Buzzin Mobiles

Having released the first version of Android software in September 2008, Google has had its mobile operating system on the market for less than two-and-a-half years but already it is overtaking the mighty iPhone, which was first released as far back as June 2007. How has Android become the OS of choice for the discerning mobile user?

In a nutshell, Google’s Android operating system (OS) has enjoyed roaring success due to its accessibility and quality, which only seems to be getting better and better. Available on a wide range of tariffs and handsets, more people are now able to afford to buy a smartphone than ever before.

Apple’s exclusivity and restrictions on development and price seem to be where they’re falling down, especially seeing as though other companies are now attempting to reach its high standards of design and user-friendliness – and almost succeeding.

On 5^th November 2007, at the same time as the release of Google’s Android platform, came the introduction of the new Open Handset Alliance. With this announcement, Google began paving the way for market dominance and embarked on a path of making up serious ground on Apple.

A consortium of 34 firms, the Open Handset Alliance member companies range from mobile handset manufacturers to application developers, service providers and chip makers, and include the likes of HTC, Google, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Toshiba, Nvidia, T-Mobile and Vodafone.

The consortium’s goal is to develop and maintain open standards for mobile devices – something which goes against everything Apple has worked towards with its incredibly exclusive brand. With the quality of HTC’s products and the development of the technology created by other brands, it’s really easy to see why Android has just kept on going from strength to strength.

htc-desire-hd

Tech review site CNet UK reported that 2010 saw HTC lead industry growth, with smartphone shipments having increased by a staggering 63.1 per cent between April and June, compared with the first quarter.

Analyst Tina Teng at market research firm iSuppli told CNet: “Every brand that has put effort into designing smart phones using Google’s operating system is riding the Android wave… Android is the secret sauce for smart phone growth for many companies in 2010.”

According to iPadrow, analysts at telecoms analysis firm Ovum have forecasted that Android OS will achieve a staggering 38 per cent control of the smartphone market by 2016 – that’s more than twice the market share of biggest rivals Apple, Windows Phone 7 and BlackBerry.

Android’s dominance is expected to continue to have a major impact on the mobile phone market, with smartphone sales predicted to double in five years’ time to reach 653 million.

On one hand, it seems hard to believe that one operating system could have such an enormous effect on a market from which it was once impossible to see how Apple could fall but, with the support of one of the most important mobile phone manufacturers in the world in HTC, it’s easy to see how they managed to make up that ground so quickly.

HTC have consistently released well-received, popular, user-friendly and attractive devices – and ones with specs that have come to heavily rival Apple. With phones such as the flagship HTC Desire HD and HTC Hero having been released onto the market, it’s easy to see how this, combined with Android’s accessibility and diversity is helping both ventures grow from strength to strength.

Leading accessory brand GEAR4 have announced refinements to their award winning UnityRemote app, promising easier use and enhanced unique features.

The UnityRemote app is designed to turn the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad into a universal remote control and the latest 1.6 version focuses on further enhancing the applications unique features as well as delivering a whole new range of innovative elements that make this ultimate home accessory slicker and sharper than ever before.

The app’s ‘favourites’ function  which allows users to list their most watched TV channels under a ‘favourite’ icon on their iPhone, iPod touch or iPad screen has been updated to save users even more time. TV addicts can now add an unlimited amount of favourites, instead of the previous nine. With just one single tap of an icon on their Apple device, users can seamlessly flick between channels.

GEAR4’s engineering team have been busy ensuring that UnityRemote works as effectively as possible with all home electronic devices, both new and old. Having heavily optimised the app, memory usage has been minimised to make reaction times faster overall. Changing between the TV and CD player, or other devices, is both quicker and easier.

Thanks to a new and improved user interface on the app, customising key icons with images from personal digital photo collections couldn’t be simpler.

royal wedding app

ITN Productions has launched a Royal Wedding app exclusively with Getjar the world’s largest independent app store, where visitors will be able to download the highly anticipated software a week ahead of it’s general release.

Royal family enthusiasts can now follow William and Kate’s wedding preparations every step of the way by downloading the Royal Wedding app for Android and iPhone – completely free on GetJar for the next seven days.

The app, developed to support ITN’s Royal Wedding Channel on YouTube, delivers up to date news and entertaining video content on all things royal in the run up to the big day on April 29th. With hours of video content packed into the app and more being added each day, the app provides a quick and entertaining way to keep up to date with the nation’s favourite couple.

Miguel Tatay, Head of Mobile at ITN Productions, said: “We wanted to reach the largest possible audience and make the app open and available to everyone. As the world’s largest open app store, GetJar was the obvious choice to launch and distribute The Royal Wedding app.”

Patrick Mork, CMO of GetJar commented: “We’re thrilled to be able to offer The Royal Wedding app exclusively on GetJar. The Royal wedding is the talk of the town and downloading this app will allow everyone to feel part of it. We expect this is going to be extremely popular and are delighted to be able to make this app free to consumers on GetJar”.

A global survey commissioned by the world’s largest independent app store Getjar, shows a growing demand for the Google based Android mobile devices, with 40% of respondents saying that they will switch to Android when choosing their next phone.

Interestingly the survey revealed that only 18% of respondents now aspire to replace their current handset with the Apple based iPhone, the market leader in the field for the last few years.

While this is hardly likely to be the death knell of the iPhone, the vast range of manufacturers offering the Android based product means that customers have an enormous choice when it comes to replacing their current device, both in price and application.

Apple have also cornered the market for mobile apps during their current reign, but that is all about to change too according to Getjar, who predict that Android apps will outnumber Apple by 2 to 1 in the near future.

Patrick Mork CMO of Getjar says;

“The survey results make it clear that all eyes are on Android, as well as the importance of brand equity in the increasingly competitive mobile app space. In addition, the data also reveals that brand marketers and advertisers also have a reason to be hopeful about consumer’s appetite for in-app advertisement.”

App usage is clearly on the rise with the survey results showing almost 34 percent of consumers spending one hour or more using apps per day, compared to 49 percent who spend the same amount of time watching television.  Fifty-eight percent of respondents use mobile apps more than once a day.

The importance of brand equity was pushed to the forefront, as almost 80 percent said that the quality of the brand’s app makes the brand more trustworthy.  Furthermore, 72 percent of those surveyed said they were more likely to engage with a brand if they had a good app.

Advertisers have reason to be hopeful.  Seventy-three percent of respondents said they have downloaded an app with advertising in it, and almost 60 percent said they’d do it again. Almost one in four made a purchase after having clicked on a mobile ad.

Discovery continues to plague app publishers.  Only 25% discovered the apps they were looking for using actual app stores.  Nearly 50% had actually discovered apps while browsing online and nearly 17% had discovered apps through friends or social media.

Other survey results include:

• Gaming apps are the most popular, followed closely by social networking apps
• The amount of free apps and the ease of search topped the list of things users look for in an app store
• The cost of an app was the biggest deciding factor in whether to download an app or not

Making big waves in the UK mobile market over the last few monthsTesco Mobile have announced that sales of Android based smartphones have eclipsed those of Apple’s iPhone for the first time, during February this year.

Christmas sales at Tesco Mobile were firmly in favour of the market leading Apple device, outselling the Google based Android handsets by two to one, but in January sales of both devices were like for like.

Sales of Android phones eclipsed that of iPhones for the first time in February on the Tesco Mobile Network and there is good reason to believe that this trend will continue throughout 2011.

It is fair to say that the deals offered on new Android phones by Tesco are more competitive than they are able to offer on the Apple device, but as the battle for supremacy in smartphone operating systems continues to make the news, Google’s Android platform appears to be gaining a strong foothold in the market.

In this fast paced and constantly changing market, recent announcements have seen PlayStation herald the imminent launch of its Xperia Play smartphone and Nokia announce that it will be teaming up with Microsoft.

How that will effect the marketplace remains to be seen but as we wait for developments to unfold Android is the clear early winner.

Graham Harris, Chief Executive Officer of Tesco Telecoms and Tesco Mobile comments:
“As one of the UK’s leading operators, these sales are a useful barometer for smartphone trends. There is a lot of choice in the market and as a result consumers are driving healthy competition between rival operating systems.
Tesco Mobile prides itself on customer service and offering customers what they want, through a wide range of competitive deals on all platforms. In addition to competitive Android smartphone deals, we also offer iPhone on a variety of fantastic 12 month contracts.
However, we commend this healthy competition between operating systems as we see this as helping to drive consumer choice and flexibility.”