In recent years, Android’s quest for world domination has been well documented. Analysts and mobile experts alike have spoken of Android’s supremacy, and it’s well known the operating system accounts for the majority of smartphone devices in many developed and emerging markets globally.
In the US, Android accounts for 52% of the mobile market. However, new research suggests the total number of iPhone users will overtake Android’s next year. This is due to Apple users being loyal customers who buy into the product, often staying within the company’s “black hole”.
In contrast, Android owners are more open to switching. The data, collected by Yankee Group following a survey of over 16,000 US consumers, found 24% of Android owners expect to switch to another platform in the next year, compared to just 9% of iPhone users. Samsung users were also shown not to be as loyal either, with only 56% of current users intending to buy another device made by the South Korean tech giant.
Android clearly does not tie its customers in to its service in quite the same way as the iPhone, with many considering moving to the Apple-made device. The report even suggests Android may have reached saturation in the US, with ownership of such smartphones remaining at 34% of the country’s population.
Whether Android can reverse this trend and tie down its customers remains to be seen. What is certain however is that Apple will continue to challenge Google’s monopoly of the smartphone market in the next year.
