Android army claims some iOS scores as developer drive continues

If you can’t build an ecosystem, then buy one — that at least looks like the deal as it seems Google’s hiring in Android developers in its attempt to put apps up for sale in its Market; in related news Android tablets have grabbed a slice of the iPad market even while Android has become the world’s leading smartphone maker, according to Canalsys.

Strike one: If you can’t build ’em, buy ’em: CNet tells us the, “company is recruiting app developers — including software engineers, product managers and user interface specialists — to fuel an expansion in its in-house app activities.”

Google intends building a series of Apps, some to be for Google only while others may be released for other platforms, including iOS.

iPad takes 75 percent
Proving just how hard it is to grow marketshare from 96 percent when fighting makers of $100 tablets running Android, the latest Strategy Analytics figures claim Android took 22 percent of the global market in Q4 2010. The iPad took 75 percent of shipments, down from 96 per cent. Apple has sold 14.8 million of the things since April last year.

Android-powered devices from Samsung (which now offers the majority of its processors to Apple), Acer and Motorola accounted for the change, with the Samsung Galaxy Tab driving most growth. iSuppli predicts 57 million tablet sales this year.

Android on top (electric sheep?)
Finally in a day marked by the sound of an Android army on the march, our own Seth Weintraub writing in the other place tells us Android has now become the world’s leading smartphone OS.

Canalys claims over 33 million phones shipped running Android, while Nokia’s Symbian OS accounted for 31 million phones. Interesting to note when considering the diversified but inconsistent nature of the Android market, Apple (which offers only the iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS) sold 16.2 million iPhones in the period, that report explains. In Q4 2011, Apple sold two iPhones each second.