BlackBerry vs Android vs iPhone: Vodacom smartphone statistics

[Nickste]

I'm surprised that more people aren't latching onto the fact that there are equal number of iPhones as Android phones on the Vodacom network. This is quite unusual as the Android phones are significantly cheaper and sold by a number of different manufacturers.

Definitely something to consider for any developers trying to decide which platform to develop on for local apps.

 

[Elimentals]

I'm surprised that more people aren't latching onto the fact that there are equal number of iPhones as Android phones on the Vodacom network. This is quite unusual as the Android phones are significantly cheaper and sold by a number of different manufacturers.

Definitely something to consider for any developers trying to decide which platform to develop on for local apps.

As a developer I can see many problems with your argument.

• Vodacom is the only one supplying iPhones in SA so you dont see the true number of iPhones vs Android.
• Targeting a market purely based on number of phones is very bad. It is well documented that iPhone users are more likely to pay for games vs Android users, they both target completely different groups. See for example this report pointing out that Android users are more likely to pay for customization and business apps vs this report saying iPhone users are more likely to pay for games and entertainment.
• iOS users are likely to have a higher income average vs Android users just purely because of the number of cheap Android phones.
• Android users are more likely to accept advertising in applications than iOS users, so if an application needs to be opened a lot or have a long lifespan it makes sense to target Android with ads vs once off $0.99 apps on iOS.

I can continue but I hope you get why I say its very wrong just to look at one SP's numbers to decide what OS to target

 

[R13...]

MTN also supply iPhones now.

 

[Nickste]

As a developer I can see many problems with your argument.

• Vodacom is the only one supplying iPhones in SA so you dont see the true number of iPhones vs Android.
• Targeting a market purely based on number of phones is very bad. It is well documented that iPhone users are more likely to pay for games vs Android users, they both target completely different groups. See for example this report pointing out that Android users are more likely to pay for customization and business apps vs this report saying iPhone users are more likely to pay for games and entertainment.
• iOS users are likely to have a higher income average vs Android users just purely because of the number of cheap Android phones.
• Android users are more likely to accept advertising in applications than iOS users, so if an application needs to be opened a lot or have a long lifespan it makes sense to target Android with ads vs once off $0.99 apps on iOS.

I can continue but I hope you get why I say its very wrong just to look at one SP's numbers to decide what OS to target

Fair points, but not really addressing my reason for saying that the numbers are important.

1. Vodacom is NOT the only one supplying iPhones. MTN has been doing so since the iPhone 4, at VERY competitive prices.

2 - 4. These are useful points IF your app is the only point of presence for your product, and you don't have an existing product/brand. Many apps, however, are merely extensions of brands, or ways for companies to extend their product to mobile devices. In these cases, they are not concerned about whether an iOS user is more likely to pay for something than an Android user - they already have the customer signed up and paying. So in these situations, the numbers are all important.

But I do agree that profiling the type of user on each platform is very important for developers launching an app that solely intends to make money out of the app itself.

 

[cpu.]

I upgrade on the 19th of January and its pretty much cast in stone that I'll be getting myself something with class, destinction and what you could consider a modern piece of art. Pretty much all qualities that I lack

Symbian is dead, long live Symbian^3

When will the 701 be available here? I'm tempted.

 

[Elimentals]

Fair points, but not really addressing my reason for saying that the numbers are important.

1. Vodacom is NOT the only one supplying iPhones. MTN has been doing so since the iPhone 4, at VERY competitive prices.

2 - 4. These are useful points IF your app is the only point of presence for your product, and you don't have an existing product/brand. Many apps, however, are merely extensions of brands, or ways for companies to extend their product to mobile devices. In these cases, they are not concerned about whether an iOS user is more likely to pay for something than an Android user - they already have the customer signed up and paying. So in these situations, the numbers are all important.

But I do agree that profiling the type of user on each platform is very important for developers launching an app that solely intends to make money out of the app itself.

Fair point , but I still wont use the number in this post as an indication in deciding what OS to target 1st. See for example http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_os-ZA-monthly-201111-201111-bar That gives me a very different picture.

Side note: Did not know MTN now also have iPhones, it still leaves us with Cell C, 8ta and others that don't.