The Smartphone Battle: Android vs. iOS
Technology has come a long way over the years. The bulky desktop computer evolved into the lightweight, mobile notebook, in which even the replacement laptop batteries have advanced significantly. Laptop batteries, which really are the driving force of a portable machine, no longer use outdated technologies. Your average Asus laptop battery, for instance, runs on lithium-ion, a much more efficient and sustainable resource. This makes everything from Apple to Dell laptop batteries long lasting, and not susceptible to the “memory effect” that nickel-based batteries have.
The laptop evolved into the new hot item: the smartphone. Smartphones have completely changed the way people view and use technology, providing all the features of a basic computer in a completely handheld form.
Competition
Initially, the smartphone market was dominated by Apple’s iPhone. No other device even came close to the iPhone’s functionality and user-friendly design. There’s no denying the impact that the iPhone alone has had on technology and software development. With regular software and design updates, it seemed for a time that the iPhone would see no other competitors.
Enter Google’s Android operating system. Of course, other operating systems and devices came out of the shadows, but Android phones were the first to become a direct competitor to the iPhone, and although the system and devices had clunky starts, they quickly became a formidable foe, offering comparable speed, power, and usability.
Taking the Lead
In recent market reports, Android has stepped up its game, leading the pack with a 52.5% global market share, which is more than double what it had last summer. The iPhone’s iOS market share dropped from 16.6% to 15%.
The drop in market share could be caused by two distinct factors. Consumers were waiting for a rumored new iPhone while also waiting for price cuts for older iPhone models. Android, on the other hand, had a diverse slew of strong offerings, from inexpensive, sub-$100 devices to high-end LTE devices.
As significant as the numbers appear, we also have to take into consideration that general drop in demand for smartphones as many users waited for new flagship devices featuring new version and updates to key operating systems.
However, don’t count the iPhone out of the race. Many analysts believe it will sweep the market next quarter as Apple now has a wider range of iPhones that consumers may select from. Furthermore, price cuts in the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 could dramatically affect sales. Software and hardware updates from both operating systems are sure to keep the market interesting. Android’s new Ice Cream Sandwich update promises to add to the mix, improving multi-tasking, customizability, and interactivity.
Who’s going to take the cake for biggest seller during this holiday season?
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