Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile

Android Sees Huge Market Growth in Second Quarter

Geoff Duncan
By
Image used with permission by copyright holder

New reports from market analysis firms Gartner and IDC confirm what most industry watchers already knew: the second quarter of 2010 was a boom time for smartphone sales, with both firms agreeing worldwide smartphone sales increased 50 percent compared to the second quarter of 2009. The firms also agree that Google’s Android platform also benefited significantly from that growth, with Gartner saying Android has overtaken Apple’s iPhone to become the third most-popular mobile operating system on the planet—and the top-selling mobile operating system in the United States, beating out RIM’s BlackBerry line. But the king of the hill? Still Finland’s Nokia, with either 38.1 percent (IDC) or 34.2 percent (Gartner) of the worldwide mobile phone market.

Gartner attributes Android’s success to a variety of manufacturers bring devices to market at a number of different price points. “A non-exclusive strategy that produces products selling across many communication service providers and he backing of so many device manufacturers, which are bringing more attractive devices to market at several different price points, were among the factors that yielded its growth this quarter,” said Gartner research VP Carolina Milanesi, in a statement.

Recommended Videos

According to IDC, Nokia remained the top smartphone vendor worldwide, but notes that Nokia’s year-on-year progress in the smartphone sector didn’t match the overall growth of the market, meaning Nokia is effectively losing ground. IDC found Research in Motion was the number two smartphone vendor, shipping over 11 million units in a quarter for the first time in the company’s history. Rounding out the top five: Apple, HTC, and Samsung. HTC managed to double its shipment volumes compared to a year ago, and Samsung knocked Motorola out of the top five. HTC and Samsung—both heavily investing in Android—also posted the highest year-on-year growth rates, with HTC coming in as the top supplier of Android devices.

Related

Gartner ranks phone makers differently, lumping all mobile phone manufacturers together rather than singling out smartphones from the pack. Even still, HTC posted impressive numbers, for the first time entering the top ten phone makers worldwide with a number eight ranking.

Gartner also found that the success of tablet devices—particularly the Apple iPad—has not dampened smartphone sales. “We believe that most tablet users still feel the need for a truly pocketable, yet highly capable, device for those situations when it’s inconvenient to carry a device with a larger form factor,” said Milanesi.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Geoff Duncan
Geoff Duncan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
The 10 best apps for a second phone number in 2024
OnePlus 5 soft gold with the phone app open.

Having a second phone number can be handy for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you want to separate your business and personal calls, or you want a junk second number that you can use to sign up for services so you can avoid giving out your personal number to so many places. That's particularly importance with the frequency of annoying spam calls and messages that can pile up when your phone number is made public. You might also want a second number to use in situations where you want to be able to contact people occasionally but you don't necessarily want them to be able to reach your personal device directly, like when internet dating or using an app like AirBnB. Whatever the reason, there are many situations where having a number that you can give out which you can make use of but isn't directly tied to your personal life like your main phone number is can be important for safety and security.

While you could get a second SIM card (or even an eSIM), an easier option for casual use is to use an app that lets you set up a second phone line. Whether you're after an Android app or an iPhone app, you'll find plenty of options to get a second phone line, including some which are free to use. We've hunted down some of the best options for apps that will give you a second phone number for whatever reason you need it, and we're sharing them with you below.
Vyke

Read more
The iPhone 16’s huge redesign has leaked. Here’s what’s new
iPhone 15 Pro Max lying on the ground surrounded by leaves.

Apple fans might be in for a lukewarm surprise when Apple releases its next wave of iPhones this fall season. Over the past few weeks, numerous outlets — including 91 Mobiles and MacRumors – and independent insiders have shared alleged CAD-based renders of the entire iPhone 16 portfolio.

In 2024, it seems Apple will shower more love on the entry-point models, bestowing them with a slight design refinement on the rear shell. Leaks suggest the camera island on the iPhone 16—and likely its Plus variant as well—will get a pill-shaped makeover. Other changes are reported for the 16 Pro and Pro Max models. There's a lot to cover, so let's dig in.
The iPhone 16's brand-new design
On the current-generation iPhone 15 duo, we get diagonally arranged camera lenses positioned atop a square-ish glass bump. In the upcoming versions, Apple is reportedly replacing it with a vertical pill-like camera island, mirroring the look we first saw on the iPhone X.

Read more
How to use ChatGPT on an iPhone and Android phone
Infinix Zero 30 5G Android phone in gold color with ChatGPT virtual assistant.

Seeing ChatGPT respond to some of the most otherworldly prompts is one of the most unique and entertaining experiences. In fact, it’s almost scary how good this OpenAI-founded chatbot can be at times. Launched in 2022, you can access free and paid versions of ChatGPT from a web browser, but the company also has an app for iOS and Android devices.

Read more