Android News
Android adoption higher in AT&T “3G-less” states
February 26, 2010 | by Chris Smith
Android News, AT&T, Verizon
We have been seeing quite a bit of data this week regarding Android and it’s demographics, usage, and Market statistics. Let’s add another pile of research to the mix.
According to Myxer, a mobile trend reporting website, only states that have decent 3G coverage from AT&T are leading in iPhone popularity. In the states Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Arizona, and New Mexico Android adoption is beating the iPhone by about 1,000 users. Although the Android lead in these states isn’t high it does show that states with worse AT&T coverage use less iPhones. Another note is that this data comes from “registered Myxer users”; not every handset or user is accounted for.
This data suggests a couple of bigger ideas. If AT&T 3G coverage were ubiquitous across the USA one could assume that iPhone adoption and use would lead in every state and in every market. This may not be a fair assumption considering that the iPhone is THE AT&T device to own and that there are no Android devices on AT&T’s network. This gives the iPhone little to no competition on it’s own network. What will be interesting to see is if any of this data changes after the first few Android devices come to AT&T. My opinion is that it won’t; most mainstream consumers want to use an iPhone regardless of the recent Android growth.
Myxer says that they will be producing reports like this one once a quarter so we can see what type of differences are made with new devices and better coverage.
Via [Electronista] Source [Myxer]
Christopher, by any chance are you and iPhone user?
Christopher, by any chance, are you an iPhone user?
Sorry for the spelling and grammar errors!
No way. I am a DROID user, sir.
Christopher <Two Thumbs Up!> man! Go Droid!
Question: Why do you have the presumption that "most mainstream users want to use an iPhone regardless of the recent Android growth.?"
at&t has not really begun to advertise the Android platform smart phones, which it has coming out this year. at&t is currently spending millions of dollars in advertising against Verizon, who has a bunch of Android based smart phones planned for introduction this year. If at&t wants to maintain the moniker of having the "Most selection of popular smart phones in the U.S.," then I would presume that there will be some pretty heavy, Android based smart phone, marketing to occur at the very same, "Mainstream," audience, to which you refer. IMO at&t can not afford to let Verizon get to much of the Android based smart phone pie! Even if it means sacraficing their iPhone market. To be honest I think that at&t my promote the Android phones fairly heavily, as I see more potential revenue to be steered into their pockets versus Apples! Come to think of it I do not recall one at&t commercial, that specifically marketed the iPhone. All of the iPhone ads that I remember, were done by Apple not at&t! (I could be wrong here)
I digress. I would not sell Android short on this one!
Will Android based smart phones take over the iPhone market dominance, probably not this year, but I predict that a fairly significant bite will be taken out of the Apple (pun intended) world, this year. Right now, Apple has two things going for it, in this space, The shear breath of good to excellent quality apps (including games) that are available, and it's overall brand recognition. Have you noticed the increased marketing by Apple for the iPhone lately? I believe that Mr, Jobs and rest of the Apple Gang see Google as a real and viable threat to their revenue stream. While Android phones have the appeal of individual user customization with a large breath of uncensored (for the most part) and free apps. The primary advantage that I see for Android based smart phones to the "mainstream" consumers, is Choice, with options! There are choice in carriers, phone manufacturers, form factors, features, capabilities, applications and customization, with no real restrictions.
Yes, there are some limitations too! (Many different Android OS versions, battery life issues , screen size and performance level differences between android based devices, app incompatibilities, just to name a few)
But I believe that Android based smart phones, when properly marketed, with the emphasis on the Android specific strengths, will have significant appeal to the "mainstream" customer base out there. Even in the face of the Apple marketing juggernaut!
Omega, don't think that I am an Android hater! I love my DROID and Android as a whole!
I think that you make some very valid points but one of the many things that I am going on is that the iPhone is extremely easy to use as Android has a considerable learning curve. With more and more people wanting smart phones we see more "less-techy" consumers entering that market. There is something to be said about the ease of use of an iPhone. It is designed with the majority of users in mind. People that own DROIDs around me still ask me what to do when a "force close" dialogue pops up. Android isn't exactly the most intuitive operating system standard users.
Trust me, I want Android to succeed, but do you honestly think that if the iPhone was opened up to other carriers, especially Verizon, we would see the amount DROID sales? I don't think so. Many Verizon customers were waiting for something compelling like the DROID, Eris, or iPhone to come along. If the iPhone would have beat them to the punch I believe the majority of DROID owners would be iPhone users. I still think that many geeks and techies (including me) would have moved to Android because of it's openness and potential capabilities but the vast majority of people would have went iPhone.
I agree that Apple is feeling the heat and they should do something about the growing Android market. But I still think that "most mainstream users" would go iPhone regardless of Android growth. I guess we will see where all this growth is going to go though. I'll admit I don't have all of the answers and don't claim to, it's just my observations and opinion.
Christopher IMO you are just a slow learner, Android is so easy to use and my 7 yr old son even told me Android Incredible just like an iPhone. but faster and better phonetop=(he got that from desktop lol) try Droid Incredible OMG you will trade an iPhone for that, i have an iPhone since it was out and now using 3g, but Incredible made me switch now its faster, web browsing has FLASH and when you pinch zoom it automatically adjust the text so you dont have to scroll over the side to see some text. Just try it now if you are a Open minded person for gadget, not an iPhone Die Hard fan.