Categories: Mobile

How much does Android make? Not much, apparently

The latest version of Android - 4.0

How much does Android operating system earn Google? Not much according to The Guardian. In fact, between 2008 and 2011 Android generated only $543 million in revenue – somewhat insignificant when compared to Google’s $38 billion total revenue in 2011.

Of course, Google has never publicly stated what it earns from Android. Instead, The Guardian’s Charles Arthur obtained this figure by analysing a recent $2.8 million settlement Google offered Oracle in a Java patents infringement case, supposedly based on a percentage of Android revenue – 0.5% by my calculation.

This Android revenue figure is hardly surprising though. Google gives Android software away for free, and instead, earns money from sales on Google Play.

With Android’s reported 200 million or so devices (probably more) worldwide by the end of 2011, Google may have earned as little as $2.72 from each activation.

For Google though, it might not all be simply about profit just yet. With Android edging the biggest share of the smartphone market, it has certainly weakened its nearest rivals Apple and Microsoft in the process.

Albizu Garcia

Albizu Garcia is the Co-Founder and CEO of Gain -- a marketing technology company that automates the social media and content publishing workflow for agencies and social media managers, their clients and anyone working in teams.

Recent Posts

The question isn’t whether AI will replace creativity, it’s how it will expand it (Brains Byte Back Podcast)

Will AI scale creativity or stifle it? A CEO’s take on AI and the future…

7 hours ago

AI-powered industrial maintenance company closes $35M round with Riverwood Capital

Fracttal, a leading cloud-based platform that integrates asset management software, IoT, and AI, announced today…

11 hours ago

From ERP to AI Agents: Lessons from the Last Great Enterprise Revolution

This article was authored by Drew Naukam, CEO of Gorilla Logic Every week there's another…

1 week ago

As AI continues to reshape the healthtech landscape, Prezent announces Marine Queniart Stojanovic has joined its senior executive board

Prezent, an enterprise AI platform focused on building an operating system for business communications, announced…

1 week ago

Digital ID alone isn’t enough, needs to be interoperable to access life services: World Bank

Digital ID, in whatever form it takes, is just one cog in the wheel for…

1 week ago

As pets become family, Leap Venture Studio announces accelerator’s 10th Cohort 

Leap Venture Studio, the world’s first and largest pet care startup accelerator, has announced it…

1 week ago