How Do We Say, Android Is The New Windows?

Android seems to be emerging as the new Windows, which is based on Linux. That means that Android is giving Microsoft and all others a run for their money, or so it appears.

Android OS Market

Take for instance the mobile sales in the second half of the current year. Android’s sales figures are hovering around an astounding 122.5 million.

The company has chalked up an enviable market share of over 72.5 percent, an addition of a good 20 percent since last year. These figures are excluding the sales of smartphones.

(Read : By 2015 Android Will Be 80% Of The Mobile Market – A Prediction)

 

Apple iOS Market

Comparatively, Apple has slipped to the second position with its iOS sales inching up to 23.5 million from 17.3 million that was clocked last year. Though there is growth, the market share took a great hit and slipped down a good 1.2 percent to 13.8 from last year’s healthy 15 percent.

While Apple can claim it is still number two, the other operating systems’ manufacturers are all trailing behind with very poor figures that refuse to cross single digit figures. RIM (BlackBerry) could clock just 5.6 percent and Microsoft’s figures were even more dismal at just 2.4 percent.

 

Android : The New Windows

When you look at the PC sales, the shipments stood at 87 million units, a clear slip of around 8 percent since last year. This can be directly attributed to the increase in the sales of Android devices. Which is almost two-thirds more than that of PCs, and is fast approaching to figures that will show double of what PCs are able to muster.

Even in the mobile sales scenario, smartphones are fast catching up as is evident from the fact that there was a jump of 47 percent in sales, whereas ordinary mobile phones showed a marked decline of 3 percent.

 

Slump in sales of PCs and increase in smartphone sales

There could be many reasons for the slump in sales of PCs and increase in smartphone sales; however one cannot deny the fact that both figures are interlinked. While the slowing down of PC sales could be attributed to the fact that people are still mulling over the decision of whether to go for a PC or straightaway go for a smartphone, without even considering laptops or tablets.

Such is the crazy demand for smartphones (you cannot deny the fact that they are so convenient) that the trend has emerged very clearly. This has prompted the smartphone manufacturers to up their sales and offer more models and variants. Android seems to be playing a vital role in the sale of smartphones and has a distinct advantage over iOS and RIM.

 

Argument about smartphones

The argument that smartphones are not the same as PCs and can never replace a traditional desktop does not hold much water today. Most users find smartphones to be a lot more convenient, especially the younger crowd, which is mobile and always on the go. This is the crowd that has gravitated from PCs to smartphones.

What about the first time buyers from new markets who have never owned a PC? They are making a beeline for smartphones, without stopping to even consider owning a PC.

Hence the trend is very clear; smartphones will continue to rule the roost and Android will certainly remain number one for a long time.