Apple may not have to worry about the Nexus One or the Droid overtaking sales of the iPhone, but it should worry about Android handsets in general. During a Mobile World Congress keynote, Google’s Eric Schmidt stated that 60,000 Android handsets now ship every single day.
If you scale that up it means 5.4 million handsets are shipping every quarter this year. The last iPhone quarter shipments, according to MobileCrunch, was 8.7 million.
Take into account the number of new handsets hitting the market this year running Android, and you can expect that shipping figure to increase. How long before Android out-ships the iPhone?
Read more at MobileCrunch
Matthew’s Opinion
I’m sure Google is more concerned about Android doing well than its own handset, so the company must be pleased with how its market share is progressing. The fact is, Android can be chosen by any manufacturer for their hardware, which is allowing it to spread quickly. Apple on the other hand is limited to the iPhone and iPad.
It’s hard to compare the two in terms of revenue as Apple makes money on the sale of the handsets and the apps. Google makes money from Nexus One sales. Users are the important component of this market, however. If Android becomes a dominant OS then users will get used to using it across different handsets. If you have a Droid now and enjoy using Android, chances are you will look for an Android phone again next time you upgrade.
More Android handsets also means more developers targeting the OS. A point will come where there are more Android users than iPhone users and it is the bigger market. With HTC releasing some great looking Android phones Apple is going to have a battle on its hands keeping iPhone users in the future let alone growing its market.