Telsyte tells of predicted 2011 Android growth

Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Monday, 17 January 2011 16:43

Your IT - Mobility

Analyst firm Telsyte has some predictions for the Australian market, predicting that smartphones powered by Google's Android OS will grow 'threefold in 2011' at WinMo 6.5 and Nokia's expense, with Apple still set maintain market leadership this year.

Watch out, Apple iPhone: droids are stalking you in 2011 more than ever, whether you're looking for those droids or not - although clearly Apple is already well aware of the dark side of the droid.

The force seems strong with the droids, with analyst firm Telsyte predicting the Australian market will see Android 'grow its installed base threefold in 2011', at the expense on Nokia smartphones - and oddly enough, WinMo 6.5 phones - surprising because one would have imagined WinMo phones were already dead, desired only be monolithic corporates unable or unwilling to wean themselves from the WinMo teat.

However there is a cloud to the Android silver lining, and that's the prediction from Telsyte that 'ultra low cost Android smartphones' on pre-paid will be 'the fastest growing segment in 2011'.

That's a cloud because the 'ultra low cost' Android handsets usually come with compromises, be it older versions of the Android OS, small screens (some of which might lack multi-touch, like Telstra's Samsung Galaxy 5 Android handset), or less than stunning designs - unlike the high-end of the Android space which is doing all it can to out-iPhone the iPhone 4 - and the upcoming iPhone 5.

Telsyte also believes that 'the battle for smartphone supremacy' will see apps take the limelight ahead of features such as cameras, although if you were to ask me, I'd have said that was definitely the theme of 2010, and will only continue into 2011.

Evidence for the shift to apps comes through Android's fast app growth, already said by some to be in excess of 200,000 apps, fast catching up to Apple's 300,000+ app library, although Apple is bound to soon state it has 400,000 or more apps, pushing its leadership further out again.

Apple also has much higher quality apps than Android, but even that gap will shrink as it has already.

Telsyte's Research Director, Foad Fadaghi says that 'Android is growing as a distributive force against Apple. The quality of the platform is improving and gaining significant traction in the developer community.

'Many of the same applications available in the Apple AppStore are starting to appear in the Android Marketplace, often significantly cheaper or free of charge.'

So, we know that Android is expected to do well in Australia this year, but what about Windows Phone 7 and BlackBerry'¦ and Nokia?!

The surmising of the smartphone market continues on page two, please read on!