iOS still ahead of Android in terms of web use

Stephen Withers
Monday, 09 January 2012 11:57

Your IT - Mobility

Android devices might be outselling those running iOS, but the Apple camp is still responsible for the majority of mobile web browsing according to one web analytics firm.

According to NetApplications' latest NetMarketShare figures, Safari accounts for 53% of mobile web traffic. When analysed by OS rather than browser, iOS takes 52% compared with Android's 16%. In fact, Android is in third place behind Java ME on 21%.

Both iOS and Android have lost share since peaking in October 2011. In that month, iOS had a 61% web share while Android had almost 19%.

The beneficiaries have been Java ME (up from an unusually low figure of just under 13% to 21%) and Symbian (also unusually low at around 3.5% in October, and shown with almost 5.8% in December). BlackBerry also hit a low in October but is now back in its longer-term range at 3.5%.

StatCounter reports a very different situation, with Symbian leading on 33%, well ahead of iOS on 23% and Android on 22%.

In Australia, iOS is way ahead at almost 74% compared with Android's 21% and Symbian's 4% web share. NetApplications's figures for Australia give iOS an even greater lead: 86% vs 12%.