Android is not surprisingly the most popular mobile operating system in the world as it is available on a wide range of devices. However, data from StockApps shows that iOS has taken Android’s market share in recent years – although Google’s platform still dominates the market.
As of July 2018, Android dominated 77.32% of the global market share for mobile operating systems. Four years later, however, that figure has dropped to 69.74%. At the same time, global use of iOS increased from 19.4% to 25.49% over the same period, representing a growth of 6% over four years.
Although the reasons behind these numbers are unclear, Apple has made an effort to expand its product range to reach even more consumers with products like the iPhone SE and entry-level iPad. However, this will not be enough to take the top spot from Android.
As noted by financial expert Edith Reads, Android still has an advantage due to its open source nature. While iOS is only available on Apple devices, there are many devices out there running Android, not just smartphones and tablets. The price of electronic devices is another reason why Android remains on top.
StockApps’ research notes that in regions such as South America and Africa, Android largely dominates the local market, as Apple products are much more expensive compared to competitors. In South America, only 10% of mobile devices run iOS, while Apple’s operating system has more than half the market share in North America.
Still, Apple’s strategy of introducing cheaper devices to get more customers is showing good results – and the company will likely continue to introduce a few entry-level devices in its lineup.
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