According to a three month ComScore study ending in January 2012, U.S. smartphone market share is really turning out to be a two pony race.
Google and Apple were the only platforms to increase market share with 2.3% and 1.4% gains respectively. Research in Motion and Microsoft were the biggest losers shedding 2% and 1%.
Almost half of all smartphones are now powered by Google’s Android operating system which sits at 48.6% U.S. share. Apple’s iOS sits at a respectable 29.5% share.
Research in Motion’s BlackBerry is now down to 15.2% and falling with no new hardware of consequence that could turn things around for the company until late this year at the earliest. To make matters worse RIM will have to contend with the iPhone 5 which will ship before the first BlackBerry 10 device.
I don’t believe there is much doubt that RIM’s U.S. smartphone share will hit single digit percentages before BlackBerry 10 comes out. The question, however, is if RIM will be able to stay in front of Microsoft who, although is loosing market share, is losing it more slowly than RIM.
I don’t know why I am shocked in how a journalist can twist the facts and sensationalize a story to try and grab readership. I guess it is due to the fact that this journalist is from RIMarkable and he is bashing RIM.
– Just the facts, (From your table above) RIM is down 2% over a quarter, not one month. No huge surprise there, (As a reminder, there is only 4 quarters in a year) but if they went down the same percentage over the next three quarters (makes up a year) then they would be down to 9.2%. So they may get down to single digits, but still double what Microsoft would be at if they went down 1% a quarter as listed above, they would end up at 1.4%. (This is assuming that both companies lose at the same pace as listed above, and RIM gains nothing from the upcoming OS 10 release)
How can anyone think that Windows will overtake RIM based on the information provided above. Come on, there are few Windows devices out there and fewer rumored to be coming out. There is NO way that Windows will overtake RIM. Even if OS 10 is delayed, Windows will not overtake RIM.
Bad journalism, plain and simple.
You are entitled to your opinion, as, am I to mine. I believe, however, you misread some of my commentary. I never said RIM was down 2% in a month, or, even a quarter for that matter. I said ”
According to a three month ComScore study ending in January 2012″, which indicates clearly that this decline was over a 3 month period.
Additionally, I never said that Windows Phone would overtake RIM, I simply asked the question if it were possible that they will? To assume that it is not possible is to assume that everything stays the same as far as RIM’s rate of decline as well as Microsoft’s.
Windows Phone Tango is coming out soon and we will see see new LTE Windows Phone devices as early as this coming Sunday.
I am not willing to assume that everything will remain the same.
I do appreciate your comment, however…
Although I wouldn’t call this a pro BlackBerry post I think it is a stretch to call it a RIM bashing post.
I find it refreshing that a BlackBerry site offers differing opinions than everything is just fine at RIM…
Ok, not a RIM bashing, but this blog is no longer a BlackBerry fan site. They rarely report on anything new or noteworthy. Just look at how often they update their page. What could be called it’s sister site: Simple Mobile Review has posting their latest podcast and a couple of other post about BlackBerry, but not RIMarkable. Just listen to their podcast. This RIMarkable journo has nothing new to add to the discussion and has to be coached & reminded at every turn that there is news happening about BlackBerry. Disappointing. You don’t have to be like CrackBerry jumping for joy on everything RIM, but come on. Just deliver the news. Make me want to read this blog. Ever do some research on how many readers have stopped clicking on this site?
Although not probable, it is possible, because, not only will the iPhone 5 further erode blackberry share, so will blackberry 10 once it’s release date comes closer. I don’t think it is a stretch to believe that RIM’s rate of loss could easily double in the coming months.
I really don’t see windows phone doing much better, though, so I doubt they will slide into third.
Maybe a better question still is will RIM grab share back once 10 ships?
I would have to say that it most definitely will. You will start to see a lot of BOGO sales and maybe even completely subsidized BlackBerry sales as BlackBerry 10 gets closer.
Here’s a different spin…
RIM has more than half of the the number of phones as the largest company in the world. That is HUGE! If I could run the 100m sprint in double the time as the fastest man on earth, I’d be pretty proud of myself. Common people.. Is the glass really half empty?