Sorry, iPhone! China's smartphone users choose Android

Google

(ZDNET) Google's Android mobile operating system was China's most popular platform in 2011, with its market share ballooning by 35 percent in the space of less than a year.

Beijing-based research analytics firm Analysys International said by the end of 2011, Android had 68 percent of the smartphone operating system market, a figure up from 33 percent only three quarters before, representing a clear double in growth amongst the Chinese market.

China has the world's largest mobile phone market, with a population of around 1.3 billion, and an estimated 988 million mobile phone subscribers.

While the iPhone remains popular in China, Android devices come in many shapes and sizes, and are on the whole far cheaper and more flexible in their capabilities than the iPhone.

While China is still two or three years away from issuing licenses for 4G LTE in the country, top-end 4G-capable Android devices are left behind, unable to reach the super-fast mobile broadband speeds. The iPhone 4S does not have 4G LTE technology, but Apple is expected to add the capability in the next-generation iPhone 5, following the lead from its younger sibling, the iPad 3.

But China has yet to see a widescale rollout of the iPhone yet. The country's biggest mobile carrier now has over 15 million iPhone users, while many refused to switch carriers from the China Unicom exclusive carrier, ZDNet's Hana Stewart-Smith reports, leading to an initial decline in uptake.

China remains Apple's second-most important market after the United States, cemented by chief executive Tim Cook's visit to the region last month. Cook met with the Chinese vice-premier and toured the controversial Foxconn plant where Apple builds its shiny rectangles for the vastly Western consumer market.

China contributed more than 16 percent, or $4.5 billion, to Apple's earnings in Q4 2011, putting the country ahead of the entire 27 member state collective of the European Union.

Apple saw its China market share rise from 4.1 percent in the first quarter to 5.7 percent by the end of the fourth quarter, signalling a rise but of little significance considering China's vast population numbers.

This story originally appeared at ZDNet's Between the Lines under the headline "Android leads over Apple in China's smartphone race."

[hypnotoad72]

So that's why Android has more malware!! =D

Just kidding...

[terich22]

Caught dead with an Android phone. You make it seem like it is a bad thing. Top of the line Androids beat iphone anyday. Galaxy s2 etc. and now the HTC One X. They are probably more aware of Androids benefits, so they buy more android, not to mention there is actually some choice when it comes to android, 3.5 screen all the way to 5.3. ios = no options

[hypnotoad72]

Agreed.

It's very poor writing for a news article, but as an editorial or tabloid piece it's just about perfect.

Good response as well. Android being "poor" as a competitor died the moment they fixed the bugs in 2.1, not to mention stuff like this:

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/214268/20110915/top-10-android-features-ios-5-impersonated-apple-iphone-5-ipad-ipad-2-iphone-3gs-iphone-4-ipod-touch.htm

[apoggee]

Anything that is free in China has a mass following from Renren, Weibo & QQ (China's version of Facebook, Twitter & Skype) to bootleg copies of MS Window - which has like 99% share of the desktop in China. The pertinent question is what smart phone does the yuppies and rich people carry? These are the trend setters and influencers in China. You will find that FACE is very important to them and they will not be caught dead with an Android phone. Most invariably carry the most expensive version of the iPhone & iPad and will ask their staff or colleagues to buy them from the US when it is first launch - just to get the bragging right to be the FIRST with the MOST.

[Cnm8888]

What you describe is not unique in China. I saw people stayed overnight in the US for iPhone/iPad. If you take a look at the AppStore, free apps are the most popular and rated better. I'm not sure Apple's inflexible products will be popular there besides those dumb people with money and psychological needs.