These Charts Tell The Real Story Of Android VS iPhone

This editorial is part of our GREAT DEBATE feature on Android Vs. iPhone.

The story of Android vs. iPhone is a long and storied tale.

While people might like using the iPhone more, it’s undeniable that Android has been killing it in the market share arena.

This is important because developers want to be the first ones on the biggest platforms so that their apps can draw the largest possible audience.

While many would argue that the best apps are currently on iOS, it might not be this way for long.

Here are some charts from the past couple years that illustrate the market share battle between iPhone and Android, as well as other interesting tidbits along the way.

January 4, 2010 – Remember when the iPhone’s market share was dwarfing Android’s market share? But check out how many more people want to buy an Android phone from Sep 2009 to Dec 2009. This signals a big shift.

September 16, 2010 – Android is the only platform here with a positive (very positive) upward trend. Android gets ready to eclipse iOS within the next few months.

September 30, 2010 – Not only is Android growing incredibly quickly, but people actually want Android devices. Interest in the iPhone is crashing.

October 5, 2010 – Projections show that Android may have already taken the lead.

January 2011 – Android finally beats iPhone in market share. Have a look at the bite Android took out of RIM.

Image: via Comscore

January 14, 2011 – The fact that the iPhone wasn’t on Verizon until March 2011 gave Android a big head start.

April 4, 2011 – Even if you include iPod Touch (which isn’t growing as quickly as it was one or two years ago), Android is beating iOS by a hefty margin.

May 3, 2011 – On the other hand, Business Insider readers love their iPhones, but Android is making a ton of headway.

July 5, 2011 – Android is straight up stealing market share from RIM and Microsoft, while Apple hangs on.

August 16, 2011 – Hardware-wise, Apple has quickly become the leading smartphone manufacturer in the world, but not for long.

Oct 3, 2011 – Android could hit one million activations per day sometime in December. That’s a tough number to compete with.

October 19, 2011 – “The Scariest Chart For Apple Investors,” SAI Editor Jay Yarow says. “As Android grows into a ubiquitous platform, Apple’s edge with developers could be weakened. And if it loses developers, it loses its software advantage.”

October 28, 2011 – Since Samsung introduced the Galaxy S line of smartphones in June 2010, it has rocketed past Apple to become the leading manufacturer in the world. Not all Samsung phones are Android, but most of its new phones are.

November 7, 2011 – Profits tell another story completely. Apple has 4% of the phone market, but grabs 52% of the profits.

November 15, 2011 – Today, Android is still accelerating and has about 52.5% of the global smartphone market. iOS, on the other hand, is still flat.

Also November 15, 2011, but in numbers – Android market share was 52.5% for Q3, double what it was a year ago. iOS dropped on a year over year basis to 15% market share in Q3.

Image: Gartner

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Image: Illustration: Ellis Hamburger

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