Should Apple Fear Android’s Growth?

In the last quarter, Google activated more than 50 million new Android devices, with a growing rate of 57%. In comparison, Apple is expected to announce the sale of only 29 million iPhones during the same period, with a disappointing 2% growth rate. Without any intention of being unfair to Google, if the iPhone 5 had launched in June, Apple’s growth would have been more impressive.

Sales figures speak for themselves. Each day, more than 500,000 new phones running the Android OS are activated. Google’s strength lies in the fact that their OS is available on different devices and carriers, providing the consumer a wider selection to choose from…

Android devices are also more widespread in third world countries, where cellular markets are growing at an amazing rate. In Africa, for instance, cellphones are traded in the outback. Payments can be ordered via SMS, and that’s extremely useful to everyone there, since banks cannot be found as easily as here in Europe or in the US.

The hunger for communication is helping mobile sales in such countries, and new companies specialized in producing low cost phones are sprouting all over Africa and South East Asia.

Android certainly is growing at a very fast pace, but personally I don’t think Apple should be too worried. iOS will keep on growing, and when the iPhone 5 is released, sales are going to spike up. Those that should be worried are companies like RIM and Nokia, since they have lost pace with the industry’s mobile innovation lately.

What’s your take on this? Do you think Apple should be worried about Android’s growth?