Some may be saying Google’s Android platform is starting to slow down, but not according to these numbers.
Google mobile guru Andy Rubin just posted a message on Twitter said “over 500,000 Android devices” are now being activated every day.
That’s the first time in the company’s history that he’s been able to say that. Previously, Google felt it important enough to notify the public that 100,000, 300,000, and 400,000 devices were being activated on a daily basis, the most recent of those coming at its annual I/O conference earlier this year.
And going all the way back to 2008 when the very first Android device – the G1 – launched, only 500,000 units were expected to sell and be activated over a four-month span.
So in terms of quantity, Android is healthier and stronger than ever. It’s the quality issue that some people still see as a stumbling block, as we still have not seen a success story in the ranks of Angry Birds, and many developers are still frustrated over fragmentation in the market, meaning every Android phone is different and creating apps is a hassle. This is even more frustrating for end users, who may buy an Android phone only to find the Android app they want is not compatible with their device.
Nevertheless, a daily activation rate of 500,000 units is almost incomprehensible and certainly speaks to how well Google has managed to become the de facto mobile OS of this day and age.
Some analyst predictions peg Android as owning as much as 50% of the entire smartphone market share by this time next year.
