Android Is Best For Business, Say Readers

eWEEK Europe readers like Android phones for business, according to a poll which also revealed strong loyalty to the BlackBerry platform, and lower-than-expected iPhone support.

With a 42 percent share of the market, and plenty of business apps, it is no surprise to find the Android topping our poll of business users. However, the support for RIM’s BlackBerry platform surprised us, given the company’s poor financial health, and market research that suggests users are not sticking with BlackBerry phones.

iPhone and BlackBerry fight for second place

Android phones came top, with 37 percent of the vote in our poll which asked “Which is the best mobile phone platform for business?” That part of the result has been long expected.

But the struggle for second place was more noteworthy. Despite being universally very popular, the iPhone still faces resistance from business users. Or perhaps, it is suffering a slump in popularity as people wait for the arrival of the iPhone 5.

Whatever the reason, Apple’s phone was beaten down by supporters of RIM’s BlackBerry, despite the general perception that the latter is virtually a basket case.

Next in the rankings, Windows Phone 7‘s 12 percent showing might seem small, but is well above its tiny – roughly one percent – market share. Business people will be looking at the platform as a good way to mobilise their Outlook calendar and email, and the new Mango release could increase the level of interest.

Below that, the once-proud Symbian scored 3 percent. Nokia has moved on to Windows Phone, and business users have lost interest. Similarly, webOS is a nice OS, but abandoned by HP, it makes no sense in a business context.

Who’s next in the HP hot seat?

Updated: Leo Apotheker has been removed as CEO of Hewlett-Packard, after the HP board responded to his unpopularity.

The HP board has appointed fomer eBay CEO Meg Whitman, who was conveniently on the HP board. But if you could choose, who would you have had as the new CEO?

Another internal candidate might have been chairman Ray Lane, who has shown his loyalty by taking up cudgels on HP’s behalf against its former CEO, Mark Hurd, and Hurd’s predecessor Carly Fiorina.

Or perhaps you might try and re-hire former CEO Mark Hurd, now ensconsed at rival Oracle.

Looking further afield, other industry figures could be available. It has been suggested that it is time for Steve Ballmer to step down from Microsoft, and he would certainly accelerate HP’s move away from having anything to do with hardware, especially smartphones.

Carol Bartz has just moved on from Yahoo!, admittedly under a cloud, but her abrasive style might fit in at the increasingly-beleagured HP.

Or what about Eric Schmidt, who is still involved with Google, but has stood down as CEO? He might want a challenge.

Here in the UK, we could offer Lord Sugar, former CEO of Amstrad, and presenter of TV’s The Apprentice. Admittedly, his experience shifting PCs might not be so useful if HP goes through with its plan to sell off its PC business, but in HP’s current state, he could find a use for his catchphrase – “You’re fired!”

Or what about former Oracle president Charles Phillips, currently CEO of ERP provider Info, whose place at Oracle was taken by former HP CEO Mark Hurd? Appointing Phillips would certainly have added a neat twist to the CEO musical chairs session.

Updated: Since this story was published, HP has appointed Meg Whitman as permanent CEO. Please feel free to continue our game of Fancasy CEO and, if we missed any good candidates, let us know with the “Other” option.