iPhone Outsells Android G1 6 to 1

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/iphone-trounces-android' target='_blank'>http://www.alleyinsider.com/2009/1/...rounces-android</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"A slow start for Google's Android mobile operating system: Based on a survey, Morgan Stanley estimates that Google's (GOOG) partners HTC and T-Mobile (DT) sold 300,000 Google-powered G1 smartphones in the U.S. during Q4."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1232522140.usr105634.jpg" /></em></p><p>I doubt anyone is surprised by this news. <a href="http://www.t-mobile.com/" target="_blank">T-Mobile</a> is the 4th largest carrier next to <a href="http://www.att.com/" target="_blank">AT&amp;T's</a> number one status in the cellular telephone market so that was no small factor, not to mention the <a href="http://www.t-mobileg1.com/" target="_blank">G1</a> was available starting in the latter part of October 2008 so the iPhone had a bit of a jump. Even so, the iPhone infrastructure with the App Store is a hard one to beat, especially when you consider the sheer number of options for applications an iPhone user has when compared to the G1. I wouldn't count the G1 out just yet though; they do have the behemoth Google in their corner.&nbsp;</p>

[ucfgrad93]

No surprise here, in my opinion. I think Android will do fine in the long term, however, they do need to come out with some better looking handsets as the G1 is butt-ugly.

[Pony99CA]

I doubt anyone is surprised by this news. <a href="http://www.t-mobile.com/" target="_blank">T-Mobile</a> is the 4th largest carrier next to <a href="http://www.att.com/" target="_blank">AT&amp;T's</a> number one status in the cellular telephone market so that was no small factor, not to mention the <a href="http://www.t-mobileg1.com/" target="_blank">G1</a> was available starting in the latter part of October 2008 so the iPhone had a bit of a jump.
In other words, Silicon Alley Insider's comparison was silly. Even so, it looks like there could be 1 million Android G1s sold in a year.

Their article also said Apple sold 1.75 million OS X phones in the quarter. I wonder how many Windows Mobile phones of the 20 million sold in 2008 were sold in that quarter. A uniform distribution would imply 5 million. I wonder if they'll publish an article saying "Windows Mobile Trounces iPhone". Or, assuming this article wasn't schadenfreude, maybe Apple Thoughts could scoop them. ;)

Even so, the iPhone infrastructure with the App Store is a hard one to beat, especially when you consider the sheer number of options for applications an iPhone user has when compared to the G1.
Android has an app store, too. Of course, Apple's has been around longer, so it's not surprising that they have more software. Plus, my understanding is that all apps are free on the Android app store for some period, so commercial developers may not have released their best stuff yet.

I wouldn't count the G1 out just yet though; they do have the behemoth Google in their corner.
Not a very gutsy call, is it? I think anybody who would count Google out after less than three months probably compares unfavorably in intelligence with a retarded water flea. :eek:

Steve

[Macguy59]

What's silly is implying any WMD belongs in an iPhone vs G1 comparison. Now back on topic, the comparison of sales seems misleading if it includes all the markets iPhone is available in.

[Dyvim]

What happened to all those claims that T-Mobile pre-sold 1.5 million G1 phones before it was even released?

http://androidcommunity.com/15-million-t-mobile-g1-handsets-already-sold-20081012/

And I think the # for worldwide iPhones sales was 4.3 million (just released yesterday), but no disclosure as to how many of those were U.S., but 1.75m seems like a reasonable ballpark figure.

Even if WM did sell 5m phones that quarter (which isn't a given), it's not that much more than Apple's worldwide figure. Not too bad for a single phone model!

[Vincent Ferrari]

Even if WM did sell 5m phones that quarter (which isn't a given), it's not that much more than Apple's worldwide figure. Not too bad for a single phone model!

A single phone model made by one manufacturer and carried by one carrier (which varies from country to country).

Definitely not bad numbers-wise.

[Pony99CA]

What happened to all those claims that T-Mobile pre-sold 1.5 million G1 phones before it was even released?

http://androidcommunity.com/15-million-t-mobile-g1-handsets-already-sold-20081012/
Good question. ;)

And I think the # for worldwide iPhones sales was 4.3 million (just released yesterday), but no disclosure as to how many of those were U.S., but 1.75m seems like a reasonable ballpark figure.

Even if WM did sell 5m phones that quarter (which isn't a given), it's not that much more than Apple's worldwide figure. Not too bad for a single phone model!
It's being reported on the blogs that 5 million WM phones were sold in the quarter (http://www.intomobile.com/2009/01/22/windows-mobile-smartphone-sales-trump-iphone-in-q4-2008.html). You can look at it two ways. If you're a WM fan, WM beat the iPhone. If you're an Apple fan, imagine what Apple could do if they licensed to more than one carrier per country or maybe even had more than one model.

Steve

[Pony99CA]

What's silly is implying any WMD belongs in an iPhone vs G1 comparison.
Thanks for trying to play moderator (when none of the real ones objected), but it's hardly silly. This thread is discussing a competitor to the iPhone, as did my post. In fact, most of my post discussed Android.

I just wanted to suggest a follow-up story (which, surprisingly, hasn't been posted yet :)).

Steve