I don't disagree with much that you say. There are many explanations for Android's success - some of them are due to characteristics of Android (openness, more

I don't disagree with much that you say. There are many explanations for Android's success - some of them are due to characteristics of Android (openness, more power and flexibility, Google branding and services integration, etc), others are due to failures of Apple(carrier exclusivity). These things help explain it but they don't change the facts of it. You take a similar line about Android - eg: why did Google not support an iPod Touch like devices? We could say, "sure, iOS looks more successful than Android overall but that's just because Google doesn't support non-phone devices yet" - perhaps it explains why Android doesn't have overall more market share yet, but it doesn't change that facts of the situation - in overall marketshare iOS wins hands down.