Google’s Our Mobile Planet initiative, a research body looking into worldwide smartphone and mobile data integration, has uncovered what must have been a grumble-worthy nugget when putting together the data – iOS devices are beating Android powered 2 to 1 in Australia, showing up on 50% of participant devices to Android’s 25%.
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Androidians might have taken heart in the fact that the study involved tablets, in which Apple clearly has an edge, were it not for the fact that this part of the study focused solely on smartphones. The other 25% of the market was taken up with Symbian (the old standard on which most dumbphones run), Windows Mobile/Windows Phone, BlackBerry and a hearty 10% ran the Don’t Know operating system.
Some other pertinent findings, aimed mostly at developers and marketers, include:
- Over 50% of phones in Australia are smartphones, so it’s time to concentrate on mobile banking, shopping and customer service
- Smartphone users tend to be smarter shoppers, with price comparison data at their fingertips when they’re in your store
- Many people use apps to find local vendors, so it’s important to make sure you have a strong presence on local shopping websites
- 80% of smartphone users copped to playing with their phone while watching TV, creating a wealth of new advertising opportunities.
Also important – 1 in 4 said they would much sooner give up their TV than their smartphone. Expect that ratio to rise.
Back to the War
Image credit: Incredibleguy
So why is Apple defeating Android so soundly in Australia? Part of it is undoubtedly tied to the fact that the iPhone has no exclusive agreement with any Australian carrier. It works on all networks, is sold on all networks and is not measurably more expensive than other handsets. In the US, the iPhone ran exclusively on AT&T until just last year, when Verizon came out with an offering. That wasn’t a tech problem – AT&T had a sort of no-compete clause with Apple for that period. Moreover, the iPhone was sold at a slight premium, but with big restrictions on how it could be used (no free tethering, restrictive data plans, etc).
In Australia, the iPhone has been comparatively affordable, and Australia already had a stronger mobile culture than the US leading up to the smartphone revolution.
Walled Garden
The oft-repeated complaint against Apple is that it puts you in a “walled garden”. In other words, it locks you into an ecosystem with its App Store and with iTunes. Proprietary music and content can’t be played on other devices (although this is slowly eroding, and Apple has always asserted this was the choice of the music and video companies). The term walled garden is used instead of prison, because Apple’s method results in a superior and pleasant user experience. The whole argument smacks of attempts to convince users that using an Apple product is a threat to their very liberty. This is nonsense, of course – a mobile phone is a tool and nothing more, and Apple hasn’t blockaded any shipping containers carrying Android phones to the masses.
But as the market matures, it is valid to argue that on their second, third and subsequent smartphone purchases, it will become harder and harder for users to justify quitting their original choice of platform unless developers allow individual purchases to cross markets. In other words: Angry Birds is made for iOS, Android, BlackBerry and Windows Phone. But if I change platforms, I need to buy it again. If developers have a way of verifying purchases from other operating systems, then maybe more people will be more open to conversion: until then, the majority of people will stay with their universe of choice, and update phones while keeping their profile essentially the same.
The exception to this rule will be those who are annoyed and fed up with their operating system. For them, switching to a new operating system is motivated as much by frustration as anything else, and frustration is a powerful marketing tool – maybe as powerful as price.
Conclusion
For now, Australia provides a good test market for smartphone adoption. There’s differentiation between a good number of carriers, all phones are compatible with all networks, and prices are close. That being the case, Apple’s dominance is a sign that it is still the market leader in overall user experience, regardless of whatever draconian gimmicks its knockers accuse it of using. With 50% of the market still left to attract, there’s still potential for mad competition that will benefit the customer. Moreover, whoever gets to the most customers first will likely win the long game, as going from one platform to another is rare.
It can also be concluded that Android and iOS are quickly making it difficult for contenders, even ones as mighty as Microsoft, to make proper inroads into this world. Android and iOS’ quality are serving to box out players like RIM, the makers of the BlackBerry, who are caught in a vicious circle – app developers are stretched thin between Android, iOS and Windows Phone; they don’t have time to develop for BlackBerry, who control so little of the market. And without those app developers, BlackBerry can’t win any new customers.
The winner in all of this is most certainly us, the users. For Apple fans, the competition should ensure Apple doesn’t complacent and fall asleep on top of their gold mattresses stuffed with delightfully soft money. For Android users, Apple’s boutique alternative will ensure bigger and better innovations to come. FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
These last few words have been added to bring my word count over 1000 kthxbai