Google Now is but one of the many Android accomplishments that have far surpassed even Google’s closest competitor, Apple, and their Siri product. Such mobile product innovations are also exemplary of the kind of mobile OS innovation that will guide the mobile market 2013, but the delivering of those innovations to the public weighs heavily on Samsung.
Google has had an amazing year in 2012 just in the development of Android alone as the tiny Linux based operating system continues to see astounding growth.
The revenue results from the sale of smart-phones from the 4th quarter of 2012 remain to be seen, but in the 3rd quarter of 2012 IDC reported that 75% of all smart-phones shipped were running Android. Such shipment number simply stagger Apple Inc., as companies such as Samsung, LG, HTC and Goolge’s very own Motorola all pitch in to make Android the mobile device of consumer choice.
It is a fact however that Samsung is deeply intertwined in Google Android sales and popularity.
Samsung is by far the #1 Android smartphone vendor, world-wide, and not by some small number. LG was able to get nearly $20 million in profit from Android sales in the 3rd quarter 2012, but when compared to Samsung who took in an amazing $6 billion in profit from Android related sales, primarily on smart-phone, the LG number is almost insignificant. As a result of the Google / Samsung relationship, Samsung stock increased by almost 50% this year even as Apple (AAPL) currently continues to drop.
It’s seemingly evident that Android in its purest state is the preferred OS of choice. Companies such as Amazon (with the Kindle Fire) have taken Android and added a service layer of their own on top of it to make it uniquely theirs, but the users just haven’t swelled to the device as they have Samsung. One major factor is Samsung’s popularity internationally, especially in Asia where Android shipments have been extremely significant in overall revenue figures for the OS.
Samsung and Android (Google) currently have a that is inseparable to the success of one another.