Android dominates the smartphone market, but new numbers about mobile operating systems should give Google food for thought. Although Android still runs on seven out of ten cell phones, Apple’s iOS is catching up. Google is also facing an old problem that cannot be easily solved.
Version:12
Languages:German English French
License:full version
Android smartphones: market share fell by 8 percent
According to a study by StockApps, Android’s market share has increased over the past four years down nearly 8 percent worldwide. In mid-2018, the proportion was still 77.3 percent, but it has now fallen to 69.7 percent. Still an impressive value, but Apple’s iOS has increased noticeably over the same period. With other operating systems such as KaiOS, the market share is hardly measurable.
Depending on the region arise for Google very different values. In North America, Android currently only has a market share of 45 percent, while in Africa it is almost twice as high at 84 percent. In Asia and South America, Google’s operating system comes to 81 and 90 percent, respectively. In Europe it is 69 percent (source: StockApps).
For Apple and iOS again, it keeps getting better and better. The global share has risen from 19.4 to 25.5 percent since mid-2018, which can perhaps also be explained by the success of the iPhone SE. Anyone who wants a cell phone that is not quite as expensive is no longer necessarily dependent on Android. But only in North America has iOS been able to place ahead of Android.
What’s new in Android 12:
Google: Android distribution remains a disgrace
Google is not only facing increasing difficulties in terms of market share, but also in the distribution of Android versions. The current Android 12, released in October 2021, is found on only 2.6 percent of all Android phones. The vast majority of users have to be content with Android 11 (29.5 percent) and Android 10 (25.2 percent), as figures from the Play Store alternative Uptodown show.