700,000 Android devices activated each day

#1

Post by arron61 » Wed, Dec 21, 2011, 3:42 AM UTC

Andy Rubin: "There are now over 700,000 Android devices activated every day."

"...and for those wondering, we count each device only once (ie, we don't count re-sold devices), and "activations" means you go into a store, buy a device, put it on the network by subscribing to a wireless service."

700,000 Android devices activated each day
plus.google.com

Re: 700,000 Android devices activated each day

#2

Post by byoung2 » Wed, Dec 21, 2011, 3:52 AM UTC

I wonder what number of distinct users is. Once you go Android, you tend to stay there. Between my wife and me, for example, we have had 6 Android phones (1 HTC Hero, 2 HTC Evo 4Gs, 3 HTC Amaze 4Gs), and 5th Android tablet (2 Samsung Galaxy Tabs, 1 Asus Transformer, 1 Acer Iconia, and 1 T-Mobile G-Slate). I'm sure each activation was recorded, but there isn't really a way to deactivate a device. Even a factory reset appears to be restricted to the phone, and doesn't register anything with the carrier/Google.

Re: 700,000 Android devices activated each day

#3

Post by arron61 » Wed, Dec 21, 2011, 3:57 AM UTC

Andy Rubin: "...and for those wondering, we count each device only once (ie, we don't count re-sold devices), and "activations" means you go into a store, buy a device, put it on the network by subscribing to a wireless service."

So it seems like a new device only.

Re: 700,000 Android devices activated each day

#4

Post by Aloisius » Wed, Dec 21, 2011, 4:26 AM UTC

byoung2 wrote: post #2

I wonder what number of distinct users is. Once you go Android, you tend to stay there. Between my wife and me, for example, we have had 6 Android phones (1 HTC Hero, 2 HTC Evo 4Gs, 3 HTC Amaze 4Gs), and 5th Android tablet (2 Samsung Galaxy Tabs, 1 Asus Transformer, 1 Acer Iconia, and 1 T-Mobile G-Slate). I'm sure each activation was recorded, but there isn't really a way to deactivate a device. Even a factory reset…

Goodness. Why do you own so many phones & tablets?

Re: 700,000 Android devices activated each day

#5

Post by trafficlight » Wed, Dec 21, 2011, 4:48 AM UTC

Aloisius wrote: post #4

byoung2 wrote: post #2

I wonder what number of distinct users is. Once you go Android, you tend to stay there. Between my wife and me, for example, we have had 6 Android phones (1 HTC Hero, 2 HTC Evo 4Gs, 3 HTC Amaze 4Gs), and 5th Android tablet (2 Samsung Galaxy Tabs, 1 Asus Transformer, 1 Acer Iconia, and 1 T-Mobile G-Slate). I'm sure each activation was recorded, but there isn't really a way to deactivate a device. Even a factory reset…

Goodness. Why do you own so many phones & tablets?

I think the basic idea is "one is good, six are better".

Re: 700,000 Android devices activated each day

#6

Post by dangrossman » Wed, Dec 21, 2011, 4:57 AM UTC

byoung2 wrote: post #2

I wonder what number of distinct users is. Once you go Android, you tend to stay there. Between my wife and me, for example, we have had 6 Android phones (1 HTC Hero, 2 HTC Evo 4Gs, 3 HTC Amaze 4Gs), and 5th Android tablet (2 Samsung Galaxy Tabs, 1 Asus Transformer, 1 Acer Iconia, and 1 T-Mobile G-Slate). I'm sure each activation was recorded, but there isn't really a way to deactivate a device. Even a factory reset…

If you own 11 Android devices, you're probably in the top 10% of earners in this country. Smartphones as a whole aren't near 50% of cell phones in the US; the plans are still prohibitively expensive. I think the case of a single person owning more than one Android device is a very rare one.

Re: 700,000 Android devices activated each day

#7

Post by paperwork » Wed, Dec 21, 2011, 4:58 AM UTC

byoung2 wrote: post #2

I wonder what number of distinct users is. Once you go Android, you tend to stay there. Between my wife and me, for example, we have had 6 Android phones (1 HTC Hero, 2 HTC Evo 4Gs, 3 HTC Amaze 4Gs), and 5th Android tablet (2 Samsung Galaxy Tabs, 1 Asus Transformer, 1 Acer Iconia, and 1 T-Mobile G-Slate). I'm sure each activation was recorded, but there isn't really a way to deactivate a device. Even a factory reset…

>Once you go Android, you tend to stay there

Interesting, I've heard the opposite. My brother knows several people who started out on Android, but switched to iphone. He ended up switching from learning to do Android apps to iPhone apps.

Re: 700,000 Android devices activated each day

#8

Post by throw_away » Wed, Dec 21, 2011, 5:00 AM UTC

trafficlight wrote: post #5

Aloisius wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Goodness. Why do you own so many phones & tablets?

I think the basic idea is "one is good, six are better".

getting a screen extender to stitch together all eleven devices (don't forget the five tablets) would be amazing.

Re: 700,000 Android devices activated each day

#9

Post by danielharan » Wed, Dec 21, 2011, 5:08 AM UTC

That sounded way too high. But then, holy crap: 1 billion people buying a device once every 3 years is ~ 1 million a day.

Wow.

Re: 700,000 Android devices activated each day

#10

Post by jlgosse » Wed, Dec 21, 2011, 5:14 AM UTC

paperwork wrote: post #7

byoung2 wrote: post #2

I wonder what number of distinct users is. Once you go Android, you tend to stay there. Between my wife and me, for example, we have had 6 Android phones (1 HTC Hero, 2 HTC Evo 4Gs, 3 HTC Amaze 4Gs), and 5th Android tablet (2 Samsung Galaxy Tabs, 1 Asus Transformer, 1 Acer Iconia, and 1 T-Mobile G-Slate). I'm sure each activation was recorded, but there isn't really a way to deactivate a device. Even a factory reset…

>Once you go Android, you tend to stay there Interesting, I've heard the opposite. My brother knows several people who started out on Android, but switched to iphone. He ended up switching from learning to do Android apps to iPhone apps.

Going to have to say that I've had a much better experience with iOS than any other platform. In the past three years I have moved in the following sequence:

- Windows Mobile (Motorola Q)

- Various BlackBerry Devices (Curve, Storm, Torch, etc)

- Android (Nexus One)

- Windows Phone 7 (Samsung Focus)

- Android (Nexus One, again) + iPad 2

- iOS (iPhone 4S)

Having dabbled in J2ME, BlackBerry, Android and iPhone development, and having used all devices for a minimum of two months, I can tell you that,] if for some crazy reason, I decide to jump off the iOS boat, I will be going straight to Windows Phone 7 and not Android.

In terms of overall UX/UI and general happiness, I've found that the top three platforms are represented as follows:

1. iOS

2. WP7

3. Android

With regards to overall ease-of-development and awesomeness of API, as well as general happiness from developing for particular platforms:

1. iOS

2. Android

3. BlackBerry

Obviously just my own perspective, but I think this gives me enough authority to recommend a platform to a particular user when asked.