Google overtakes Apple as world's top brand: survey

It was just a matter of time. When on the trains, I'm increasingly seeing iphone users look at envy at my ultra-thin Android handset with its 4.7-inch screen.

It was natural, while Apple is on the hands of small rich, stylish part of the population, Google is spread everywhere - from the very poor to the very rich - and even on iPhones and Macs.

I wonder the value and positions of Japanese companies on that list, Sony for 1$ anyone?

iphone users are sheep now, sure apple re-invented the phone but it died with Steve.

It was just a matter of time. When on the trains, I'm increasingly seeing iphone users look at envy at my ultra-thin Android handset with its 4.7-inch screen.

Google has gained value due to two factors: its powerful search engine and Android - which is so widespread that it eventually makes money. That said, you're comparing a cargo van to a Bentley (which, by the way, shot its brand new commercial entirely on a iPhone 5S), never saw a Bentley owner envying a cargo van. LOL.

@LostinNagoya... no, you are comparing a mini cooper to a Bentley. You don't see Bentley owners envying a tiny, little thing that looks like a block and only does a fraction of what it can do ;P

Well, a lot of people will inevitably settle for second-bet if it means cheaper.

Google is everywhere--so much so that Google Chrome has become the first choice of alternate web browser for users running Windows XP to 7 (and in the desktop mode in Windows 8). Indeed, I usually read the Japan Today web page in Chrome (now up to Version 34).

@LostInNagoya, I think you've got your metaphor around the wrong way. Clearly the iPhone and iOS is the cargo van (uniform, singular functionality) while Android phones (fully customisable, multifunctional) are not only the Bentleys of the phone world, but the Toyotas, Mazdas, Ferraris, Porches, etc. You can't call a limited function phone which many people own a "Bentley". Don't forget that before Android started making headway, almost everyone (myself included) owned an iPhone. No, iPhones, if going by the car comparison, are the taxis and delivery trucks of the phone world (Apple's closed environment only reinforces this metaphor). Androids are the privately owned vehicles. Keep telling yourself that you're somehow more entitled or elite than others, I'm sure I'm not the only one that finds it amusing. Says a lot about you. There's a reason that the findings of this article state that Google has overtaken Apple, and it's not about the purchasing power of its consumers.

Well, a lot of people will inevitably settle for second-bet if it means cheaper.

The only reason why Apple is still around.....geez I never thought I'd agree with you,but I guess even the hard core Iphone fans are seeing the light.

Dutchduck: no, the reason for Google's success is that it's cheaper, and that's all. Well, okay, there are those that need a near iPad mini sized screens due to meaty thumbs, and bigger buttons, but still.

At this point, I don't know why they allow comments on articles like these, because no one ever actually comments on the content of the articles. It's just endless fangirling.

I'm actually the most surprised to see a 29% rise for Microsoft this year, considering all of the problems with the desktop version of 8 I keep hearing about.

the reason for Google's success is that it's cheaper, and that's all. Well, okay, there are those that need a near iPad mini sized screens due to meaty thumbs, and bigger buttons, but still.

Exactly.

"That said, you're comparing a cargo van to a Bentley"

LOL! Maybe a 1928 Bentley Blower with apple carts for seats (no lie) with a 2014 made-in-Germany Mercedes utility vehicle.

"no, the reason for Google's success is that it's cheaper"

Plus the thinner, bigger screen, sleeker body, better navigation, integrated tethering since several years back, etc., etc. Cheaper"? Um, if you say so.

Who cares about phones. That's not why Google has edged past Apple.

Google has broadened it's reach into all sorts of new areas - glass, self driving cars, A.I., to name a few. Apple makes some pretty cool stuff but as a company, there's no comparison.

Android - The poor person's choice.

iphone-clueless man's choice.

"The poor man's choice" is that the only defense apple fan's have now?

"The poor man's choice" is that the only defense apple fan's have now?

Not really. There is the whole well-built phone with a quality OS, plenty of apps, and seamless integration with Macs as well.

I've recently been using rental androids when on overseas business trips, and while I don't see a huge difference overall, also haven't had even one phone that would make me consider switching from an iPhone.

Maybe it's time to come round to the idea that not everyone is dazzled by the brilliance of Mac computers and Apple phones.

Of course not. Which is a good thing - competition breeds innovation.

Apple software and hardware is as prone to problems, shortcomings, undesired restriction, or just general crapness as that from other companies

I've never found any particular problems with Apple hardware, and on the contrary, I've had much less issues with it than hardware from other companies. This is the primary reason I made the decision to use Macs in our companies, so that we don't have to spend time messing with hardware issues that get in the way of doing work. The same is mostly true of software issues, though I have had some issues that I found particularly frustrating. For example in the last release of OSX, Apple removed the ability to back up contacts to a local computer, and required they be backed up on the cloud. I don't want our company contacts being backed up on a public server. Fortunately, the most recent update of OSX and ITunes added the functionality to back up to a local computer again, as so many people complained.

Restrictions on what can be done have their pros and cons just as freedom does. With a restricted system, a fixed number of variations have to be supported, and nothing more. This makes it easy to build more stable systems, as they have less variance they have to plan for. This leads to stable, secure software, that works easily. With an open system, the user gets more possibility for customizations, but this means that the systems are more complicated, and open to instability, particularly for rare-case situations that hadn't been originally considered.

Why must I use i-tunes? Why am I locked into one store and one music format and one video format? Stop it with "you don't need anything else it's the best"... you are wrong, you have eaten up what Apple marketing has fed you.

To me, apple is good but it lacks essential things that android has. One thing is the micro SD card slot. With apply you cant increase your system memory so, you are limited to only 8, or 32 gigabytes. My phone easily eats up 32 gigabytes. Plus who wants to pay $700 for a phone when can get what I think is better, a android smartphone for as low as $50. More and more people are starting to realize this, thats why google has become more popular.

Plus who wants to pay $700 for a phone when can get what I think is better, a android smartphone for as low as $50. More and more people are starting to realize this, thats why google has become more popular.

Only correction to your sentence is changing "...who wants..." to "...who can...". Just this week I visited a second-hand electronic devices shop and while waiting at the counter I saw two people trying to push their Android phones in a difficult negotiation with the owner to iPhone 4S. One of them could seal the deal, the other left a little bit angry. So, Android is popular due to it being very cheap, not because it's good. But give people enough money, they'll get the iPhones, not the $50 thing.

Google it's a commonly used verb now in the vernacular. Then there is.

Google Android

Google Maps

Google Chrome

Google Earth

Google Docs

Google Drive

Google......life.

@LostInNagoya... And after that, having realised and accepted the error of thinking that just because it's more expensive doesn't necessarily make it better, they will quickly ditch their iPhones to switch back to Android, which is what most logical people do. Unless they have grandiose self-delusional perceptions that a phone defines their social class (which it doesn't) and somehow elevates them above others (which it also doesn't). Do keep in mind that some Androids these days are priced higher than iPhones, and yet people readily choose them (Galaxy S5 vs. iPhone 5S, for example).