Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Separating the Smartphones From the Dumb Ones

By Rick Munarriz – Updated Apr 6, 2017 at 7:45PM

You’re reading a free article with opinions that may differ from The Motley Fool’s Premium Investing Services. Become a Motley Fool member today to get instant access to our top analyst recommendations, in-depth research, investing resources, and more. Learn More

It's good to be Apple and Google these days.

There are no shockers in market tracker comScore's latest data on smartphone platforms.

Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) iOS and Google's (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android continue to gain in popularity, posting healthy market share spurts between February and May of this year.

Obviously, there can't be winners without losers, and Apple's and Google's success is coming at the expense of Research In Motion (Nasdaq: RIMM), Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), and Hewlett-Packard's (NYSE: HPQ) Palm.

Let's take a closer look at comScore's findings, which pit the three months ending in May against the three previous months:

 

February 2011

May 2011

Android

33.0%

38.1%

iOS

25.2%

26.6%

RIM

28.9%

24.7%

Microsoft

7.7%

5.8%

Palm

2.8%

2.4%

Source: comScore.

It's not a surprise to see Android growing faster than Apple. Several carriers and handset manufacturers are routinely putting out Android handsets. Apple is down to annual refreshes, and it's now been more than a year since the last iPhone update.

RIM and Palm -- the two companies that pioneered this space before Apple crashed the party -- continue to slide. Mr. Softy's decline isn't all that problematic now that we know that Nokia (NYSE: NOK) will be championing Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 as its smartphone platform of choice.

It will be interesting to see how the market shakes out from here. It's not just Microsoft with catalysts for hope. HP began shipping its TouchPad this month, and the webOS-powered tablet may rekindle interest in the smartphone operating system.

The widening gap between Apple and Google will also bear watching.

The iPhone was never going to be the smartphone for the masses with its high price points and reliance on the country's two most expensive wireless carriers for connectivity. However, the last thing Apple wants to be is a fading silver medalist in a niche it redefined.

Stay close. This race is getting interesting on many different levels.

What would you like to see in the new iPhone when it hits the market in two to three months? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.

The Motley Fool owns shares of Google, Apple, and Microsoft. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a bull call spread position in Apple. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a diagonal call position in Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz is hoping that he has plenty of choices since he's due for an iPhone upgrade later this year. He does not own shares in any of the companies in this story. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.

Invest Smarter with The Motley Fool

Join Over 1 Million Premium Members Receiving…

  • New Stock Picks Each Month
  • Detailed Analysis of Companies
  • Model Portfolios
  • Live Streaming During Market Hours
  • And Much More
Get Started Now

Stocks Mentioned

Alphabet Inc. Stock Quote
Alphabet Inc.
GOOGL
$98.74 (-1.40%) $-1.40
Apple Inc. Stock Quote
Apple Inc.
AAPL
$150.43 (-1.51%) $-2.31
HP Inc. Stock Quote
HP Inc.
HPQ
$25.35 (-1.40%) $0.36
Microsoft Corporation Stock Quote
Microsoft Corporation
MSFT
$237.92 (-1.27%) $-3.06
Nokia Corporation Stock Quote
Nokia Corporation
NOK
$4.26 (-4.05%) $0.18
BlackBerry Stock Quote
BlackBerry
BB
$5.07 (-3.24%) $0.17

*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.

Related Articles

Motley Fool Returns

Motley Fool Stock Advisor

Market-beating stocks from our award-winning analyst team.

Stock Advisor Returns
329%
 
S&P 500 Returns
106%

Calculated by average return of all stock recommendations since inception of the Stock Advisor service in February of 2002. Returns as of 09/24/2022.

Discounted offers are only available to new members. Stock Advisor list price is $199 per year.

Premium Investing Services

Invest better with The Motley Fool. Get stock recommendations, portfolio guidance, and more from The Motley Fool's premium services.