A new report by the NPD Group names Apple as the biggest-selling brand in Q4 2011. But on closer inspection, the figures suggest that Apple and iOS may have won the festive skirmish, thanks to the release of the iPhone 4S in October, but Google’s Android is winning the mobile war. 48% of all smartphone consumers now own Android handsets, compared with 43% owning an Apple device.

First-time smartphone buyers tell a different story, with 57% opting for Google’s Android operating system compared with just 34% taking their first steps in the smartphone world with an iPhone. Ross Rubin, executive director of Connected Intelligence, for The NPD Group, explained that Android’s ‘large app selection’ is a significant factor, while Android’s LTE support with Verizon has ‘made it the exclusive choice for those customers who want to take advantage of Verizon’s fastest network.’

Of course, for Android customers there is greater choice, be it pricing, features, carriers, etc – there is no budget iPhone for price-conscious consumers, whereas sub-$100 Android handsets are readily available. The disadvantage of this situation for the Android ecosystem is the fragmentation of user experience, with different versions of the OS with different manufacturers’ custom interfaces, and varying levels of functionality according to device or operating system. Which is where Apple wins on user-friendliness – one intuitive OS for all.

Samsung took first place in global smartphone market share in 2011 and held on to the top spot in the US in December. Nevertheless Apple, offering only the iPhone 3G, 4 and 4S, and bringing only one new model to market each year, still offers the best-selling handset on the planet.

According to Digitimes, Apple will ship 2 million iPhone 3GS devices by the end of the fourth quarter. In Q1 2012 Apple is expected to shift a further 1.5 million units proving that despite the arrival of the iPhone 4 and now iPhone 4S, the iPhone 3GS is still the second-best selling smartphone in the US, easily beating off the chasing pack of HTC Evos, Motorola Droid 3s, and even the impressive Samsung Galaxy SII.

In first place, of course, stands the iPhone 4, but Apple’s decision to offer the smartphone free of charge to AT&T customers has ensured its continued success since its launch in 2009. While not the top seller in Apple’s array of market-leading products, the iPhone 3GS is helping introduce the Apple experience to a wider audience. Overall Apple is forecast to sell 31 million iPhone devices overall this quarter.

Apple is forecast to sell 31 million iPhone devices overall this quarter.

Apple Samsung court saga continues with Samsung’s victory as U.S. judge has rejected Apple’s demand to stop Galaxy Tab 10.1 sales as well as sales of three Samsung smartphones on U.S. soil. U.S. judge in California stated:

It is not clear that an injunction on Samsung’s accused devices would prevent Apple from being irreparably harmed.

According to reuters Samsung has been shining some light into validity of Apple’s patents. Verizon has already made their opinion heard when they took Samsung side when Apple tried to ban number of Samsung smartphones from US stores.

Recently Samsung Galaxy tab 10.1 was banned in Australia. This was overturned just last week. Samsung attempted to ban iPhone 5 in various countries in Europe and Asia.

Demand for the new iPhone 4S is outstripping supply at most retailers – apple.com, AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint all report waits of around 14 days in the US, and one or two weeks in other countries.

Amongst 30 Apple stores questioned by analysts for Deutsche Bank, more than 85% are selling out daily. Meanwhile India’s biggest carriers are rolling out plans to begin selling the iPhone 4S this week. Deutsche Bank estimates its forecast of 28 million units shipped in Q3 is well below actual sales figures, and analysts at Canaccord Genuity support Deutsch Bank findings they report the 16GB model is particularly hard to find.

Unofficial reports from retailers suggest the new iPhone 4S is outselling all other smartphones combined in the US. Price cuts to older models such as the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS is helping raise demand for other products of Apple other products amongst retail outlets. And we still haven’t even reached Black Friday. Canaccord predicts Apple will sells 104 million iphone 4S smartphones in 2012, or 2 million per week.

There have been some issues with battery life of iPad 2, iPad, iPhone 3, 4 and 4S as well as iPod Touch of 3rd and 4th generation.
Prerelease of this new upgrade includes:

• voice recognition
• bugs on iClou
• bugs with battery life
• 4 finger support
• voice recognition improvement
• Security
• Multitasking Gestures for iPad
• iCloud document synching
• iPad 2 Smart Cover passcode vulnerability

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