Androids and Apples: Are they Even Comparable?

Although the release of the iPhone by Apple and the eventual release of the equally-competent Android has brought about much debate about which is better, in the end, one would ask ‘Are they even comparable?’ They may be catering to the same kind of market, but they each have their particular unique features that make them stand apart from one another.

With the increase in options that a consumer can have in terms of the smartphone market, there is a whole camaraderie of products to choose from, try, and switch to. It’s a wonderful world because the competition basically makes the development of each and every product so much more capable of doing what we want it to so, and just when we thought it would end there, something even better comes along!

The very recent past (and this still may change over a short period of time) has shown that the Android is gaining more popularity while the iPhone is getting less users because of it. One may be able to attribute it to the fact that the Android is becoming more compatible with different devices all over the world, while the iPhone remains mainly anchored to one distinct carrier. But is Apple really losing its market share?

Assessment 1: Is Apple Really Slipping in User Popularity?

The biggest question to wonder out loud is whether or not Apple is really slipping in popularity and therefore the company is slipping as well. This is hardly true. With the bestselling Macs and the Apple Company basically taking front stage, even to Microsoft, as one of the most valuable industries worldwide, one should hardly worry that Apple is on a downhill trend. Sure, the market is shifting, especially with competitive products like the Android making their grand entrance, but its popularity hardly affects the Apple Company’s performance. Consumers will always have their favorite little smartphones to stick with. Just because the Android was released it doesn’t mean everyone will shift to the Android all at once. Like apples and oranges, the consumer public also has its preferences and tastes.

Assessment 2: Will Apple’s iPhone 4 dramatically Shift Consumer Views Again?

Will the release of the iPhone 4 make consumers shift again and say that Apple has captured the market again? Probably; and with all the anticipation of the upcoming iPhone 4, consumers are practicing delayed gratification by holding back on buying any other Apple products  because they’re saving up for the iPhone 4. Maybe that is why Apple sales have gone down a little to make market speculators think that Apple is on a downward trend, when in reality, it is just a waiting period before another big boom in Apple sales.

The true fact is, those waiting for the iPhone 4 to be released are already iPhone users and owners, and many have probably already preordered the iPhone 4 and are just waiting for delivery. Overall, the market share in Apple hasn’t significantly changed for the worse at all. The bigger question to ask is if there will be new users of the iPhone 4 – users who have not bought any iPhone products in the past? The challenge now is for Apple to market the iPhone 4 the right way to be able to capture this ‘new Apple product owner’ market. If Apple succeeds in this, then it will have a big chance in countering the Android craze that has swept the world.

The Wider Perspective on Androids and Apples

Just because other products like the Android are sweeping the market doesn’t necessarily mean that Apple’s success or revenue is hindered in any way. Because of Apple’s huge loyal market share, there isn’t any reason that they’ll be losing it any time soon. The issue really is whether or not each competitor, whether Apple or Android, will maintain its position as one of the frontrunners in smartphone technology and development. Look at it as a good thing for consumers everywhere – the higher the competition, the greater the drive will be to improve on products that will keep getting better as time passes. This means more nifty products with improved features for us consumers to look forward to!