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Google claims 65,000 Android phones shipping daily

Google has claimed that at least 65,000 phones with its Android OS are being shipped every day.

14 May 2010

The Google Android OS is being shipped out in 65,000 mobile devices a day, at the very least.

So claims Google chief executive Eric Shmidt, who was speaking at the search giant's annual shareholder meeting. He told attendees that Android is now being used in 34 mobile device types in 49 countries, according to a report on AFP.

The claims come after US analyst firm NDP reported sales of Android-based phones were the second highest in the world in the first quarter of 2010, ahead of the Apple iPhone in third. Research in Motion, the Blackberry manufacturer, held the top spot, however.

Schmidt said it looks like the Android system will be one of the top two players in the mobile market in the future, although he refused to get carried away: "Our partners are shipping about 65,000 Android handsets per day but if you check the blogosphere you'll discover there are some reports that that number might be quite low," he said.

Interested parties would be forgiven for being confused about who is coming out on top in the smartphone sales battle.

An IDC report from earlier this month named the top smartphone vendors in the first quarter of 2010, with Nokia taking the top place ahead of RIM in second. Apple was in third, ahead of other manufacturers such as those producing Android-based phones.