Step #3 of World Domination Plan: Control Smartphone OS Market

No need to repeat what numerous news outlets have reported; Android has now overtaken iOS (iPhone’s OS) and become the #2 smartphone OS in the United States.

This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone both in the industry and on the sidelines:

• First, the software is FREE. Hardware manufacturers have been looking for royalty free operating systems for ever. Computer manufacturers WISH there were viable OS alternatives to Windows, but linux hasn’t been ready for ‘prime time’. Manufacturers don’t want to pay a license to Microsoft to license Windows Phone in order to keep their materials costs down. That leaves Symbian. You could join the Symbian alliance but that gets me to my second point
• Second, Android is currently the only other viable smartphone OS. Microsoft screwed Windows Phone up royally. They had an OS that had the support of developers for years since they first created Windows CE back in the late 90′s. However, a lack of innovation and strong moves by Apple and Google have rendered their Windows Phone 6.5 platform antiquated. Microsoft’s only response is to start over with Windows Phone 7. Will they be too late to the party? That’s a subject for another day.
• Lastly, RIM. Poor RIM. The Blackberry had a stranglehold on the corporate smartphone world. Too bad a lack of innovation cost them their lead. As seen on the accompanying chart, its just a matter of time before Android eclipses RIM to take the #1 place in the industry.

UPDATED: NPD (rival to Neilsen) said Android reached the #1 spot in the smartphone market displacing RIM with iPhone in 3rd place. (link: REUTERS)