

#87

Post by rooshdi » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 5:43 AM UTC

We've seen this coming for quite some time. Both Google and Apple have very apparent opposing strategies in how they're going to attract customers to their respective platforms. It's almost like watching Mac vs Windows all over again. Apple is shooting for higher quality and high-end customers, while Google is aiming for a higher scale and much wider user base. In the end, both should co-exist and serve their niche just like Mac and Windows.

Re: Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market

#88

Post by lispm » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 5:58 AM UTC

moultano wrote: post #26

lispm wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? Apple makes much of the profit. A report claims that Apple makes with 4% global market share 50% of the profits: http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/11/01/31/apples_4_mobil... Google does not even really sell a phone. Google sells you, the user.

The point of the grandparent's post was this: > that their position is not so unassailable that they can continue looking for new ways to drive away partners and developers without consequences I think most everyone wants more competition to keep any single company from being abusive, but your response to this is essentially "Apple is still #1!" I don't understand what you are saying here. Is it that you think Apple…

How is Android a wakeup call? Apple's profits have been rising in that market segment, independent of who currently sells more phones and what OS phones run.

Apple now has Verizon support and is available in a lot of international markets.

Next the could diversify to different models, if that would help.

Apple lives from the focus of integrated hardware and software. But the real strength is the attention to the user.

With Android you got Google as the software sponsor, Google as the service provider, Google as the ad platform through which they drive their revenue and you got a multitude of hardware companies using their software.

We have seen similar models in the past, where the hardware companies had to pay the software provider their share for the software license. The Google model is indirect.

Apple has shown in recent years that they have no problem competing against these business models, even with a tiny market share. Apple does not sell by features or price.

My main problem with Apple is not about how their deals with developers or partners work, but that they don't allow me as a user to take full (or 'more') control of the device software. That for me as the user, I have no other choice as to get software from their store is limiting me.

Re: Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market

#89

Post by sorbus » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 6:50 AM UTC

godDLL wrote: post #35

rbanffy wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The good news is that they can't have a negative market share.

They made phones that sold next to no units, didn't they? That's "negative market share" by me.

That's not what the term means, though, and using the real definition of market share it is impossible to have a negative market share, for the exact same reason that you can't have a negative number of people using a product. "Small market share and spectacularly unsuccessful products" is not, even in the loosest possible sense, the same as "negative market share."

Re: Google Android Captures #1 Position in U.S. Smartphone Market

#90

Post by CountSessine » Tue, Mar 08, 2011, 6:52 AM UTC

queenOfEngland wrote: post #85

YooLi wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's because all Android has done is blurred the line between smart phone and feature phone. It's Android phones now that are the free and BOGO phones and that's exactly what Google wants--a base out there that they cannot be excluded from for their primary business, advertising. ex.: http://macdailynews.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/110303_andro...

10 points. Again, another BULLSHIT post. The dominant Android phones are overwhelmingly the high-end phones that retail in the $600-$700 range. They all come with thousand-dollar plus contracts. There may come a time where such a blurring occurs, but it won't be until the cost of data contracts significantly drops. And you can bet that Apple will be fighting for that market as well.

What does dominant mean? Because I can tell you that from the folks that I know here who work at our phone company (including one who was privy to their negotiations with Apple over the iPhone), it isn't sales. The lion's share of android phones being sold here are the less expensive feature phone replacements.