Android is undoubtedly the leading global mobile OS.with 71.72% market share worldwide, it seems that iOS will never overtake Google’s OS. However, if you look at certain markets (notably the US and Japan), iOS dominates.
What happened?
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Android’s global dominance has been made possible by countries like India, which have large populations and cannot afford to buy more expensive iOS devices.
Android devices are cheap to manufacture and sell, so they have no choice but to use Google’s mobile OS.
But why does iOS dominate countries like Japan and the America? Given the numbers, one might think that the desktop operating system plays a big role. However, MacOS has only 14.66% market share worldwide, 26.92% market share in the US.
Clearly, desktop operating system usage does not affect mobile operating system usage.
So what do you get? Why can’t Android gain a foothold in wealthy countries?
I have some ideas on this subject that I would like to share.
let’s take a ride
Start with an ecosystem
One thing Apple does better than anyone else is its ecosystem. Indeed, we want you to think that Google has the best ecosystem on the planet. That’s because Android is tightly integrated with Google Workspace. But that’s not the ecosystem I’m talking about.
Everyone has cloud options, so Google can’t claim that Android is special because of Google Drive, Photos, Docs, Gmail, etc.
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The ecosystem I am referring to is about device interconnectivity. With iOS devices, it seamlessly integrates with MacOS and WatchOS devices. This integration is much more important than Google thinks.
Consider this: Syncing your Android device with your desktop is not only more complicated than the average user cares, but the integration is minimal at best. For Android phone and watch integration, you need to have the app installed on your smartphone.
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Here is an example.before buying pixel watch, I had a Samsung smartwatch. I had to install two different applications of his, Samsung Health and Galaxy Wearable, to get some integration with my phone. With these apps installed, I was able to track fitness, receive calls, receive notifications, and more. none.
The same applies to Pixel Watch. I had to install the Fitbit app to get a similar level of integration. Still, the integration was nothing like what you’d find between an iPhone and an Apple Watch. What’s even more infuriating is that my his Pixel Watch is paired with his Pixel smartphone. You might think it has built-in integration, but it doesn’t.
I have to go through the hassle of installing third party software to do any integration with my desktop. And it doesn’t matter just because Linux is my OS of choice. Same for Windows and MacOS.
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Android wasn’t built to integrate well with desktop operating systems, and it has little integration with wearables without installing apps.flat Android phone and Chromebook integration Awkward at best. Google should fix this with the following solution:
- We create official desktop apps that are easy to install on all operating systems.
- Incorporate and complete Pixel Watch and phone integration.
- Build other popular wearable device support (such as Samsung watches) into Android.
- Let your Android tablets integrate seamlessly with your Android smartphones and wearables.
- Improve integration with IoT devices.
It’s quite a to-do list, but it’s also one that needed to be addressed a long time ago. Because of this hesitation, Android lags far behind iOS in the ecosystem realm.
innovate better and faster
Here’s the thing: pixel 7 Phones are great, but it takes seven iterations to get there.Google’s first Pixel device should have been like the seventh. Unfortunately, Google doesn’t seem to understand that consumers in wealthy countries like the US and (especially Japan) see large-scale, bold, and rapid innovation as the key to success. Whereas Apple has made remarkable strides and made some very obvious innovations, most of Google’s greatest advances are hidden under the hood.
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for example, pixel 6 proThat device introduced a Tensor chip. This was an important step forward, but do you think the average consumer really cares about such things? On the other side of the coin, Apple introduces you. air tag And consumers go crazy.
Google introduced a new and improved camera with the Pixel 7 that takes incredible photos, but thanks to the many filmmakers making on the iPhone, it’s unlikely to get the traction Apple has. I can’t seem to. It speaks volumes, my friends. The credit the iPhone has earned from established filmmakers making on Apple devices not only convinces consumers that they can do the same, it’s also a great marketing ploy.
Another innovation Apple will probably use to crush Google is foldable devicePersonally, I see little value in devices with screens that are likely to wrinkle over time, but consumers want this kind of innovation. seems to be ready to announce apple rumors facing the same direction.
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There is no doubt that Apple will win this race. And given its track record in hardware, the iPhone Flip (or whatever it’s called) is likely to outperform the Pixel Fold. And remember, Google isn’t that great in the first iteration. His first Pixel phone was far from what it should have been. And while the Pixel Watch is a pretty decent first release, it’s still light years behind the Apple Watch.
marketing
Here’s the end. Few companies on the planet do marketing better than Apple. And few global companies are as bad at marketing as Google. If you have any doubts about this, Latest iPhone commercial compared to The latest Pixel Phone commercialOne of these commercials is very appealing to consumers, while the other one falls flat.
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Google is not good at this game. Google posted a proper Pixel Phone ad because pixel 2Suddenly Google looked cool. It didn’t last long. All the while, every iPhone commercial looks like it was made by a brilliant creative Hollywood director with a huge budget.
For Android to catch up with the iPhone in affluent markets, it will have to step up its marketing game to match Apple’s. I don’t expect it to happen anytime soon.
