Android now leads the tablet market with a 56.5% share

[BajiRav]

Why wouldnt the Kindle count? They may not be officially counted because they dont have Google apps,but they do run the Android OS.

Then we should start counting almost all ATMs as Windows PC sales too. While we are at it, let's count Ford, Kia cars, many POS terminals etc.

[tsupersonic]

For what it's worth, the Nook HD and Nook HD+ got access to the Google Play Store/Services after a massive update.

Source

[techbeck]

For what it's worth, the Nook HD and Nook HD+ got access to the Google Play Store/Services after a massive update.

Source

Yup, market share is about to go up. I made a post in back page about his earlier.

[tsupersonic]

Yup, market share is about to go up. I made a post in back page about his earlier.

I posted that before your topic :p Anyways, yeah, I can see market share for Nook/Android increasing slightly due to this. I'd be more tempted to get a Kindle if they also jumped on board with Google Play. I'm more invested in Amazon Prime, so it would be a nice complement to have with the Prime account.

[Growled Member]

For what it's worth, the Nook HD and Nook HD+ got access to the Google Play Store/Services after a massive update.

Good for them. This will help them tremendously.

[techbeck]

I posted that before your topic :p

I know. Wasnt saying you didnt. Just that I made a post earlier in the day. :p haha

[CaptainBeno]

you really cant trust these numbers because they count all devices even the $20 cheap tablets in china running old android versions no wonder they can claim this .

just like this $35 tablet

http://venturebeat.c...let-i-want-one/

this is why i laugh at topics like this

[techbeck]

you really cant trust these numbers because they count all devices even the $20 cheap tablets in china running old android versions no wonder they can claim this .

Doesnt matter if it is cheap or not. It still runs Android, period. Doesnt matter what version and I am sure iOS counts all versions as well. And yes, not everyone is on the latest and greatest iOS version.

[Rippleman]

its embarrassing that it took them this long considering the thousands of android device makers out there VS 1 single company. IOS devices cost as much as 500% more then andriod devices too and FINALLY android pulls ahead....? shameful.

[Xerxes]

This is contradictory to what I see, no one has an Android tab and most of them are on shelves... maybe retailers are stocking without sales? iPads however are flying out the door.

I'm seeing the opposite happen where I am. It's still by far an iPad dominated market, but starting to see more Android tablets around now (particularly Samsung ones). I think unless Apple does something to freshen up the iPad lineup/iOS we might see this trend continue.

[Boz]

It's easy to say, "Hey devs, get the freak on board already!" but I've listened and talked to CEOs and various developers talk about why iOS gets the apps first, and from the sound of it, it seems developing for Android is much more of a process.

That might have been true before.. not so much now..

Android was more complex because you had to design around multiple screens and your app had to basically be designed around relative layouts, while on iOS you had one resolution basically and you could design around that with pixel precision.. Since iPhone 5 this is not so great on iOS now either.. you have to develop for different iOS versions as it's not so ubiquotous as well (iOS 5.x and iOS 6.x), different iPhones and resolution difference..

Now you already see apps coming first for Android.. especially when they need to integrate better into the OS itself. iOS simply can't do that as it is completely closed. That's why Facebook Home will probably never get to iOS in the form it is on Android but there are also many other apps that are basically developed for Android first now and then iOS.

[BajiRav]

That might have been true before.. not so much now..

Android was more complex because you had to design around multiple screens and your app had to basically be designed around relative layouts, while on iOS you had one resolution basically and you could design around that with pixel precision.. Since iPhone 5 this is not so great on iOS now either.. you have to develop for different iOS versions as it's not so ubiquotous as well (iOS 5.x and iOS 6.x), different iPhones and resolution difference..

Now you already see apps coming first for Android.. especially when they need to integrate better into the OS itself. iOS simply can't do that as it is completely closed. That's why Facebook Home will probably never get to iOS in the form it is on Android but there are also many other apps that are basically developed for Android first now and then iOS.

Uh...iOS had at least four resolutions before iPhone 5. The problem with Android was nobody was developing apps for the tablet and even today most new major apps launch on iOS simultaneously if not first. Facebook home is just another launcher, not exactly something other platforms are missing out on.

[vcfan]

developers aren't stupid. no one is developing android tablets apps because chances are, if most of these tablets are dirt cheap pieces of crap glorified media player devices, whos going to buy your software? I just see these as a poor mans ipad.

[tsupersonic]

developers aren't stupid. no one is developing android tablets apps because chances are, if most of these tablets are dirt cheap pieces of crap glorified media player devices, whos going to buy your software? I just see these as a poor mans ipad.

Man, has this forum has gone so downhill...

[Rippleman]

Man, has this forum has gone so downhill...

man, you Android boys are so touchy when someone doesn't praise your god... every time someone doesn't say "ANDROID IS THE BEST", someone like you comes along and cries about the poster, the competition, the forum, anything to get your anger that Android just isn't liked by some people. Relax and breathe. The Forum is doing just fine.

[tsupersonic]

man, you Android boys are so touchy when someone doesn't praise your god... every time someone doesn't say "ANDROID IS THE BEST", someone like you comes along and cries about the poster, the competition, the forum, anything to get your anger that Android just isn't liked by some people. Relax and breathe. The Forum is doing just fine.

Umm what? I didn't say Android is the best, I like it because it works for me. Any person that tries to persuade someone that platform x is better than platform y is just silly/pointless. Every platform has its advantages/disadvantages. I don't know how you got that from me saying the forum has gone downhill to his post - I was inferring that there is no logic in vcfan's post, and looks like it was written by a 8 year old. Also let it be known, even though I prefer Android on phones, if I had to get a tablet today, it'd most likely be an iPad. I think it is you that needs to relax ;)

[Noir Angel]

The other thing is that Android users don't want to spend money:

http://www.nytimes.c...&ref=technology&

It's been this way for years, and it makes sense. I'd say the majority of people buying Android are buying because it's cheaper. I had an android tablet for a while (back in Honeycomb days) and I noticed that most of the apps I'd have paid for on my iPod touch were free on Android but would have ads everywhere.

Also, it was a lot easier to sideload (read: steal) apps for android as well.

So all that to say that it makes sense to develop for iOS. Even Windows phone users are more willing to spend money on apps than Android users.

Different thread, same stupid and bigoted stereotypes.

[Rippleman]

Umm what? I didn't say Android is the best, I like it because it works for me. Any person that tries to persuade someone that platform x is better than platform y is just silly/pointless. Every platform has its advantages/disadvantages. I don't know how you got that from me saying the forum has gone downhill to his post - I was inferring that there is no logic in vcfan's post, and looks like it was written by a 8 year old. Also let it be known, even though I prefer Android on phones, if I had to get a tablet today, it'd most likely be an iPad. I think it is you that needs to relax ;)

I am sorry then, its just the Android Fanboyism here is larger then life

[Nashy]

Ridiculous to even judge anything on these numbers.

What is it now. 5000+ different devices compared to Apple's 5?

Edit to stop a possible fanboy attack.

I own 2x Android tablets. 1 Apple.

[Boz]

Uh...iOS had at least four resolutions before iPhone 5.

Nah I don't think you understood.. iOS had 2 resolutions really.. if you wanted to build for a phone you would build for retina and the same absolute layout would work on lower resolution.. 320x480 => 640x960.. you could have done whatever you wanted with pixel precision.

For iPad that came later, you again only had 1 resolution.. 2048x1536 that scaled down to 1024x768..

But when iPhone 5 came out, and introduced 640x1536 everything really changed as now you had most of the iOS market using older resolution and the new iPhones used taller resolution.. so now when you want to build an iOS app (for a phone at least) you have to design and think about it in relative terms (similarly to Android) as your app will run on both older resolution/s and the new one..

Now, it's not as demanding on iOS thanks to some smart things Apple put in Xcode so you can make things that scale a bit easier on iOS than on Android when you develop for it, but the problem is still there.. no more super pixel perfect designs and apps for iOS.. I mean you can do it, but it's not as easy as it was before and that's why it's less of a factor now for developers.

And considering that Android platform is massive in users, tools (Android ADT) has matured quite nicely, developing for Android is now much smoother and Android OS being open and easy for you to integrate your app into all kinds of OS level functionality makes it perfect for some innovative apps.

Ridiculous to even judge anything on these numbers.

What is it now. 5000+ different devices compared to Apple's 5?

So? That was the whole point.. an open system will always prevail and own marketshare.. plus due to it's open source nature Android is also far more open for innovation and building upon it. Something Apple will never do.

So let's stop complaining how there's a ton of Android devices vs Apple's. That's a choice Apple made and since they can't make more than what they do, they will always end up being in the niche market or if you want, it will never be a leader in anything but a much smaller market share.

[Raa]

Ridiculous to even judge anything on these numbers.

What is it now. 5000+ different devices compared to Apple's 5?

Your point is somewhat invalid though.

The numbers are spot on. If it has Android it's counted. Whether it's a $50 device or a $500 device. Who cares if it's 5000+ devices vs Apple's 5?

Consumers like choice, they've been offered it and they're taking it up. There's a lot of talk at work about what device people should get, I hear more and more people considering Android tablets. And often, they purchase them too. Even had one iPad owner swap theirs for one, and couldn't have been happier.

[techbeck]

Your point is somewhat invalid though.

The numbers are spot on. If it has Android it's counted. Whether it's a $50 device or a $500 device. Who cares if it's 5000+ devices vs Apple's 5?

Yea, that cracks me up. People think the numbers are messed up because Android offers more choice and has different price points. A $50 tablet may be cheap, but its perfect if all someone wants is an ebook reader.

[Nashy]

Your point is somewhat invalid though.

The numbers are spot on. If it has Android it's counted. Whether it's a $50 device or a $500 device. Who cares if it's 5000+ devices vs Apple's 5?

Consumers like choice, they've been offered it and they're taking it up. There's a lot of talk at work about what device people should get, I hear more and more people considering Android tablets. And often, they purchase them too. Even had one iPad owner swap theirs for one, and couldn't have been happier.

Correct. Your way of thinking is spot on, and tells me you're not a ****** fanboy like the majority of people who will reply to these types of threads. Choice is wonderful, but android circle jerks will take this news an Android being better, and more popular. It's only popular because the OS is offered on many devices. Not a bad thing, but bad to compare next to each other.

[Rippleman]

Think some of you missing what some people are implying. Some of you are assuming "Android must be better since more people are buying it now". McDonald's sells a lot of $0.99 burgers too. Not outselling IOS for this long should be an embarrassing to Google. A free OS installed on thousands and thousands of cheaply available device models that couldn't outsell something many times more $$ is just sad. Now that they somewhat have Android selling finally doesn't mean "ya, look at us, we are the best!" like many of you would like to believe, best is dependent on what a person prefers and what works for their need.

[techbeck]

Think some of you missing what some people are implying. Some of you are assuming "Android must be better since more people are buying it now". McDonald's sells a lot of $0.99 burgers too. Not outselling IOS for this long should be an embarrassing to Google. A free OS installed on thousands and thousands of cheaply available device models that couldn't outsell something many times more $$ is just sad. Now that they somewhat have Android selling finally doesn't mean "ya, look at us, we are the best!" like many of you would like to believe, best is dependent on what a person prefers and what works for their need.

No one here even said android was the best. I do not get where you are seeing that. Saying that android is awesome and that android is getting some great apps is not saying it is the best. Best is subjective and depends on the person and their needs/wants towards a certain platform...like you said. But again, no one here is saying it is the best. You are assuming and reading way to much in to the comments here.

And yes, there are many cheap androids but none of those cheapos are selling nearly as well as the more expensive ones. And the problem with android, and one of the major reasons why android took so long to gain market share, was that the first few versions of the OS for tablets were not designed for tablets. Even Honeycomb was a PITA and not really worth it. It didnt start getting better until ICS which was released at the end of 2011. A year and a half after the first iPad which was designed right at the start. By that time, iPad was well the dominate tablet, android tablets had a bad rap, and it took a while for faith in them to take off. If android did it right to begin with, then I am sure their market share would of grown quicker...but who knows. Mistakes were made and it appears they are learning from them.