Android to Outstrip Apple iOS by 2012 says forecast

But headline figures hide the reality

In a surprising forecast, iSuppli sees Google prevailing over Apple as the smart phone market share of the Android Operating System (OS) rises to surpass that of the iPhone’s iOS in 2012.

Android will be used in 75 million smart phones by 2012, up from 5 million in 2009. Meanwhile, iOS usage will amount to 62 million in 2012, up from 25 million in 2009.

This will give Android a 19.4 percent of the global market for smart phone OSes in 2012, up from 2.7 percent in 2009. Apple’s iOS for the iPhone will see its share rise to 15.9 percent in 2012, up from 13.8 percent in 2009. In 2014, Android’s share of global smart phone OS usage will rise to 22.8 percent, while iOS will decline to 15.3 percent.

“Android is taking the smart phone market by storm,” said Tina Teng, senior analyst, wireless communications, for iSuppli. “The OS started with entry level models in 2008, but the flexibility Android offers for hardware designs and its appealing business model in terms of revenue sharing have attracted vigorous support from all nodes in the value chain, including makers of high-end smart phone models. Cell phone OEMs representing all tiers of the industry have committed to support Android, including Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, LG, Huawei, AsusTek and ZTE. This broad industry support will allow the Android OS’s usage and market share to exceed that of its chief rival—iOS—in 2012, just five years after its introduction.”

While Apple’s family of iPhone products continues to be the standard by which all other smart phones are measured, the proprietary nature of the iOS and Apple’s closed system business model will limit the number of smart phones with the operating system.

War over wireless hegemony

Google and Apple are engaged in a fierce battle for control of the wireless market, which represents the most lucrative growth opportunity in the technology world today. Both companies have their eyes on the huge revenue growth expected in wireless data.

iSuppli predicts that global carrier revenue for wireless data services, excluding messaging but including data access fees, will grow to approximately $250 billion by 2014, up from $108.6 billion in 2009.

However, the size of the over-the-top mobile broadband revenue from premium content, services, applications and advertising, a market that is in its infancy today, could exceed $100 billion in 2014. This is the area that players like Apple and Google are attempting to target.

But both these companies are adopting very different business models to unlock value in the mobile broadband value chain, according to Jagdish Rebello PhD, senior director and principal analyst at iSuppli.

“While Google is trying hard to capture market share in the smart phone market, Apple’s strategy is aimed at making its products highly desirable but not necessarily affordable for the mass market,” Rebello said. “Apple has been successful in doing this with its friendly User Interface (UI), its slick OS and its well developed ecosystem of apps and content providers.” The Google/Apple wireless battle extends from the smart phone sales race between the iPhone and Droid lines, to the applications front with Apple’s App Store and Google’s Apps Marketplace, to the advertising battle between Apple’s iAd and Google’s AdMob and to a range of location based services that both are trying hard to develop and monetize. The market share competition between Android and iOS represents a central front in this fight.

Battle for the planet of the apps

In the smart phone industry, mobile applications, multimedia content and sleek user interfaces are the key attributes driving device sales. Apple’s mastery of these items allowed its share of global smart phones to rapidly rise to double-digit percentages.

In the applications area, Apple’s booming iPhone sales have been fueled by the more than 200,000 items in the company’s App Store. The Android Marketplace is the closest competitor to Apple’s App Store, but it is only has one quarter of the number of applications as the Apple App Store. However, that total is rising rapidly, allowing Android to close the gap with its more established rival.

Related articles

• Google's Eric Schmidt: 200,000 Android units now activated every day (video) (mobile.venturebeat.com)
• Google Android Is The OS Of Choice For Smartphones (lockergnome.com)
• Why Google Android Matters (cellphones.org)
• iPhone 4 Concretes Apple's Dominance of Mobile Web Use (fastcompany.com)
• NPD: Windows Mobile under 10% as Android takes US OS crown (seattlepi.com)

Apple Tablet Coming with Two Dock-Connectors

Apple Tablet Coming with Two Dock-Connectors [iPad to be Docked in Portrait & Landscape Mode; Publishers to Fill Tablet with Content?] » TFTS – Technology, Gadgets & Curiosities

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Google Nexus One phone

Engadget had the phone a week early and so have come out with the most comprehensive review and there's little to add - a Qualcomm ARM-based chip, designed by TC, running Android, available direct from Google for $530 without contract. Not an iPhone killer.

http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/04/nexus-one-review/

See the Youtube video

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• Nexus One vs Motorola Droid vs iPhone 3GS Detailed Comparison (techie-buzz.com)

Google and Spring Design Alliance Gives Alex eReader Direct Access to One Million Google Books on Android Platform

Browse and Download Google Books from Google Bookstore Directly to Alex eReader

Spring Design, developers of the dual screen multimedia Alex eReader, have entered into an agreement with Google that gives Alex users access to more than one million Google Books online or downloaded using Alex’s integrated Android Web browser and search applications.
Alex is the first and only open Google Android-based eReader platform with full featured Internet browsing, WiFi connectivity, audio and video playback and image viewing in popular formats, and the ability to run a growing number of Google Android applications. With the Alex touch screen browser, users can access the Internet to search and read eBooks directly on Alex’s eReader’s 6” EPD (Electronic Paper Display) screen while browsing in full color on the Internet simultaneously. Users can click on hyperlinks within online books that lead to relevant web-based information or multimedia content found online to enrich their reading experience. EPUB digital books can be searched and downloaded using Google API applications provided by Alex’s eReader.

“We are pleased to work with Spring Design and the Alex, which is an exciting new reading device, that combined with a wealth of free public domain books from Google, provides great value to eReaders,” said Google Product Manager, Brandon Badger. “Our relationship with Spring Design is helping to expand the number of ways people access eBooks and search for information online, whether for business, education or entertainment.”
“Our agreement and strategic alliance with Google opens the doors to more readers around the world,” said Dr. Priscilla Lu, CEO of Spring Design. “We are excited to be part of Google’s initiative to digitize and deliver the world’s books and look forward to the markets and opportunities these efforts will open up for readers as well as independent authors.”

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Motorola has launched Android development resources through MOTODEV, including a new App Accelerator Program and MOTODEV Studio for Android Beta. MOTODEV will offer developers early access to a new suite of Google Android developer tools and programs to accelerate the development of applications to be used on Motorola's mobile devices using the Android operating system scheduled to ship later this year.

"Motorola is focused on helping our global network of best-in-class developers create, deploy and successfully market their Android applications to ultimately unleash greater innovation into the mobile application development space," said Christy Wyatt, Vice President, Software Platforms and Ecosystem, Motorola. "We believe Android and open software has the freedom and flexibility to foster innovation, accelerate time to market, and deliver the most personal and customized mobile experiences for consumers."

MOTODEV provides:
-- Early access to tools, technical specs, documentation and other
development support resources.
-- Exclusive pre-release access to upcoming Motorola devices for testing
and debugging.
-- Direct access to Motorola's developer support engineers via private
discussion boards.
-- Maximum market exposure for applications as soon as new mobile devices
ship to users.
MOTODEV Studio is an Eclipse- based integrated development environment that works with Google's software development kit. Among the resources available to developers are design and development tools; handset emulators and virtual testing labs; intuitive interfaces for deploying applications; application creation wizards and frequently used code templates; and access to marketing and distribution channels.

Qualcomm makes European in-roads with HTC and the Google phone

Us chip giant Qualcomm has made a significant entry into the European market through the G1 phone from Google, made by HTC and using its MSM7201A dual core chip.
Ironically Qualcomm also promotes a full stack of software including applications for its silicon (through the Brew software), although none of this is being used in the G-phone.
“The launch of the T-Mobile G1 is a breakthrough moment for Linux-based open mobile application platforms,” said Paul Jacobs, chief executive officer at Qualcomm. “Qualcomm’s ability to tightly integrate our chipset hardware and software has helped to make the Android platform a reality. Our close relationship with T-Mobile, HTC and many other OHA members was instrumental in achieving this milestone and will allow us to bring products to market faster and spur continued innovation in mobile applications and services.”
As part of its work with the OHA, Qualcomm has optimized the Android software by integrating it with Qualcomm’s MSM7201A—a single chip, dual-core solution that combines high-speed processing, hardware-accelerated multimedia capabilities, 3D graphics and built-in, multi-mode 3G mobile broadband connectivity for an optimal wireless experience.
Qualcomm worked with HTC on the design and development of this first Android-based device. “HTC and Qualcomm have a long history of working together on groundbreaking mobile handsets," said Peter Chou, president and CEO of HTC. "The new T-Mobile G1 is another example of this close relationship and our commitment to cutting-edge innovation.
Qualcomm is also working with other OEMs to develop handsets that operate on the Android platform as it works to expand the wireless ecosystem to meet the growing demands of an increasingly mobile population.

The Google phone arrives

Have to start with the Google phone - allowing the same flexibility of application development as the PC to come to the phone.
The phone is designed by HTC using a Qualcomm chipset, and runs the Android operating system developed by Google. This provides the same environment as the desktop, with the ability to download applications to the phone.
Here's Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google on why this matters.
Demo of Google maps....

The Goggle phone was launched in Europe with T-mobile in Germany
More to come...