This is one of those articles written as if Apple's entire strategy was centered on the US market - e.g. ATT exclusivity, two year contracts and carrier subsidies are used as the primary rationales for Apple's past product alignment in the smartphone segment and Verizon availability is offered as the sole reason for Android's rise.
The worldwide commodification of smartphones is never mentioned nor are the economics of distribution in the BRIC markets and the global south.
This journalism at its laziest.