Android Winning the Smartphone OS Battles, but Apple & Blackberry Are Biggest Brands

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Android has shaken up the smartphone market ever since it took off a few years back. We earlier heard that Android is now leading the game in terms of new purchases and market share. But seeing it as a visual is many times better.

According to a Nielsen study conducted late 2010 to January 2011, Android has the biggest smartphone OS share at 29%. Meanwhile, close in competition are Apple iOS at 27%, and Blackberry likewise at 27%. Trailing the big three are Windows, webOS and previous market-leader Symbian.

Looking at it from another perspective, though, it seems that Apple and RIM are still winners. Even if Android is at the lead, its share is divided among various manufacturers, namely HTC, Samsung, Motorola and a small minority of lesser-known brands. Even if HTC, Samsung and Motorola also sell Windows Phones, Apple and RIM each beat these collectively. And that’s because of monopoly. Apple, and no one else, produces iOS smartphones. Same with RIM’s Blackberry.

Market dynamics at play

This kind of dynamic probably comes into play when manufacturers think of their OS and marketing strategy. RIM is rumored to be releasing a Blackberry Messenger app for the iOS and Android. In the same vein, RIM is also planning to run Android apps on the upcoming PlayBook. These two things can possibly help expand their ecosystem.

On the Apple side, meanwhile, it seems they’re sitting on their laurels, and focusing on releasing great products at a premium. The iPhone 4? Phenomenal. The iPad 2? Not even released, yet it’s likely to sell like hotcakes.

What’s left of the minority, though? Nokia has teamed up with Microsoft, and they’re planning to rally both their resources in order to better compete with the giants. My, the tables have turned!

Note that these figures don’t even include Apple’s Verizon iPhone 4 yet, which generated a lot of buzz this February.

Whatever happens, it’s an exciting time to be a mobile consumer these days. Updates and innovation are going pretty fast. We’re already seeing alternative input methods that don’t just involve gadgets, but even our bodies! What’s left to understand is that all these OSes, gadgets and brands are meant to help people communicate. And that’s what is at the core of mobile telephony.