The smartphone wars

Apple has recently intensive its efforts to stop the progress of the Android operating system, this time though not through the release of new products or promotions but in legal action in the United States and Australia. Microsoft too seems to have it sights set on Google's Android. We have seen software patent wars before, and we will see than again in the future.

iOS. WMPowerUser has data from Market Research company Kantar World Panel on smartphone sales in seven countries. The data gives us some insight on why Apple and Microsoft might be a bit nervous. Apple is winning in the battle of profitability, but loosing ground in market share. Comparing figures from the last the 12 week period ending July 2010 and the same period in 2011, it would seem that the iPhone share in smartphone sales is actually slipping in three of the countries.

Great Britain

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 25.3%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 20.2%

Germany

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 24.6%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 20.0%

France

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 33.1%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 20.3%

I would think in part, the slide in sales could be the delay of the release of  a new iPhone.

Market share in smartphone sales has increased in four of the countries.

United States

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 20.4%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 28.6%

Australia

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 32.9%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 39.2%

Italy

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 13.4%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 22.0%

Spain

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 3.9%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 7.1%

All in all, absent a new phone things are looking pretty good for Apple's iPhone.

Android. The problem is Android is on a tear.

Great Britain

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 18.6%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 48.8%

Germany

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 4.8%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 44.3%

France

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 19.7%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 41.0%

United States

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 24.2%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 57.0%

Australia

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 4.7%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 38.0%

Italy

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 1.3%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 27.6%

Spain

12 weeks ending July 2010 - 10.7%

12 weeks ending July 2011 - 47.9%

Apple iPhone's are selling well, but overall more Android phones are being sold. This is not really much of a surprise for us since the available iPhone's the 3GS and 4 would only cater to the higher end market, while Android phones range from entry level smartphones to iPhone challengers.

Symbian is falling heavily on all seven countries and it looks like most of the slack is being taken up by Android. This is not too surprising since Nokia smart phones phones sell at the same price points as Android smarthpones. So, in the end while the iPhone continues to sell well, it looks like it is Android which is really taking Symbian down. This is something Microsoft would want to delay until the Nokia Windows Phone 7 devices are released.

RIM is loosing sales overall, but is only loosing heavily in the United States and Australia. It actually gained some ground in Great Britain and in Spain. WHat is interesting to note is RIM is loosing the most were the iPhone is the strongest.

Windows Phones 7, not much good news here, but it managed to get 7.1% of the German market