In June, Android was the most-used mobile operating system, according to Nielsen. The Google-run OS accounted for 39 percent of the market’s share, while Apple trailed by double digits at 28 percent. Research In Motion’s Blackberry OS continued to hemorrhage business and brought up third place with 20 percent, a position that would have surprised many only a couple years ago.
What is important to note and continue watching is the distribution of device makers. Apple manufactures all of its phones; it is still the undisputed king in that department. Whereas Android phones are made by a handful of companies. Whether a single manufacturer like Apple, with sole control over their product and OS, or a diversified portfolio of manufacturers like HTC, Motorola and Samsung that contract for Google’s Android is more beneficial and competitive, is yet to be seen. Software providers bringing hardware manufacturing in-house has always been a feast or famine endeavor; so far it seems Google made the right decision in keeping it outsourced.
Also, Apple recently announced that Twitter will be given the keys to iOS 5, likely due out this fall. How integration with the social network giant affects sales is yet to be seen.
Windows Phone 7, webOS and Symbian OS all predictably brought up the rear with single-digit percentages. As RIM can attest, the sands of the mobile phone market are never firm. This list will be interesting to review again in six months.
(Yes, we know Nielsen misspelled Android in the above graph.)
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