With the ubiquitous Apple ad campaign for the iPhone — from billboards to cabs to subway terminals, and other public spaces — you would think the computing giant is running away with the cell phone market, as well as taken over the world. Not true.
It turns out Apple’s smartphone operating system, iOS, and the iPhone, have a very worthy opponent: Android. So, if you own a prepaid blackberry or you’re an Android user suffering from an inferiority complex because of all the Apple propaganda, it’s time to put your fears to rest. You will see that the Android army is much bigger and better equipped than you think.
No one will EVER beat Apple in the smartphone market, right?
Wrong. In 2010, Androids made up 33% of the smartphone market, compared to 22% by iPhone. From 2009 to 2010, Android’s share of the smartphone market increased by 16% while Apple only experienced a 4% bump. Over the past two years, activations of Android phones have increased up to 100,000 a day. If this were a candy market, Android would be a chocolate bar and the iPhone, black licorice.
Are Android phones cool enough for hipsters?
Definitely. Androids are perfect for young, tech-savvy professionals living in the city, who love to drink PBR in a can and wear trucker caps, better known as hipsters. In fact, people under the age of 34 make up 60% of Android users. Past your mid-30s it’s time to stop being a hipster, well, at least stop wearing skinny jeans.
Can a business tycoon use an Android?
Yes. More Android owners use their devices for other things than playing games. Consider 37% of users spend the majority of their time on email and 21% on games. Compare that to iPhone users who drop seven times more money on games.
Plus, there are numerous Android business apps available that can do everything from build spreadsheets to manage projects and make monetary transactions.
Can Android users help save the economy?
Sure. Android users are good spenders, who can help pump money into the economy. For one, each month Android users are twice as likely to make a purchase or payment on their smartphones as owners of other devices. In addition, Android owners are active consumers, clicking on ads 81% more than their iPhone counterparts.
Just how manly are Android users?
Very; 73% of people that own an Android smartphone are male. Meanwhile, males make up 57% of iPhone users. While reports that women find men who own iPhones more attractive have been overblown, owning a smartphone still can’t compare to owning a dog.
Isn’t Android another corporate tool for world domination?
No way. Unlike other devices that run on technology from Apple or Microsoft, Android is the only open source operating system used on major smartphone devices. That means, its 12 million lines of code is available for all to see, in significant contrast to other proprietary systems that keep all their information well guarded, likely hidden in a deep mountain cave shared by Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Satan.
So is there only one phone, like iPhone, that features Android technology?
Not at all. You can find Android on 7 of the 10 best-selling smartphones in the world. For those keeping score in the battle against Apple, that’s 7 to 1. And it doesn’t stop there. Android also operates on numerous devices including TVs, e-readers, netbooks, and tablet computers.
Are there enough Android apps to satisfy an app-addict?
Always. In the past two years, the Android Market increased the number of its apps from 16,000 to 70,000. Since its release, there have been more than 1 billion apps downloaded. That should keep any user on an app high.
Did most Android users sign up because the phone was a Christmas gift from their grandmother?
Of course not. Nearly 10% of Android users were actually once iPhone users. Meanwhile, over half of Android users chose an Android device as their very first smartphone. And a whopping 100% of people that received an Android smartphone for Christmas from their grandmother said they have a cool grandmother.
Is it true that Android is only big in Germany like David Hasselhoff?
False. While nothing will reach the heights of popularity like David Hasselhoff in Germany, the Android is pretty big in the U.S. with 66% of its users residing there. China comes in second; followed by numerous countries in Europe, including Germany.
Conclusion
Are you still fearful? These answers should help alleviate any concerns current and potential recruits to the Android army have about Android’s place in the world of smartphones.
As it turns out, Android is doing quite well with its bad self, making a name in a plethora of electronic devices. Like in a game of Risk, Android is growing around the globe and will continue to do so for years.