In China, Android Beats Apple For Mobile Platform Crown: Report

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Google Inc's Android mobile operating system (OS) was the top smartphone platform in China last year, growing its market share by about 35 percent in the world's largest market for mobile phones, a Chinese technology research firm said.

At the end of 2011, Android had 68.4 percent of the smartphone OS market by the number of smartphones sold, up from 33.6 percent at the end of the first quarter of last year, Beijing-based research firm Analysys International said in a report on Tuesday.

The cementing of Android's dominance in China came at the expense of Finnish mobile phone maker Nokia whose Symbian OS saw its market share more than halve to 18.7 percent last year.

Apple Inc, whose iPhones are seeing strong demand from wealthier Chinese cities, posted a modest growth in 2011, with the market share of its iOs operating system rising from 4.1 percent in the first quarter to 5.7 percent at the end of the fourth quarter.

Apple has said that China, which has 988 million mobile phone subscribers, remains a key growth market for the company.

Android's rise also comes as smartphones become cheaper in China due to the sales initiatives of local mobile device makers ZTE Corp and Huawei Technologies, who sign contracts with Chinese telecoms companies to offer cheap Android handsets.

(Reporting by Melanie Lee; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

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Comments

[P J Shaker]

09:48 AM on 04/11/2012

WOW an OS that is running on roughly 50 plus different phone models is finally ahead of the OS that is running on 1 kind of phone....shocking

has the Droid market had 25 billion downloads yet? I didn't think so

[RevSpaminator]

11:21 AM on 04/11/2012

I remember when Apple fans used to say stuff like this.. about Win 95. The only difference between then and now is quality. Back then Apple was clearly superior to the MS offering, now Android is arguably as good if not better than iOS. The fact that Android runs on various models is its strength and will ultimately be Apple's undoing.

[P J Shaker]

12:01 PM on 04/11/2012

I agree with you and disagree at the same time,

the fact that Android runs on various models means that it should be better than iOS. More companies using it means more R&D and ultimately leads to a better product. I prefer the iOS, after having both I just like it better. they have more free apps and more apps in general.

The fact that the iPhone is the only phone running iOS is a good thing for apple in my mind. Apple has always thrived on being a niche product and people want that product for status. New iPhone release dates are front page news on almost every tech website. New Android phone release dates get an article buried in links if they are lucky

[EggZacktly]

09:02 AM on 04/11/2012

The problem with Apple's iOS and OSX is that unlike any other OS they can only be used on Apple products. Android/Linux is opensource and thus most secure. Windows/Phone has to be able to install on any product but with Apple you are tethered to Apple products which tend to be sub par.

[ResearchtheFacts]

10:53 PM on 04/10/2012

Android easier to lock down or strip down whatever your flavor instead of having an in pocket tracking device with backdoor for anybody with or without a warrant to access.

[Barbarian At The Gate]

10:29 PM on 04/10/2012

Siri is a No Go sales point in China. The only available languages are:

English (U.S., UK, and Australian), French, German

[Lonnie DeVorak]

10:09 PM on 04/10/2012

Even the Chinese don't want an iPhone......Tells you something.

[laZab]

08:06 PM on 04/10/2012

This comment is brought to you by my Windows PC. I own neither an Android or an Iphone. I really don't think I am missing anything. I will get one when I really need one.

[JPalka]

07:58 PM on 04/10/2012

Makes you think... and remember why they lost to PC for so long. Somebody told me once, nobody really learns from their mistakes, they will only cover them with more fluff.

[Samuel Bun]

07:08 PM on 04/10/2012

If your friends have an iphone then you better get one. I would not trade my galaxy S2 for any other phone today, but tomorrow maybe.

[theveggiedude]

02:47 PM on 04/10/2012

Why would this be a surprise? Only Apple makes iPhone. Everyone else can make a Android.

[ResearchtheFacts]

10:56 PM on 04/10/2012

Correction only ibots want an iphone. What difference does the manufacturer make if the product is good? That old (a)zz iOS is so dated it isn't even funny anymore. Circa 2008 retro, back in the day.

[RevSpaminator]

11:23 AM on 04/11/2012

You say this like it's a good thing. This is the same practice that drove Apple to obscurity back in the 90's. Those who refuse to learn from the past...

[theveggiedude]

04:44 PM on 04/11/2012

No I didn't. I merely stated a fact.

Only Microsoft makes the Xbox.

To say it is unsuccessful because it has smaller margin than Nintendo, Playstation and all other game consoles in the world would be a silly thing to do.

[SangZe]

02:04 PM on 04/10/2012

Other than their functions as emergency communications, none of the mobile phones are of much use.

[LilPuppy]

01:31 PM on 04/10/2012

got an HTC 3D EVO and I love it....but I'm also guilty of having an Ipad

[JPalka]

08:00 PM on 04/10/2012

... so you can see more clearly what subscription you are missing :)

[bigoz71]

01:21 PM on 04/10/2012

I have never heard of anyone in China selling there organs for an Android.

[theveggiedude]

02:44 PM on 04/10/2012

I never heard the 'slave labour' comments about making Androids, but Foxconn make them more than iPhone.

Your point?

[DefineReality]

03:33 PM on 04/10/2012

People don't die in the areas where Android is made.

[Durt Bagg]

01:08 PM on 04/10/2012

GO ANDROID!

Android Devices Seeing 'Malware Epidemic'
Mobile phones running on Google's Android operating system are experiencing a "malware epidemic," with the amount of malicious software having risen nearly fivefold since July. - http://tinyurl.com/7nrfofh

Android Trojan Turns Up
Trend Micro researchers have found a data-harvesting Trojan lurking in Android Market. http://tinyurl.com/3bg8le6

Android attacks now outpace all other mobile platforms, says McAfee - http://tinyurl.com/42ry2p6

Study: 99% of Android devices vulnerable to attack
Bad news for Android users! A study shows that 99 percent of Android devices are vulnerable to a security attack which allows hackers to access their Twitter, Facebook, or Google accounts. -- http://tinyurl.com/6fbzuyl

Study: Android malware up 400 percent
Android malware up 400 percent and Wi-Fi networks increasingly vulnerable to attack. -- http://tiny.cc/1m677

[PLDgyrl]

01:22 PM on 04/10/2012

Blah Blah Blah

[DefineReality]

03:39 PM on 04/10/2012

You have been living in a bubble. On multiple versions of the iOS you've been able to access the phone even with a password required. There have been bugs found that apps can steal your contact information without needing to ask for permission to access your contact list and on and on and on.

With a true Android device (Nexus line) security is much better and unlike the iOS, in the yearly hacking contests, Android has yet to fall.

[Darius Molark]

12:29 PM on 04/10/2012

Way to go China! Knock out the expensive, overwrought iPhone!

[VapeGirl]

11:54 AM on 04/10/2012

Don't worry, Apple will scream bloody murder and take people to court over this to stop Androids use in China.

[PLDgyrl]

01:22 PM on 04/10/2012

I know they are just like whiny little babies.