Estimates reveal that these two operating systems have a 91 percent control over the market.
Analysts from the International Data Corporation have revealed their latest technology news estimates following the sales of mobile devices in the fourth quarter of 2012, which have shown that Android and iOS made up 91.1 percent of all smartphone sales.
This shows that nine out of every ten devices is based on Google or Apple’s operating system.
Between those two companies, the technology news for Android is the most positive, as it is that operating system that holds the top spot. In fact, during the last quarter of last year, almost 69 percent of all smartphone sales were devices that ran on Google’s mobile operating system. There were approximately 500 million smartphones sold based on Android in 2012. At the same time, Apple sold approximately 136 million devices, giving it a 19 percent share of the smartphone market.
The technology news for Apple was greatest in Western markets.
The reason that its numbers increased as quickly as they did wasn’t because of any top technology news releases such as because of a brand new device. Though the excitement related to the iPhone 5 release did contribute, many of the device sales were of the iPhone 4 and 4S, which had lower prices when they were no longer the latest devices from the manufacturer.
In terms of the market share held by other companies, the sale of BlackBerry devices dipped by over 36 percent last year. It should be noted that the recovery of that company did not happen until after this study was complete, as the BlackBerry 10 was only released within the last few weeks. It is, therefore, difficult to gauge the current position of that operating system in the grand scheme.
Microsoft phones were estimated to be at the bottom of the top four operating systems. Their latest technology news statistics placed their market share at 2.5 percent during the last quarter of 2012. It remains difficult to determine where the market shares will be by the end of this year, as considerable partnerships and releases will certainly occur between now and that time.
The Apple voice controlled service has been linked to movie times and locations as well as ticket selling.
The latest surprise technology news from Apple Inc. has included a new feature for moviegoers, as the latest iOS operating system (version 6.1) has included a new connection between Siri and the Fandango m-commerce app.
When asking about movies currently playing in the theater, Siri displays show times and nearby theaters.
Apple mobile device users with Siri voice technology personal assistant will be able to ask about the latest movies that are playing so that they can receive information about the films and local theaters that are playing them. Should they wish to purchase their tickets, they can do so through Fandango’s online ticket seller m-commerce app.
The Fandango m-commerce application is opened directly by Siri so that the tickets can be purchased.
If the app is not yet installed on the Apple device, the user will be prompted by Siri to perform the download so that the tickets can be purchased through m-commerce. The tickets can be purchased in a paperless way and stored within the Passbook mobile wallet. That produces a QR code which can be displayed to the ticket takers on the mobile device screen, and then scanned to allow entry.
According to the Fandango president, Paul Yanover, “Fandango is committed to innovating across all platforms and helping shape the future of moviegoing.” He added that “With this new Siri feature, movie fans can quickly and easily discover the nearest theaters, find the most convenient showtimes, and buy tickets through Fandango to help make movie night perfect.”
What is not yet known is whether or not there is financial benefit provided to Apple out of this partnership with Fandango. The company has been asked whether it is taking a percentage of the Siri generated movie ticket sales, for instance. However, both Fandango and Apple have not provided any answers or information on the financial nature of the relationship.
Fandango did release a statement by way of their vice president of mobile strategy, Mark Young, in terms of the m-commerce connection with Apple. He stated that “We have been working closely with Apple since our first iPhone app in 2009.” Young later added that “…given the popularity of Apple devices, the iPhone and iPad are certainly a top priority for Fandango”
