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Android Mobile Platform Rise (2011)

Category: Science & Technology Key figures: Andy Rubin (VP Engineering, Android/Google), Eric Schmidt (Google CEO), Larry Page (Google CEO from April 2011), Steve Jobs (Apple, died October 5, 2011), J.K. Shin (Samsung Mobile head)

Summary

In 2011, Google’s Android platform achieved a watershed moment, surpassing Apple’s iOS in global smartphone market share and cementing its position as the world’s dominant mobile operating system. By Q4 2011, Android held approximately 52.5% of global smartphone shipments according to IDC, compared to Apple iOS’s 23.8%, fundamentally reshaping the competitive dynamics of the smartphone industry.

Android Version Milestones

The year opened with Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), released in December 2010, which had become the most widely deployed Android version by mid-2011. In February 2011, Google released Android 3.0 (Honeycomb) — a tablet-focused release that introduced a redesigned UI with a dedicated status bar and action bar, and required devices with at least a 10-inch display, debuting on the Motorola Xoom. However, Honeycomb was widely criticized for poor performance and tablet ecosystem fragmentation.

Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), released October 19, 2011, was the most significant Android update of the year. It unified the phone and tablet code bases, introduced a new visual design language called Holo, added face unlock, an improved data-usage monitor, and native screenshot capture. The Galaxy Nexus, Google’s flagship device manufactured by Samsung, launched simultaneously in November 2011 as the showcase Ice Cream Sandwich device.

Key Device Releases

Samsung’s Galaxy S II, announced February 13, 2011 and released globally between April and June 2011, became the pivotal Android device of the year. The Galaxy S II sold 3 million units in its first 55 days and ultimately sold over 40 million units worldwide, making it one of the best-selling Android phones ever released. Its 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and 4.3-inch Super AMOLED display outperformed most competitors and offered an iPhone-comparable experience at a lower price in many markets.

HTC’s lineup — the HTC Sensation (dual-core, launched May 2011), the Sensation XE, and the Rezound — reinforced Android’s premium tier. Motorola, which Google acquired for $12.5 billion in August 2011 (finalized in May 2012), continued shipping the popular Droid series in the United States.

In emerging markets, budget Android devices priced below $150 expanded smartphone penetration in India, Brazil, and Southeast Asia. This dual-track market — premium devices in developed economies, affordable Androids in developing ones — became a defining characteristic of Android’s growth.

The iOS Patent Wars

The year saw intensification of Apple’s patent litigation strategy against Android manufacturers. On April 15, 2011, Apple filed suit against Samsung in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging that Samsung’s Galaxy line infringed on 16 Apple utility patents and 7 design patents. Apple sought a preliminary injunction on Galaxy products.

Apple pursued similar actions globally. In Germany, courts issued a preliminary injunction in August 2011 banning Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 sales across Europe (later overturned), while Dutch courts found certain Samsung smartphones infringed on Apple patents. By year’s end, Apple and Samsung were engaged in more than 30 lawsuits across 10 countries.

Steve Jobs, who died on October 5, 2011, had described Android as a “stolen product” in a conversation documented in Walter Isaacson’s biography, referring to his belief that Google had violated agreements about not cloning iOS features. His passing ended the era of his personal direction of Apple’s legal and product strategy.

Google’s Android Ecosystem Strategy

Google’s Android strategy in 2011 relied on several interlinked components. The Android Market (rebranded Google Play in March 2012) hosted approximately 400,000 apps by year-end 2011, compared to Apple App Store’s approximately 500,000. The Android ecosystem also benefited from Google’s search, maps, Gmail, and YouTube integration, giving the platform built-in advantages over competitors lacking comparable services.

Larry Page replaced Eric Schmidt as Google CEO on April 4, 2011, and immediately prioritized mobile. The acquisition of Motorola Mobility was announced August 15, 2011, with Page citing patent portfolio value as a key rationale — a direct response to Apple and Microsoft patent threats against Android manufacturers.

Significance

Android’s 2011 rise represented a decisive victory for open-source software and horizontal platform integration. Rather than following Apple’s vertical integration model, Android proved that a modular approach — giving away the OS to manufacturers — could dominate by volume. By year-end 2011, more Android devices were activated daily than babies born globally, with Google reporting over 700,000 Android device activations per day in December 2011.

Impact on Global Smartphone Access

The proliferation of low-cost Android hardware in developing economies was among the most significant social consequences of Android’s 2011 momentum. For millions of users in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, an Android phone became their primary internet-connected device — bypassing PCs entirely. This shift accelerated the transition to what Steve Jobs had called the “post-PC” era.

Competitive Consequences

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7, launched in late 2010, struggled to gain traction against Android’s ecosystem. BlackBerry’s RIM reported its first quarterly loss in 2011, and Hewlett-Packard canceled its webOS devices in August 2011. Nokia, despite announcing a partnership with Microsoft in February 2011, saw its smartphone market share collapse from 34% in 2010 to 17% by end of 2011, while Android manufacturers filled the gap.

Sources