Sony Ericsson wants to be largest Android handset maker

Sony Ericsson is making a big push with Android

Sony Ericsson is aiming high, as the company said it wants to be the world’s biggest supplier of Android phones. It has its work cut out for it.

Sony Ericsson said it has about 17% of the Android market, although it didn’t cite the sources. We’re not huge fans of its Xperia lineup but these devices are popular in Europe.

It’s going to be a tough row to hoe for Sony Ericsson to climb to the top of the Android heap because there is some stiff competition but there are a few steps it can take to get there.

First, let’s talk about the competition. I’m fairly certain Motorola has the most market share with its Droid lineup. For a lot of America, the Android platform means very little, as many consider “Droid” the little, green robot. Motorola is chugging along as Verizon’s favorite handset maker and that shouldn’t change for at least a year.

If Motorola isn’t the king of Android, then it has to be HTC. The company has a great lineup of devices like the Evo 4G and Droid Incredible and it should also see a strong boost with the upcoming G2 for T-Mobile.

Samsung is also making a strong Android push, as it is in the middle of an admirable Galaxy S launch which will bring its devices to the top six U.S. carriers. With its tablets, it will also bring the heat with Android.

Sony Ericsson needs to deliver some killer handsets, as Xperia devices with old software won’t cut it in the modern market. We’ve heard rumbling that the company will use the Google mobile operating system to make its much-anticipated PlayStation Phone and that would be a great step in the right direction.

The company also needs to cozy up to American carriers, as that’s how a company moves units in this market.

What do you think of Sony Ericsson’s chances?

[Via Bloomberg]

About The Author

Marin Perez

Marin Perez has torture tested cell phones and smartphones for industry leaders like CNET and InformationWeek. He remembers when 4G was just a screen on PowerPoint presentations and is fascinated with the amount of innovation out there. Marin has spent a lot of time with BlackBerry and Android but he finally broke down a bought an iPhone to see what all the hype's about. He also has too many tablets.

Stephen Cerruti

Remember the P1i, a touch screen smartphone with handwriting recognition, two video cameras and WiFi, Sony Ericsson was way out in front of the pack. But it couldn’t play nice with US carriers back then and that doesn’t look to change.

Trying to follow Samsung into the “buy this phone because it works with your TV/game console/toaster oven” doesn’t seem to be a winning strategy either unless it can come up with a must have proprietary technology to lock consumers in to higher priced devices (aka iTunes).

Sony Ericsson should aim instead to have a small, profitable business aimed around high end devices with premium style. Leave the mass market to HTC and Moto and the gimmicky appliance market to Samsung and LG.
Reto Lampert

I think HTC is the biggest Android supplier in the world (No1 in Asia and Europe). In the states I think it’s Motorolla.
Reto Lampert

Yeah I had the m600 (Still somwhere in house) and I really liked it, it’s nearly the same but without wifi and no camera (so all the good stuff

What I think in general about all the new smartphones: When I buy a new phone I think of the everyday situations where I can use it. I think most people think just: Wow Thousends of Apps, cool design etc. But these are the people who come to me one year later and say: “Well, I think I buy a cheap phone and get rid of that Iphone (or another Smartphone) because the old one had such a good battery and I really don’t need all these apps”.

I have a Nokia 5800 now which i obviously not a very good phone but in my everyday life I really like it. For example it’s dark on a Toy Toy Toilet (Yeah I know a strange example…) then I take my cellphone and use the pocket lamp. Try this with the newest and best Samsung Galaxy which doesn’t have a Photo Lamp. Yeah there is no app that can make your phone into a good (!) lamp! So I would certainly not buy this phone.

I could continue with more examples but I leave it now.

So to come to an end. Maybe the N8 from Nokia will be my next phone. Maybe it’s not as stylish as an Iphone but it the main features (on the hardware side – like camera, HDMI, Nokia Mapsetc.) are much better. And If you really look for a phone that is handy for everyday situations then this is a much better choice!

And for the end:
Apps are mostly some kind of stupid: Why do I need an app for a News website when I can make a bookmark in my webbrowser – I will never understand the logic in such a programm..
marin

You’re right, I should have clarified that I was speaking about the U.S. market.