Android Holds Onto Mobile Market Dominance: 10 Reasons Why

Android Holds Onto Mobile Market Dominance: 10 Reasons Why
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Over the last few years, Android?has?cemented?itself?as?the?dominant?force?in?the?mobile?market. And 2012 might just be its best year yet, according to IDC. The research firm says that Android will secure 61 percent of the market this year, and maintain nearly 53 percent by 2016. Meanwhile, every platform from iOS to Windows Phone 7 will be forced to battle it out for second place.?

But how did this happen? For years, Android has been called the second-rate version of iOS by some mobile customers. Although devices from Samsung and HTC have proven popular, no single Android phone has yet to match the success of Apple?s iPhone. Still, with solid branding, a high-quality experience and some help from a boatload of vendors, Android is the top player in the mobile market. That won?t change over the next several years.?

Here are the reasons that Android is so dominant today.?

1. It?s a numbers game after all?

When it comes to Android dominance, pointing to the sheer number of devices on store shelves and in users? hands is arguably the simplest reason for its success. There are now hundreds (if not thousands) of different mobile device models running Android in one form or another, ranging from mobile phones to tablets and enterprise products. Blanketing the market with product is a great way to win the market share game.?

2. Apple?s only offering three devices?

Meanwhile, Android?s chief competitor, iOS, while highly popular and extremely profitable for Apple ?is suffering in market share, at least, because of Apple?s policy to keep it in-house. Apple currently only offers the operating system on its iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touch. Because of that, there?s simply no way for Apple to keep up with Google?s mobile operating system.?

3. RIM?s decline?

RIM was long a thorn in the side of Nokia?s Symbian platform and Windows Mobile when that operating system had considerable market share. In the past year, however, RIM has watched its market share plummet to just 6 percent, according to IDC. What?s worse, that figure will drop to 5.9 percent by 2016. RIM?s?decline?has?helped?Android?in?a?big?way.?

4. BYOD?

The consumerization of IT is something that a host of CIOs and IT decision-makers hear about ?and as of late, it?s something many of those folks have been forced to deal with. Although the iPhone is the most popular consumer product to be brought into the office, Android is also gaining some ground with BYOD [Bring Your Own Device] trend. Without BYOD, it would be impossible for Android to keep up.?

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