There is no denying that Android, Google’s operating system for mobile devices, is big. For example, Android is the OS on 42% of all consumer compute devices.
We have scoured the web for data that will help us show exactly how big Android is in the smartphone world. And in every way we looked at it, Android is ginormous.
Smartphone web traffic
In terms of smartphone web traffic, Android leads the way, but perhaps not in the same crushing way as in other areas.
Web traffic is interesting, because it gives us an indication of the actual use of smartphones. Looking at the past four years, Android is the only mobile OS that has been constantly growing in use. Currently, Android’s share of smartphone web traffic stands at 37%.
For the last year, it looks as this is going to be a two-horse race between Android and iOS. All the other mobile operation systems seem do be doomed to a slow death, getting used less and less.
Market shares in the top 5 Android and iOS markets
In terms of sales, the two biggest markets for Android and iOS devices are China and the USA. The leading OS in both these markets is Android. In fact, the same is true for all five top Android and iOS markets.
Android’s progress in China does not get any less impressive when you consider that China recently passed the USA as the biggest market for Android and iOS devices.
Android outpaces growing smartphone market
In just a year, from Q4 2011 to Q4 2012, the worldwide smartphone market grew by almost 40%. However, Android in the same time period, grew by an amazing 88%.
Here are some other numbers worth noting:
- For Q4 2012, the worldwide market for smartphones was 208 million devices.
- Out of this, Android’s share was 144.7 million smartphones and iOS accounted for 43.5 million smartphones.
- Shipments of iOS smartphones increased by about 23%.
- For all other mobile operating systems, it looks bleak. Their combined share is down from 25% to 10%.
Largest smartphone manufacturer; it’s an Android brand
While there is only one manufacturer that uses iOS, there are several that use Android as the OS on their mobile devices. So even though there are more Android smartphones that ship, the biggest manufacturer could still be Apple. But it´s not, not even close.
Yes, it is true that Samsung also makes smartphones with other operating systems than Android. But according to recent numbers, 94% of all Samsung smartphones run on Android. That means 214 million units, still way ahead of Apple.
It’s an Android world
So far, everything has shown that Android rules the smartphone OS world. This doesn’t change if you look at the market share worldwide for smartphones. With a 65% market share of worldwide smartphone sales at the end of last year, Android dwarfs the 20% share that iOS had.
It will be very interesting to see these numbers at the end of 2013. Surely this growth can’t continue, or can it?
Android is up everywhere you look
Nothing in our data, and we mean nothing, indicates that Android is going to start losing ground in the smartphone market. Actually, everything points in the other direction, it is up everywhere you look.
What will be interesting to see during 2013 is what will happen to Windows Phone and BlackBerry. Will they at least make the smartphone market a bit more interesting, and not just a big Android show with the iOS sidekick?
