The Battle of the Smartphones: Who’s Going to Win?
Some tech reporters around the world argue that, despite Apple’s recent patent victory over Samsung, Android will thrive, dominating iPhone. An uneducated statement, as Android is an operating system, while the iPhone is a device. Sure, Android will thrive, as it is installed on a number of phones, including Samsung, LG, HTC, and Motorola. Each individual phone maker is responsible for marketing, advertising, and PR – they will, each, individually, push their products on the market, as actively and effectively as they can. This is not a matter of Samsung’s Galaxy versus iPhone, it’s a matter of smartphone makers relying on Android against Apple’s flagship smart device.
Apple’s iPhone 4 ranked as top acquired phone in the U.S. and EU5 in 2011 according to comScore, and things haven’t changed much in 2012 either. But things can change rather fast in this industry, with or without Apple’s battle against the Galaxy S III.
Windows Phone 8 has the potential to become a serious competitor against Apple’s iPhone and Android devices. All clues point to a Nokia Windows Phone 8 that will come complete with all kinds of apps. AppCampus, a mobile acceleration program created in collaboration with Aalto University, Microsoft and Nokia, has recently revealed that it already attracted more than 900 submissions from over 60 countries all around the world. From these, the 30 best applications received 1 million euros in investment.
Android may be actually the world’s leading mobile operating system, but only because it is a free OS, and marketed on so many different devices. You may also take note that it is not marketed by Google.
Consumers don’t always buy a phone for the OS. Brand loyalty is an important decision-making factor. Add word of mouth, friends’ recommendations, prices, carrier deals and offers, and you have to level in a lot more than meets the eye.
Yes, Android may continue to be the most widespread OS, but Android itself is not a smartphone. And this begs the question: in the real battle of the smartphones, who is going to win this year?
