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Samsung ranks as the preferred Android brand for Americans

Samsung ranks as the preferred Android brand for Americans

Posted: 20 Jan 2012, 06:19, by Victor H.

Categories: Samsung Samsung Android Android Bookmark

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Various figures and sales numbers have so far shown that Android is the most popular smartphone platform in the US. 47% of smartphone users stateside have picked Google’s platform, a study by iGR now added more clarity about just how popular Android is. The platform is followed by Apple’s iOS which ended up on 24% of US smartphones.

Samsung, the biggest smartphone maker as of Q3 2011, scores unsurprisingly the highest in brand preference. Motorola, HTC and LG followed, while Chinese makers like Huawei and ZTE ranked at the bottom of the list, but that’s probably partly due to the low number of handsets they sell stateside.

Interestingly, the choice to buy an Android device rather than any other smartphone, was an informed one for a huge chunk of consumers. 45% of Android users did some research before voting with their dollar and specifically picked Android.

Google’s reputation is another factor fueling Android sales as 27% of users considered Google’s reputation when buying an Android smartphone.

Now, this recent Holiday quarter might have stirred things up a bit, and we’re looking forward to the actual sales number, but the study results are nonetheless interesting. It claims to base its findings on 2011 US smartphone sales data, and relies on profiling the Android user as well.

Which Android brand do you find as the easiest to trust and most reliable? Chime in with your opinions in the comments below.

source: iGR

Press Release

New iGR Research Shows Samsung as Most Preferred Android Device Brand Among Consumers

Consumer Surveys Also Show That 45 Percent of Android Users Researched the OS Prior to Purchase and Specifically Wanted an Android Device

AUSTIN, TX, Jan 20, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- The popularity of the Google Android smartphone operating system (OS) has increased significantly in the last few years. New iGR research shows that, at present, 47 percent of U.S. smartphone users have an Android device, followed by 24 percent who own/use an Apple iPhone. Of the major brands supporting Android, Samsung has the highest brand preference among consumers, followed by Motorola, HTC and LG. ZTE and Huawei ranked toward the bottom of the brands studied, although note that these brands currently sell comparatively lower volumes in the U.S. market.

iGR's new research also shows that 45 percent of Android users researched the OS prior to purchase and specifically selected an Android device when they bought a new smartphone. It also appears that Google's reputation is driving Android sales -- 27 percent of Android users said that they selected an Android smartphone because they believed that Google was a "reputable company" and therefore inferred that Android must also be reputable.

These findings, as well as others relating to consumers' Android brand preferences and impressions, are presented in iGR's new market study Android Brand Preferences: U.S. Consumers, published in January 2012.

"Understanding why consumers select specific brands and certain smartphones is critical to the success of OEMs in the highly competitive U.S. handset market," says iGR Research Analyst, Sarah Thoman, who authored the study. "While a user's current handset brand influences the selection of a new Android smartphone, many other factors also come into play. For example, handset display quality and functionality also highly influenced the smartphone purchase decision."

iGR's new study, Android Brand Preferences: U.S. Consumers, addresses several key topics:

-- The number of Android smartphones sold in the U.S. in 2011 (by

quarter)

-- Why consumers buy Android smartphones

-- The profile of the typical Android smartphone user

-- The handset features users like on Android smartphones

-- How consumers rank Android OEM brands and why

-- How the user's current device brand impacts that user's Android

smartphone purchase

-- Which Android OEM brands are associated with the major mobile

operators

For additional information on iGR's Android consumer research, please contact Amanda Louie, iGR's Director of Strategic Development, at (512) 554-1701 or amandal@iGR-inc.com.

About iGR iGR is a market strategy consultancy focused on the wireless and mobile communications industry. Founded by Iain Gillott, one of the wireless industry's leading analysts, in late 2000 as iGillottResearch, iGR is now entering its twelfth year of operation. iGR continuously researches emerging and existent technologies, technology industries, and consumer markets. We use our detailed research to offer a range of services to help companies improve their position in the marketplace, clearly define their future direction, and ultimately improve their bottom line.

iGR researches a range of wireless and mobile products and technologies, including: smartphones; tablets; mobile applications; bandwidth demand and use; small cell architectures; DAS; LTE; WiMAX; VoLTE; IMS; NFC; GSM/GPRS/UMTS/HSPA; CDMA 1x/EV-DO; iDEN; SIP; macro-, pico- and femtocells; mobile backhaul; WiFi and WiFi offload; and SIM and UICC. iGR is a member of the Rural Cellular Association.

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1. Alantef posted on 20 Jan 2012, 07:21 17 1

Went from HTC to GalaxyNexus....will i go back?.....probably not

32. Synack posted on 20 Jan 2012, 10:34 5 1

You're damn right. Nothing compares to Samsung for Android.

54. TreyTreyTaylor posted on 20 Jan 2012, 18:49 4 1

Hell yea. going from motorola droid x to a galaxy nexus was like getting set free. I'll never settle for locked bootloader bullsh*t ever again.

2. MorePhonesThanNeeded posted on 20 Jan 2012, 07:36 8 5

I prefer Motorola over all the other companies, while they don't have the most cutting edge of phones, their phones are built freaking tough. I don't trust HTC's phones too much as they all look too plastic like and Samsung which are always packed with the latest and greatest but for some reason their high profile phones tend to take a backseat to Galaxy S line...Charge anyone?!? I'm basing this off the high profile line up of phones I used on Verizon, and Motorola's are the most solidly built and they feel like it in your hand and going odd the amount of times my X has met the concrete and has very little in the way of scratches and no problems tells it's own story. Now someone get Verizon to stop adding useless crap to my phone that I have zero need of, that crap is the reason why software tends to be slightly unstable and needs updating to fix.

6. islanderbaw posted on 20 Jan 2012, 07:58 9 2

"while (Motorola) they don't have the most cutting edge of phones" ??

I disagree . . . on this. The RAZR is one of the best smartphones available with innovative technology and style. And like you pointed out they're tough and work. Also, Motorola stands behind the devices and updates models more than any other manufacturer.

12. PimpStrong posted on 20 Jan 2012, 08:15 9 1

Die hard Samsung fan here. Motorola is the only other maker I would think about going with. They have come a LOONG way since the OG Cliq and its blurry s**t.

19. Tux4g63 posted on 20 Jan 2012, 08:51 5 2

Couldn't agree more. They have come a long way and I like the build quality, durability, and software updates to there handsets.

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29. remixfa posted on 20 Jan 2012, 10:21 6 0

the RAZR is most definitely one of the best phones right now.

It most definitely is supposedly tough...er.. than normal.

Moto has among the WORST track records for updates though. Dont kid your self on that one.

Moto is coming back around. I hope it will be a good year for them. They obviously made some deals with samsung to get Super Amoled screens which was awesome and the Ti Chipset is second only to samsung's exynos. So basically its an "almost samsung" with Blur on it. Fine by me.

41. Jimstar posted on 20 Jan 2012, 13:03 3 1

i think not. It took months longer for any of the Galaxy S devices and and most contemporary HTCs to get GB. Moto is easily the most reliable when it comes to updates. At least within the US.

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52. KingKurogiii posted on 20 Jan 2012, 17:04 1 1

Motorola actually is pretty great with updates. most people seem to get this.

now if only Samsung could get to "almost-Moto" in build quality i'd consider taking one harder.

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59. remixfa posted on 21 Jan 2012, 04:17 0 0

moto is great with updates.. if you have a VZW droid device. outside of that they are so-so at best. NONE of the manufacturers are great at updates. There was an "update graph" on the site a few months back and it had moto in last place for over all updates.

Jimstar,
The SGS updates took longer because they had to go through the carriers. The world version galaxyS got its 2.2 and 2.3 updates rather quickly comparitively.. by like 6 months +

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62. KingKurogiii posted on 21 Jan 2012, 22:35 0 0

really all Moto seems to matter on now-a-days is Verizon anyway, it's a shame but it's true and besides Moto just doesn't make as many handsets as other manufacturers and they're just not as big as Samsung and HTC in other parts of the world. here in the US Moto has done a good job updating their handsets. they're usually always first with getting a major Android update on a handset after the SWV's launching handset with the exception of Froyo because Froyo didn't come out with a launch handset but Moto did launch the first handset with Froyo pre-loaded, the Droid 2.

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68. deacz posted on 23 Jan 2012, 03:51 0 0

Haha yea... sure, Maybe stateside but in europe its totally diffrent,

I own a Soe Arc, SG2, and a Xoom tablet.

Sony is the one with the best and fastest updates, then samsung but man,

Motorola lied to us euro customers about the whole GED thing. + it took us like what half a year after the americans to get 3.2.

Ps. The Xoom also makes noices and flex when i press the upper right corner. Quality my Az.

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27. bayhuy posted on 20 Jan 2012, 10:07 1 3

You lost me at HTC=Plastic...what a pathetic statement...

33. Synack posted on 20 Jan 2012, 10:36 5 1

HTC is ALL plastic dude. Just because they make it feel thick and heavy doesn't mean it isn't. They just make the plastic thick.

57. stealthd posted on 20 Jan 2012, 23:18 1 0

You don't know what you're talking about. The Desire/Inspire, Hero S/Evo View 4G, have aluminum bodies.

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63. KingKurogiii posted on 21 Jan 2012, 22:39 1 0

not to mention the Sensation. HTC does hits and misses on build quality but they experiment and that's a good thing.

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28. bigdawg23 posted on 20 Jan 2012, 10:14 2 0

Both the Droid Bionic and Droid Razr are excellent phones with good technology on them.

I have owned several Motorola(Droid, Droid X,Atrix), but didn't care for Motoblur. Have had HTC(G2, Vivid), I really like the G2 but left for AT&T because of bad service. It was AOSP OS. Lastly I have the SGS2 Skyrocket and TouchWiz is nice compared to the others IMHO.

My guess is that Samsung being easily rooted and rom'd since they don't like the bootloader elevates them.

46. sgogeta4 posted on 20 Jan 2012, 15:56 3 0

While Motorola definitely has solidly built phones and lots of experience with phone technology, I prefer Samsung because they have the hardware and software experience to make better overall smartphones. They have joint ventures with Corning (Gorilla glass), their own chipset manufacturing plant, massive experience with TVs, software developers such as the CyanogenMod team, and many others that make their phones more desirable in day to day use.

65. imkyle posted on 21 Jan 2012, 23:32 0 0

I know I will get slammed for this but I prefer Motorola for tablets and Sammy for phones. Galaxy S II (unlocked version for me) is a simply fantastic piece of hardware.