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Sorry, Droid Bionic – More Buyers Still Eyeing iPhone

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Despite the gains that Android has made during the last couple of years (and the upcoming launch of the much-anticipated Droid Bionic), it looks like the iPhone is still king among devices that customers are eyeing. According to CNETa recent survey by Changewave Research says 46% of prospective customers said that the iPhone is what they want their next device to be – compared to 32% for any phones running Android.

Both iOS and Android rose in the poll since it was last taken in March, with Blackberry fading further out of the picture at a distant four percent. Windows Mobile wasn’t part of the survey, but we wonder if it would be a good idea to throw them into the mix after Mango phones start launching.

With Android phones now in more customers’ hands than iPhones and the Droid Bionic’s long-awaited launch on its way (it may be even longer), is this marking a turn-around in the momentum Android had going for it? A couple of things to keep in mind here:

It’s that time of year when anticipation for the next iPhone is building. Look no further than the twenty billion “next iPhone” rumors we hear each week for evidence of that. In the same survey last year, the iPhone’s popularity peaked in June, right when the iPhone 4 was set to launch. It dropped soon after that (Antenna-gate may have played no small part in that).

Another factor to keep in mind is that Verizon now has the iPhone. How many Verizon customers held back from buying the iPhone 4 earlier this year, not wanting to use their precious upgrades on a nearly-year-old phone? Especially when you consider that most of them probably thought the next iPhone would be launching this summer, in its normal slot. The iPhone 5’s (or iPhone 4S’) launch could tell us a lot about how many of Big Red’s loyal have been holding out.

In Android’s defense, one of its hottest upcoming phones, the Samsung Galaxy S II, still has no official details of a US launch. Leaked images supposedly showed a Galaxy S II with Sprint branding, but that’s far from the kind of official announcement that can gather the buzz that can get customers more excited about buying Android phones.

Could it even be that the dismal showing of Android tablets have hurt Android’s image? If somebody is watching from a casual distance, and hears “Android tablets are overpriced and don’t have any apps,” that could potentially affect their overall view of Google’s OS. Many people will tend to flock to a “winner,” and away from a “loser” – gadgets are no different.

We know that you, as our reader, could just as easily be an Android fanboy, an iPhone fanboy, or an appreciator of all things – but have any of you switched from Android to iOS, or vice versa? We’d love to hear about it in the comments.

31 Comments

31 Comments

  1. Gaaaaaaaaa

    07/18/2011 at 5:38 pm

    trololololol black berry pos!

  2. Itcouldhappen89

    07/18/2011 at 5:56 pm

    I’ve gone from android to iPhone back to android. I love iPhone. Android will never be as polished or simple to use. BUT jailbreaking is a hastle that doesn’t always promise a solution. I need the FULL internet on my phone and not be be controlled by Apple’s stubborn ecosystem when I need to view embedded documents on the fly. As a business phone iPhone flat out fails, both in customizability and freedom of use. Sorry Steve but your phone just isn’t powerful enough for me. It could be but it’s you who won’t let it reach its full potential. PITTY!

  3. dave meccariello

    07/18/2011 at 6:06 pm

    i have looked seriously at both iphone and android phones. i like that android phones are kind of idiot proof… but at the same time, they seem to be able to do less. i get sick of the flash argument.

    • Cole

      07/18/2011 at 8:15 pm

      How did you come up with android phones do less?

      • Stjohn27

        07/19/2011 at 1:00 am

        Right!? Less!? Need more research there bud. DROID is more,
        not less. “?”

    • Trob6969

      07/18/2011 at 8:28 pm

      You say android phones seem to do less than iPhones. I’m curious to know what an iPhone can do that android devices can’t. I already know of plenty of features androids have that iPhones don’t: the ability to download apps from outside it’s native os, expandable memory (& also with an SD card slot you can play other people’s media on YOUR phone!), removable battery, customization, 4G…and of course, flash support.

  4. Guest

    07/18/2011 at 6:11 pm

    I bought my droid 2 before the iPhone came to Verizon, but as soon as it broke I bought an iPhone 4 and pawned off the Droid. I haven’t regretted it since.

  5. Dantecooper44

    07/18/2011 at 6:16 pm

    I started with Android when the G1 came out on T-mobile but, unsatisfied with T-mobiles service I went to Verizon. I waited for ever until they got the Motorola Droid and got it. I love Android devices but, I kept hearing people talking about the iPhone it’s better. So I decided to keep my Verizon account and when the iPhone 4 came out on AT&T I got it. I admit that when I got it I liked it very much the software seemed to run a lot smoother than an other Android phone I had owned and by that time I had been through 4 devices (G1,Droid,HTC Incredible,Droid X). I returned it though due to AT&Ts crappy service in my area and the release of the iPad on Verizon gave me all the reason to believe the iPhone was coming to Verizon around the time of one of my upgrades. It came out I got it and I’d have to say there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Although I think the iOS runs a little smoother Android is catching up and some Android phones are already as smooth. iOS has a lot of apps but, Android has a lot more free apps and are a lot easier to customize I have another line to upgrade here soon and I’m leaning more toward the droid bionic for that line mainly due to I have a pc and drag and drop is great compared to having to go through I tunes for everything. I seen some of the new features coming to the iPhone some Android features and it’s impressive but if the iPhone doesn’t have a 4″ screen or bigger it won’t even be considered when I upgrade. I can’t write more but I been going to long as it is and I don’t even write comments lol

  6. Akhindman

    07/18/2011 at 6:16 pm

    I currently have a Droid and my wife has the Iphone (we are both with Verizon). After having both to work with now for quite awhile I just don’t see the fabled “ease of use” or “simplicity’ that the Iphone supposedly has over Android. The Android is just as easy to use in my opinion and my wife, who is not as technically inclined as I am, thinks that my Android is easier than her Iphone!

    The only real advantage Iphone has that i can see is not the number of apps, as most of the apps out there are useless anyway for both devices, but the amount of third party accessories available for the Iphone. Besides that I just don’t see a big difference anymore.

    I’m currently waiting for the Droid Bionic as my next phone as I don’t see any real reason to wait around another month for whatever the next Iphone might have. Now if the Bionic is not out by the first week in August then all bets are off and i will probably wait for the next Iphone. Not so much because i think the Iphone will be better but I have to wonder why the long delay in the Bionic, is there a problem we don’t know about?

  7. Colton

    07/18/2011 at 7:38 pm

    Here’s the deal if you get an iphone you get a company that tells you what’s good and bad, and they decide what you can and can’t do with your phone. If you get an android device you get freedom, customization, and a company that listens to your feedback. Let’s all remember that android was out before ios ever was, and at first it wasn’t the greatest but google listend to its coustomers and started doing what they wanted. Steve will never do what apple coustomers want bc he thinks he knows better than all of you.

  8. That19guy

    07/18/2011 at 7:59 pm

    Hmm wonder were all the respondents came from

  9. Dread

    07/18/2011 at 9:18 pm

    Duh… Apple users don’t do research, they just buy what Steve tells them to. 

  10. Notathome

    07/18/2011 at 10:34 pm

    whatever you do, read the agreement!

  11. Eckoman10301

    07/18/2011 at 10:52 pm

    Fake! Iphones are for females just getting a smartphone. Or people with egos who thinks its cool to have an Iphone and thinks those who choose android make less money then them.

  12. Motoxer

    07/19/2011 at 12:17 am

    I always laugh inside when I see some douch break out their iphone and finger f√¢k it trying to look all important and sophisticated >=) trendy freaks! “I want an iphone 4.” “Give me an iphone 4!” “It has the Wifi’s.”

  13. Stjohn27

    07/19/2011 at 12:57 am

    Why does he start out saying, “sorry”. What dif does it make for me if apple sales more phones than DROID. I don’t care if anyone likes Droids. I love mine. Couldn’t wait to have Iphone on Verizon, but then started with Htc inc then Dx, no way im letting Jobs control me again. LOVE DROID! Freedom!!!

  14. Petermanach

    07/19/2011 at 1:33 am

    After using both, I preferred the apps and organization features of the iPhone, but what won me over to Android was slide-it app.  I makes writing so much easier for me that I won’t buy a phone that doesn’t have it.

  15. Anonymous

    07/19/2011 at 1:58 am

    We’ve heard articles like this in the past.  Despite the Apple Fanboy Analysts that predict gloom and doom when the next iPhone comes out, Android still continues to dominate. 

    I was in a VZW store this weekend and there was a crowd of people around the Android devices.  The poor iPhone was all by itself with nobody purchasing.  What a role reversal and what a direct contradiction to this article.  I’ll give a “+1” for great flame bait though.

  16. Mikecampbell711

    07/19/2011 at 2:21 am

    I have had both, first was the original droid. When the iphone became available on Verizon, I jumped because of all that I had heard. I had out for 1 1/2 weeks, I just didn’t get it. I an not a gamer and since I got Pandora on my droid I dont need a large music selection. Then my iphone wanted me to purchase a GPS app, seriously? The irony was it did offer google maps. I am probably going to offend some here but in my mind the iphone is comparable to a Harley Davidson motorcycle, every one says they are cool so they must be, just dont pay attention to anything else even if it is technically or mechanically superior.

  17. Objectionableconformity

    07/19/2011 at 12:17 pm

    sorry ‘i’phone. but i’ve got my bionicle eye on the droid

  18. Thickmadame114

    07/19/2011 at 3:20 pm

    Well I have never liked the iPhone and I still don’t. I absolutely love android and preferably Motorola. But my sister fell into the apple trap and just recently switch from her i4 to the Samsung Infuse and she feels as far as apps and how the phone works is the same but after knowing that she can customize her screens she fell deeper in love with android. She had to buy and pod though because all of her iTunes music couldn’t be put on her infuse. The only thing I do like abt the phone is the camera is great.

  19. SmokeNMirrors

    07/19/2011 at 4:28 pm

    Soo many iSheep!!!  With Apple now a year+ behind on tech vs Android they’ve resorted to lawsuits rather than new product to slow down the droid!

  20. 240billy

    07/21/2011 at 12:35 am

    I personally have An iPhone4 and do love it but the lack of apps compared to android makes me a lil angry but this is my first smart phone and apple definitely takes the cake as far as screen resolution and sensitivity love my iPhone but wish they would open up a lil

  21. rsilva

    07/21/2011 at 1:08 pm

    Simply put… I will buy the bionic for me… and buy the iphone 5 for my 14 year old daughter….. hahaha. Gottbemobile sometimes your articles are like they are written by my daughter…. lol

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