Google Android overtakes iPhone

Global sales of phones using the Google Android mobile operating platform have overtaken iPhone sales, according to new figures.

Figures from analyst Gartner reveal that Google Android’s market share has overtaken Apple’s iPhone.

Android’s share of the smartphone market has leapt to 17.2% from 1.8% a year ago. while Apple’s share is 14.2%.

The report comes as Google faces a lawsuit over alleged patent infringements for the Android platform.

Google is being sued by software company Oracle, which says the search engine giant’s Android mobile operating platform infringes patents on its Java software. Oracle acquired the Java technology when it took over Sun Microsystems last year.

In a lawsuit filed yesterday (12 August) in California, Oracle claims Google “knowingly, directly and repeatedly” infringed Oracle’s Java-related intellectual property during the development of Android.

Oracle spokeswoman Karen Tillman said in a statement. “This lawsuit seeks appropriate remedies.”

Yesterday, Vodafone announced that it would now offer its Vodafone 360 app store as an optional service following customer complaints about a software update that automatically installed branded apps on Google Android handsets.