CHARTS OF THE WEEK: Here&#39;s Why The Next Year And A Half Is Critical In The Smartphone Wars (RIMM, GOOG, AAPL, PALM, MSFT)

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Here's Why The Next Year And A Half Is Critical In The Smartphone Wars

Apple's Stock Is Kicking Google's Butt

If You Think Your Mobile Network Is Choking On Data Now, You Ain't Seen Nothing

Apple Gaining On RIM Fast

Here's What Microsoft And Apple Need To Do To Beat Google In Search

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Here's Why The Next Year And A Half Is Critical In The Smartphone Wars

Smartphones like BlackBerries and iPhones aren't just for yuppies, corporate suits, and early adopter-types anymore. But the majority of people in the U.S. still own feature phones -- the "dumb" phones that are primarily used to phone calls and do text messaging.

That will change in the next year and a half, Nielsen predicts. According to the company, 49% of mobile phone owners in the U.S. will have smartphones by Q3 2011, up from 21% now.

As a result, the next year and a half is a critical land grab for the smartphone market. Apple, Research In Motion, Google, Microsoft, Nokia, and Palm are all duking it out to capture share. While RIM and Apple are in the lead today, this chart shows there is plenty of room for growth.

Apple's Stock Is Kicking Google's Butt

Who's winning the increasingly tense battle between Apple and Google?

From an investor's perspective, so far this year, it's Apple. By a long shot. Year to date, Apple's stock is up 10%, while Google's is down 10%.

Investors are excited by Apple's iPad, as well as the possibility of an iPhone on Verizon in the near future.

Meanwhile, investors are cooler on Google after the company pulled out of China, and its Nexus One failed to deliver.

Here are some Apple and Google milestones so far this year.

If You Think Your Mobile Network Is Choking On Data Now, You Ain't Seen Nothing

With smartphones growing in popularity, mobile data traffic is set to grow 40X in the next five years, according to research from Coda Research Consultancy, via TechCrunch.

The explosion in mobile Web and mobile video use will be the key drivers.

What does it mean for you? Well, if you think your network is being choked by data-hogs now, you haven't seen anything yet. Of course, that's why carriers like Verizon and AT&T are plowing billions into their networks, including rolling out faster new "4G" networks in the coming years.

Apple Gaining On RIM Fast

If you want the short take on why BlackBerry maker Research In Motion is in trouble, take a look at this chart.

ChangeWave Research's latest survey of 4,040 consumers shows Research In Motion's penetration is the lowest it has been since Oct. 2007.

Apple's penetration has marched upward since it hit the market. It is now at 33% compared to RIM's 38%.

If RIM shareholders are feeling blue, they can take consolation in the fact that this is just one chart based on one source. We've seen others where RIM is doing a solid job defending its turf.

Here's What Microsoft And Apple Need To Do To Beat Google In Search

If Microsoft or even Apple wants to knock off Google from its dominant spot in mobile search -- approximately 86% market share, according to Nielsen -- they should look at this chart from Goldman Sachs.

It shows how we prioritize our search needs when we're mobile versus on the desktop.

Surprisingly, the most important thing on mobile is that we get a friendly user interface. (And that's where Apple can shine.) Next most important is the speed of the search. Relevant search results is less important on mobile than desktop -- also good news for Google's rivals, who probably won't be as strong.