The advent of a Verizon-specific iPhone is likely to cost Google and its partners approximately one million potential Android sales during the first fiscal quarter of 2011 – with Apple projected to offload approximately 1.5 million of the popular devices to Verizon customers.
Indeed, Verizon would have sold between 4-5 million Android handsets in Q1 if Apple’s iPhone wasn’t available.
And AT&T?
Well, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster predicts the the carrier will sell 2.9 million iPhone units in the March 2011 quarter.
Nevertheless, Android is seen as outselling the iPhone on Verizon during the carrier’s first quarter, due to a generous selection of phones, greater supply and lower pricing.
Still, Apple’s iPhone is significantly more profitable, claiming over 50 percent of smartphone profits in 2010, while Android only managed to reach 25 percent – with profit split amongst various handset manufacturers.
Clearly, Android and Apple (iOS) remain the top two smartphone market contenders, as they are expected to control over half the smartphone market by the fourth quarter of calendar 2012, and over 65 percent by 2015.
(Via AppleInsider)
