iPhone leads mobile web usage

Stephen Withers
Thursday, 28 May 2009 04:30

Your IT - Mobility

The first Android phone arrived fairly late in 2008, and iPhone sales took off following the international release of the iPhone 3G in mid 2008. So using sales figures for 2008 probably understates the current installed base share for both, but especially for Android.

So maybe these two platforms aren't overperforming quite so strongly as AdMob's report implies. Even so, it does look like they provide a better web experience than the alternatives.

This theory seems to be confirmed when AdMob includes the iPod touch (essentially a phoneless iPhone) in its list of handsets (not just smartphones) ranked by share of web requests. It comes second, behind the iPhone (11.0 percent and 15.1 percent respectively).

Apple just edges out Nokia from top spot on this measure, with 26.2 percent (yes, there's a rounding issue) versus 25.9 percent.

But even if you exclude iPod touch usage, Apple only drops to number two. That 15.1 percent for the iPhone still means it's ahead of Samsung's 11.4 percent.

They are the worldwide figures. If you look at Apple's home market, the iPhone and iPod touch account for 34.7 percent of web requests, streets ahead of Samsung's 18.6 percent. Nokia languishes in the middle of the pack.

And in both cases, Apple's share is growing.

You can download the full AdMob report here [PDF, 244k].