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Android is winning the worldwide OS race
THE ANDROID operating system is the most used mobile operating system (OS) in six out of eight key countries, according to data released by Kantar Worldpanel Comtech and seen by the Guardian newspaper.
Android is doing particularly well in the UK, according to the Grauniad, as its growth is being driven by new smartphone users, as opposed to those making a jump over from a different OS.
The Guardian reports that just under three quarters of all new Android sales come from those users that previously used feature phones, as opposed to smartphones, while a low, low, low 1.4 per cent have switched ship, so to speak.
Android's loss, if it is a loss, is also the gain of Research in Motion (RIM), as apparently a massive 85 per cent of its users were previous feature phone owners.
Kantar Worldpane Comtech's global consumer insight director, Dominic Sunnebo told the Guardian that many users are concerned about losing the many apps they had paid for through the Apple store.
"We are yet to see any real signs of consumers switching between Android and Apple. Our data shows that Apple and Android's customers are intensely loyal when choosing their upgrade. One reason for this is the investment consumers make in their device through apps," he said.
"In France for example, the average iPhone costs €215, and 17% of iPhone owners download more than 10 apps each month. This investment is then lost if they want to choose a different OS as the apps are non-transferable." µ
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The Winner of OS Race is Microsoft, they earn with every Copy of Android 5 Bugs of Hell
Both the terms "investment" and "best for me" imply some apparent future benefit.
Consider the possible long-term results of patronizing a "closed ecosystem" company that frequently uses legal action to attempt to put other companies out of business. One result could be: no more choice, no more competitors, no more competition, no more limits on the power wielded by that company over its monoculture. At that point, not may people would probably think that only being able to purchase products from one or two companies was "best for me", or "best for us".
The exclusive use of a short-term perspective is what Apple seems to be counting on. However, the moral choice would seem to be to support competition and innovation by choosing products from a company (read: not Apple, or Microsoft) that does not use lawsuits and threats to attack others.
Don't quite see what kind of investment people are making when so many of the apps are free and the paid appas are so incredibly cheap.
When I had my old iPhone I don't think I spent more than £30 on apps. I've yet to spend that much on my Android phone.
The investment is a joke compared to the amount I spent on my old Palm Treo. I think £30 was the price of _2_ apps!
I don't see it as a waste as I'm now using my old iTunes account on an iPad 2 and could always use my Android account on another Android device.
It's not the OS I'm loyal to, it's whichever is best for my use personally.
If another OS comes along that has a better feature set then I'll switch.