Over the last week I bumped into data that was presented with a real twist. And more than once. Hence this rather unusual blog post for my blog.

Mobile Phones: Android Wins, but Windows Grows Faster

I guess you've seen similar headlines, one of them is in this press release from Canalys, www.canalys.com/newsroom/android-80-smart-phones-shipped-2013. Look at this numbers of phones sold in the year

  • Android: added 350 Millions, reaching almost 800 Million (and growing to 79%)
  • iOS: added a few more millions, reaching 150 Millions phones sold (but decreasing percentage wise)
  • Windows phones: added a few more millions, and sold 32 Millions phones

And (at least to some commenter) the winner is Microsoft for increasing their number of over 60% compared to the last year. But Android, that was already the best selling platform, increased its sales by 20 times more than Windows did, if you consider the number of devices. And in a note you read the Microsoft phones sales actually dropped in Q4.

Microsoft Numbers

Microsoft recent financial number were discussed by the press world wide with a similar spin that is hard to believe. You probably read it. It is the online services like Azure and Office 365 that saved the quarter and are making big inroads. They are growing more than any other division. Yes, growing more, but only in percentage... in absolute value they are a fraction. Look at these numbers (taken from a rare balanced article, www.itwriting.com/blog/7982-microsoft-financials-record-revenue-consumer-sales-declining-in-drift-towards-enterprise.html):

  • Revenues for commercial licensing (like Windows and Office for companies): almost 11 billions, earnings 10 billions (gained 751 millions)
  • Revenues for the enterprise services 1.7 billions, earnings half a billion (gained 199 millions)

Not only Windows and Office traditional licensing is a huge business, but it is growing more in value than the online services are.

First Conclusion

Trends and percentages matter, but in some cases the raw numbers are relevant. If I create my own device and next year sell 10 phones, out of 1 this year, I made a 1000% increase, but no one will care. Unless my marketing machine can put a good spin on it, of course.

Second Conclusion

Android is growing in a crazy way, great we have a Delphi product for it. Windows phone is doing OK, but it is still very very small.

The Windows Enterprise business shows no slow down. Windows remains the main business platform, and we have a Delphi product for it. But all versions of Delphi also talk with Azure, just in case.