These data spell significant trouble for Microsoft in the smartphone market. Despite launching Windows Phone 7 (WP7) with great fanfare in November 2010, Microsoft's market share in smartphones has in fact declined 1.7% from October 2010 through January 2011.
#1 in volume doesn't always mean #1 in profit.<p>I'm guessing Apple is trying to grab hard onto the market segment that brings in the most profit, while Google is going for the commodity, high volume, low margin option.<p>The good news is that both models can coexist in the same market. After all, Nintendo's strategy is a bit like Google's, while Microsoft and Sony's are more like Google's. Nintendo has been quite profitable for a very long time even when they didn't own the entire market.
Interesting sidebar in the comscore report:
In the continuously contentious debate as to whether the future of mobile apps are downloaded or browser-based, we see a gain in both, but native apps seems to have had a marginal edge in gain.<p>Would be cool to see this data over a longer window.<p>Used browser; 36.2%; 37.0%; 0.8
Used downloaded apps; 33.7%; 35.3%; 1.6
I hope this serves as a wakeup call to Apple, that their position is not so unassailable that they can continue looking for new ways to drive away partners and developers without consequences.
We've seen this coming for quite some time. Both Google and Apple have very apparent opposing strategies in how they're going to attract customers to their respective platforms. It's almost like watching Mac vs Windows all over again. Apple is shooting for higher quality and high-end customers, while Google is aiming for a higher scale and much wider user base. In the end, both should co-exist and serve their niche just like Mac and Windows.
Somewhat off-topic: is there any reason <i>not</i> to get Virgin Mobile's $150 LG Optimus V for the purpose of exploring Android development? Aside from smaller memory and lower-res camera, it looks like I don't miss out on anything from top of the line models.