Android Market Share Zooms Past iPhone In Q1 For First Time Ever

Well well well, what have we here. Based on a study published earlier this week, the Android OS has surpassed the iPhone in terms of market share for the first (and probably not last) time. Android has risen from a 20% market share, which really isn't a number to shake a stick at, all the way up to 28% in Q1 of this year. The iPhone, on the other hand, remained at the same 21%, and RIM (Blackberry) is holding strong at 36%.

This just goes to show you that perception isn't everything. It may feel like all your friends have iPhones, but obviously that's becoming less and less the case. Think about it. Why did most folks have iPhones over the last two years? Where was the viable alternative? I know I got an iPhone because there really wasn't anything that was worth getting that could do the iPhone's job better than it did (which really isn't that well in some cases).

The other thing to consider here is how long this took. At this point, the iPhone has been out for three years. Android launched with the G1 just over a year after the original iPhone and only a few months after the iPhone 3G. It only took the Android platform two years to surpass the iPhone's market share. This was also due, in part, to finally having a great device on a great network in the form of the Droid on Verizon's top notch network. When I was on Verizon, the only problem I ever had with them besides some crappy customer service was their terrible lineup. I think I went through about a dozen LG phones in my time with The Big Red. But now they're pushing the Android platform, and it's showing in the numbers.

Is this a trend we'll continue seeing? Let us know what you think in the comments!