Tapulous plans Android port as Apple/Google smartphone battle grows

Jonny Evans
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January 25, 2010
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Battle between Apple and Google for the mobile space seems set to become fierce, with the latest IDC report claiming Android will beat Apple’s iPhone to become the number two mobile OS by 2013.

Meanwhile, Tapulous, developers of hit iPhone music app, Tap Tap Revenge, have confirmed plans to introduce a version of the software for Google’s Android OS.

The Tap Tap Revenge games have now generated more than 25 million downloads on the App Store, and it was recently reported that Tapulous is making $1 million a month from them, through a mixture of game sales and in-app payments.

The Android move reflects the growing challenge. By 2013, IDC forecasts that worldwide shipments of converged mobile devices, also known as smartphones, will surpass 390 million units, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 20.9% for the 2009–2013 forecast period.

“Underpinning the converged mobile device market is the constantly shifting mobile operating system (OS) landscape,” the analysts explain. “In a market that was once dominated by a handful of pioneers, such as BlackBerry, Symbian, and Windows Mobile, newcomers touting open standards (Android) and intuitive design and navigation (Mac OS X and webOS) have garnered strong end-user and handset vendor interest.”

"Mobile operating systems have become the key ingredient in the highly competitive mobile device market. Although the overall look and feel of the device will still play an important role in the buying process, the wrong choice of operating system coupled with an awkward user interface can mean the difference between success and failure," said Stephen D. Drake, vice president, Mobility and Telecom.

Additional findings (according to IDC):

Symbian will retain its leadership position worldwide throughout the forecast period. Due primarily to the strength of Nokia in markets outside of the United States, Symbian continues to lead all other mobile operating systems.

Android will experience the fastest growth of any mobile operating system. Starting from a very small base of just 690,000 units in 2008, total Android-powered shipments will reach 68.0 million units by 2013, making for a CAGR of 150.4%. Android will benefit from having a growing footprint of handset vendors supporting it and will finish second to Symbian in shipments by 2013.

Comments (8)

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 25, 2010 - 3:35am

Microsoft sell more copies of windows than Apple does of OS X, that doesn't mean it's better or necessary more popular, it's just on more devices, and more affordable for the mass majority. Those handset manufactures that are losing market share are the low hanging fruit that Google is looking for. Google is trying to beat Microsoft at it's own game, but maybe they're now becoming too much like Microsoft, with short term gains but with long term doom and user dissatisfaction!

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 25, 2010 - 4:01am

If MS  sell more copies of Windows than OS X it is more popular than OS X by definition. If Windows is less stable, less effectual, and less sophisticated than OS X it, at least, performs well enough for more than 93% of the world's users. If Windows is less expensive than OS X then Apple should reconsider its pricing plan.

 

But seriously, what do Windows and OS X have to do with the mobile communications goals of Apple and Google  anyhow? You fanbois never fail to amaze me. Somehow you beleive that throwing invectives at MS makes your  argument more viable or intelligent. In fact, it proves the opposite. It means that you can't generate a cogent argument at all. It means you lack intelligence and imagination.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 25, 2010 - 4:09am

You ignore the rampant geographical iPhone user dissatisfaction with ATT. I suppose your next argument is that it's all Bill Gates' and Steve Ballmer's fault causing dropped calls for Apple iPhone users. You're just like Obama, when anything bad happens deny personal responsibility and just blame Bush. That's not a means to success, that's an epitaph.

str1f3 (not verified) | January 25, 2010 - 6:23am

Wow, what a turd of a post. Actually  both of them. first off you should learn what popular actually is. Toyotas sell more cars than Ferrari but that doesn't make more popular.  They just sell cheaper cars. It doesn't mean that everyone would rather own a Toyota.

Btw, thanks for bringing politics into this and actually Obama is right to blame them. The funny part is that you expect him to undo 8 years of complete idiocy in one year and yes it does take time.

 

I always laugh at these articles. Analysts always try to equate the mobile industry to the PC industry and assume Apple was the same company as in the early 90s. If this equation always followed suit then why did the iPod dominate against MS's PlayForSure? 

str1f3 (not verified) | January 25, 2010 - 6:23am

Wow, what a turd of a post. Actually  both of them. first off you should learn what popular actually is. Toyotas sell more cars than Ferrari but that doesn't make more popular.  They just sell cheaper cars. It doesn't mean that everyone would rather own a Toyota.

Btw, thanks for bringing politics into this and actually Obama is right to blame them. The funny part is that you expect him to undo 8 years of complete idiocy in one year and yes it does take time.

 

I always laugh at these articles. Analysts always try to equate the mobile industry to the PC industry and assume Apple was the same company as in the early 90s. If this equation always followed suit then why did the iPod dominate against MS's PlayForSure? 

str1f3 (not verified) | January 25, 2010 - 6:31am

Wow, what a turd of a post. Actually  both of them. first off you should learn what popular actually is. Toyotas sell more cars than Ferrari but that doesn't make more popular.  They just sell cheaper cars. It doesn't mean that everyone would rather own a Toyota.

Btw, thanks for bringing politics into this and actually Obama is right to blame them. The funny part is that you expect him to undo 8 years of complete idiocy in one year and yes it does take time.

 

I always laugh at these articles. Analysts always try to equate the mobile industry to the PC industry and assume Apple was the same company as in the early 90s. If this equation always followed suit then why did the iPod dominate against MS's PlayForSure? 

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 25, 2010 - 3:36am

The mobile consumer. Google's and Apple's competitions will mean better products. Unfortunately, Apple's redirection of resources may not bode well for its other divisions.

9to5Mac Noob (not verified) | January 25, 2010 - 6:44am

I agree on your first point, competition is a good thing for the consumer.  However I have faith Apple will organize itself and grow in a healthy way.  I don't think anyone expect the iPhone platform to have the initial success that it did.  Add the fact Apple already had future product plans in place, some of which were based on the success of the iPhone and you can easily see where they have had a lot on their plates lately.  Look for refinements over the next year to these core products and I see a strong future for Apple.