Android

Apple’s PC share drops as iPads cannibalize Macs

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 8, 2013

The PC market - once comprised of hulking desktop machines and slim laptops - increasingly relies on tablets for a fresh infusion of sales. The latest instance of this new world order comes from market researcher Canalys, out with its PC forecast which includes tablet shipments.

Viewing tablets as PCs results in Apple losing more than eleven percent in PC sales. Why? Because iPad sales are cooling amid lack of a refresh. Although just twenty percent of Apple sales are traditional PCs, the firm continues to lead the PC market. However, in a post-PC era, delays of introducing a new iPad means Apple's lead was trimmed during the second quarter of 2013, the research firm announced Wednesday...

Your iPhone 4 is actually gaining value, study finds

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

Unlike the auto which loses much of its value the moment you drive off the dealer's lot, iPhones tend to remain valuable to owners. According to new research, Apple's handset does better at retaining its value, compared to Android phones. In a related study, trade-in programs are increasingly important to smartphone owners deciding on carriers.

Although the value of Android phones fell by as much as a third in three months, iPhone prices actually go up. The price of an iPhone 4 asked on eBay was 10.3 percent higher than at the start of the three-month period, one Wall Street analyst found...

IDC: Apple’s smartphone OS share falls while consumers wait for new iPhones

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated February 28, 2017

The long wait before Apple introduces new iPhone models is causing its iOS smartphone platform to lose marketshare to Android. The iPhone's iOS slipped to 13.2 percent of the smartphone market, a drop from 16.6 percent during the same period in 2012.

Meanwhile, Android's lock on the smartphone market grew tighter, nearing 80 percent as Samsung and a bevy of Chinese brands boosted the Google-made software. Despite the small drop, No. 2 iOS is expected to regain its lost turf when Apple unveils new products in September, according to market research firm IDC...

Apple loses ground in low-cost markets of India and China

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 6, 2013

We've often written about calls for Apple to produce a low-cost iPhone suitable for emerging markets, such as China and India. Now comes even more evidence for such a move as China and India are among the world's top three smartphone markets and are estimated to become the leading markets for smartphones by 2018.

Even more worrisome is Apple's declining share of those markets. In China, Apple's most important market, the iPhone fell from fifth place to seventh as local smartphone makers Huawei and Xiaomi grab more share. Meanwhile, in India, rival Samsung has more than a third of the smartphone market, which Apple has heavily invested in terms of marketing resources and newly-designed payment options...

IDC: iPad now down to one-third of tablet sales

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated February 28, 2017

Tablet sales slowed during the second quarter, falling 9.7 percent to 45.1 million units, according to IDC researchers Monday. Because interest in tablets rises and falls with Apple's iPad, the slowdown in sales during the second quarter was attributed to the lack of a new iPad device being introduced by Apple.

In the horserace between Apple and Samsung (which will unveil a next-gen Note phablet on September 4), the iPad remains the top-selling tablet, although growth fell 14.1 percent on shipments of 14.6 million iPads, down from 19.5 million during the first quarter of 2013, IDC announced Monday. No. 2 Samsung also saw tablet shipments slow to 8.1 million units, down from 8.6 million devices during the previous quarter, though the South Korean vendor saw a 277 percent annual growth in tablet shipments...

Google unveils Android Device Manager, its own version of Find My iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 2, 2013

Google has just filled another missing link in its Android software by introducing a feature which allows users to find their misplaced or stolen device on a world map, wipe its contents remotely, send alerts and more. If the announcement sounds a lot like Apple's Find My iPhone app, you're right, it does - though you'd be hard-pressed to argue against giving Android users the ability to track down their precious gear.

Called Android Device Manager, in true Google fashion it's a web-based tool that works much like the Find My iPhone iOS app + iCloud web interface combo from Apple...

Get ready to rumble: Apple, Samsung face off in death match before ITC

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

It's not exactly the thrilla' in manilla, but a heavyweight fight is set in the otherwise staid patent courts. Apple and Samsung, which both comprise most smartphone sales, are looking for a knockout, hoping to grab more market share and force rivals to pay up.

Over the next several days, both companies are set to argue why sales of each other's smartphones should be blocked as both companies continue to point fingers. What's in it for Apple? Potentially the loss of its most-popular handsets and throwing a roadblock in front of the Android express...

Motorola introduces the customizable Moto X

Cody Lee ∙ August 1, 2013

As expected, Motorola unveiled its new Moto X handset today at an intimate event in New York City. Though Motorola has unveiled a few new devices since it was purchased by Google last year, this is said to be the first true product of their collaboration.

Initial feedback on the phone has been positive. In line with previous leaks, the X has a 4.7-inch display, a number of customizable hardware options and some unique software features. But will it be enough to make a dent in the crowded smartphone market?

Forrester: the iPhone is still most-used smartphone

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 1, 2013

Yet another study throws a spotlight on the differences in how Apple and Android smartphone owners use their devices, with a heavy emphasis on 'use'. Both in apps and overall smartphone usage, iPhone owners rank higher than owners of Android handsets.

After surveying both U.S. and European smartphone owners, researchers not only found owners of the Apple device more frequently use apps, but conduct more tasks suitable to smartphones, such as browsing the Internet. This despite Android's advantage both in number of handsets out there and in sales.

The dichotomy just reinforces our Android in a Drawer theory, which says many owners of the Google-powered devices see their handsets as just a spiffier version of dumb feature phones, ignoring most of what makes smartphones smart...

BlackBerry Messenger beta for iOS and Android invites rolling out

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2013

The long-rumored BlackBerry Messenger is finally launching on iOS and Android before the end of summer (so before September 22). It looks like the software is coming along nicely as Canada's embattled smartphone maker has started rolling out invites to a small number of users on its Beta Zone website, asking them to test out the Android and iOS versions of the software...

Here’s Asphalt 8: Airborne gameplay footage

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 1, 2013

Mid-June, French games maker Gameloft released first screenshots depicting the upcoming eight installment in the Asphalt racing franchise, Asphalt 8: Airborne. The high-quality game is coming to iOS and Android later this summer, priced at just 99 cents.

Earlier this week, the prolific publisher posted a new teaser trailer, along with a dev diary video from earlier offering a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Asphalt 8, including interesting looking gameplay footage. I've included both videos for your viewing pleasure just after the break...

Google’s Play store passes App Store downloads, Apple rules revenues

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

It may not reach the importance of the 'best-filling' versus 'tastes great' soda debate, but new numbers add fuel to the ongoing question of what's most important in measuring app store supremacy: downloads or revenue. Both those rooting for sheer demand as well as ultimate revenue figures found something to cheer about Wednesday.

Analytics company App Annie is out with second-quarter numbers showing the Android-based Google Play store had ten percent more download's that Apple's iOS App Store. However, Apple - which prides itself on being the Tiffany of technology - raked in 2.3 times the revenue.

The details after the break...