NPD Group reveals sales of Google’s Android handsets overtook iPhone sales in the US during the last quarter, promoting the operating system to the number two position behind RIM’s Blackberry OS. The breakdown based on Q1 2010 unit sales puts Blackberry at 36%, Android at 28%, the iPhone at 21%, and other platforms occupying the remaining 15%.
Although significant, this isn’t entirely surprising. Because although the iPhone has and continues to be a major success, it is still only a two-model family available through a sole carrier, AT&T. Android and Blackberry, on the other hand, are featured in a wide range of handsets with varying prices and from a larger selection of carriers, resulting in inevitably higher sales.
With Android and iPhone OS being direct rivals, and the former finally overtaking the latter, the questions that now come to mind are: Will the new 4G iPhone on Verizon’s Network help save Apple sales? Will the new HP/PALM phone and tablet be the next Apple Threat? Only time will tell, and what a great time it will be. Gotta love tech!
