Apple's iOS continues to dominate mobile web browsing as Android gains

Posted:
in iPhone edited July 2014
Even as Google counts some 1 billon monthly active users for Android worldwide, more than six out of every ten page views from a mobile device in the U.S. still come from an iPhone, an iPad, or an iPod touch, according to new browsing data released on Monday.




Apple's share of the U.S. mobile browsing market is off just 4.1 percentage points from its high last July -- down from 64.4 percent to 60.3 percent -- and is nearly flat year-over-year. Google's Android, meanwhile, ticked up by 4.5 percentage points to 33.4 percent over the same period.

The data was collected by audience measurement firm Quantcast and released in a Monday afternoon note to investors from Pipar Jaffray analyst Gene Munster, a copy of which was provided to AppleInsider. Quantcast sampled around 1 billion mobile page views to arrive at the share data, which Munster equates to approximately 1.5 percent of the viewing market.

Munster put forward a number of hypotheses for iOS's continued superiority, beginning with the iPhone's position as the most popular smartphone at major wireless carriers AT&T and Verizon. He also believes that iOS users are likely to be "more engaged with their phones on a daily basis" than their Android counterparts and that the iPad contributes a proportionally larger amount of traffic than Android tablets.

As they battle between themselves, Apple and Google are also slowly pushing out other operating systems. Though the data was not broken out in detail, it is likely that much of the 4.6-percentage point drop over the last year can be attributed to lackluster sales of Windows Phone-based devices and handsets from beleaguered Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 41
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    One billion Android smartphones is worldwide while the quoted browsing figures are US only. It confuses some readers when both markets are mixed in an apples-oranges comparison within the same article, even within the same sentence.

    EDIT: Nice to see the author make a change to the first sentence. It's now a little clearer. Kudos!
  • Reply 2 of 41
    maestro64maestro64 Posts: 5,043member

    It just means the average android user has yet to figure out what a smart phone is.

     

    Also, as pointed out 1B devices world wide most of which do not have the ability to surf the web.

     

    I have said this before, Android was a vehicle to provide mobile ad revenues for google, and as we keep seeing, it is not going it job even with it massive installed based.

  • Reply 3 of 41
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member

    They are literally giving-away Android junk phones.  As far as I'm concerned, it's just market-dumping.



    What I find hard to understand is why the Android fanboys just flat-out refuse to believe studies like these.  Most consumers for Android devices are cost-concious, folks that most likely have limited phone plans.  I certainly believe - from my own personal experience only - that many Android users are just so technically inept, they use their Android phones really as a glorified feature phones.  They really have no clue.  To them, the Internet is really a giant cloud of unknown.

  • Reply 4 of 41
    ericthehalfbeeericthehalfbee Posts: 4,485member

    This is news?

     

    It doesn't matter if it's US or worldwide or whether you're tracking browsing/internet traffic, online sales, App revenue or downloads, digital content sales (music, TV, movies) or even ad revenue - iOS always comes out on top, in some case by a LOT (2X App revenue, 6X digital content revenue).

     

    All those Android devices must be getting used for something. Just not the normal things people would do with a "smartphone".

  • Reply 5 of 41
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    maestro64 wrote: »
    It just means the average android user has yet to figure out what a smart phone is.

    Also, as pointed out 1B devices world wide most of which do not have the ability to surf the web.

    Why would most Android phones not have the capability of using the web?
  • Reply 6 of 41
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member

    These numbers are still staggering! iOS has almost double the mobile web browsing share when compared to all of Android in the US! That's every Android phone combined! We're talking about hundreds and hundreds of different phones, of all shapes and sizes, one big fragmented mess!

     

    There are a number of reasons for these numbers, and these are some that I can think of, all of which contribute to Apple's amazing dominance over Android.

     

    (1) Many Android phones are not used as smart phones at all. The users might as well have a dummy phone.

     

    (2) Android people are less productive and they access the web less than iOS users. iOS is more for professional users, and broke teenagers are more likely to be using a crummy Android phone.

     

    (3) Android people are poorer, they don't have as much money to spend, they shop less online, and when they do, they spend less. If somebody is flat broke, there's no sense in shopping online. They also can't afford to have any pricey data plans, so it's understandable that they would access the web less often.

     

    (4) Android people are cheaper, so paying for something like WIFI on a flight is beyond the reasonable limits that the average Android user can be expected to spend. You can not surf the web if you are not connected to the internet.

     

    (5) Browsing the web is far more pleasing and enjoyable on iOS devices than on Android.

     

    In conclusion, these numbers tell us that Apple devices get used, and get used a lot. Most people love their Apple devices. It also tells us that Android phones are not that useful.

  • Reply 7 of 41
    As they battle between themselves, Apple and Google are also slowly pushing out other operating systems. Though the data was not broken out in detail, it is likely that much of the 4.6-percentage point drop over the last year can be attributed to lackluster sales of Windows Phone-based devices and handsets from beleaguered Canadian smartphone maker BlackBerry.

    To call Windows Phone-based devices "lackluster" is being very kind. Microsoft's new management is busy digging a new grave out beside the one holding $900 million of Surface RTs. Speculation is still rife over whether there will be a daytime funeral march to the grave site or a moonless nighttime shuffle...

    BlackBerry needs to change their name to "Beleaguered." Imagine the amount of virtual ink that would save!
  • Reply 8 of 41
    constable odoconstable odo Posts: 1,041member

    Windows Phone is pooched, BlackBerry is nil and Tizen is likely to have a tough time gaining traction.  It appears Android and iOS are going to the leading mobile OSes for years to come.  It doesn't seem likely iOS will gain market share on Android unless Apple wearable devices get included.  Android is going to be able to be run on so many devices the numbers will be simply astounding.

  • Reply 9 of 41
    misamisa Posts: 827member
    gatorguy wrote: »
    Why would most Android phones not have the capability of using the web?
    Let's see:

    1. Android SmartTV's and Blueray players are generally not hooked up to anything, so no internet, and even those that are, ever try using the internet with a remote, gamepad or wiimote? It's an irritating experience to say the least.
    2. ISP's put their junk Android phones on the "feature phone" service tier, thus it costs 5 cents a kilobyte to use the data, so it's disabled.
    3. Android phones are frequently the only option for 7-11 Speakout and similar pay-as-you-go, and these do not include data either.
    4. ISP's push the inferior Android phones because they are more profitable, and people who buy them don't realize they can do anything but phone/text message on them.

    As a point of reference, almost nobody I know owns Android devices, and those that do generally hate them and would rather use their Windows or Macintosh desktop/laptop to do internet things. Holding a device in your hands gets tiring.

    As for my personal point of view, the stats I've been tracking for years generally say specific Android device use is not significant (any one device may have less than 3% of mobile) but when you add them all up, there is an even iOS/Android split, but that is tracking everything that is "iOS" and everything that is "Android" not just phones. Android is in a lot more things, yet only an amount equal to iOS is being used at all.

    700

    When you break it out by device, the most popular devices aren't even new ones. The most popular individual Android device is the Nexus 7.

    But do note that Google Analytics makes no attempt to determine which model of iPhone is used while the Android devices easily have multiple versions with different model numbers as different lines.

    Going just by branding alone, Apple is around 50% while Samsung is 20% and anything else is a single digit %.
  • Reply 10 of 41
    maltamalta Posts: 78member

    Mystery Solved...

     

    Apple’s iPad Safari users watch more porn than Android tablet users – report

    Safari on the iPhone and iPad is used more than any other mobile browser, with 38 million users a day

    http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/jun/04/apples-ipad-porn-android-tablet-users

  • Reply 11 of 41
    palegolaspalegolas Posts: 1,361member
    This is the clue to why the battery lasts longer on that new Samsung phone. They don't expect it to get used that much.
  • Reply 12 of 41
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post

     

    These numbers are still staggering! iOS has almost double the mobile web browsing share when compared to all of Android in the US! That's every Android phone combined! We're talking about hundreds and hundreds of different phones, of all shapes and sizes, one big fragmented mess!

     

    There are a number of reasons for these numbers, and these are some that I can think of, all of which contribute to Apple's amazing dominance over Android.

     

    (1) Many Android phones are not used as smart phones at all. The users might as well have a dummy phone.

     

    (2) Android people are less productive and they access the web less than iOS users. iOS is more for professional users, and broke teenagers are more likely to be using a crummy Android phone.

     

    (3) Android people are poorer, they don't have as much money to spend, they shop less online, and when they do, they spend less. If somebody is flat broke, there's no sense in shopping online. They also can't afford to have any pricey data plans, so it's understandable that they would access the web less often.

     

    (4) Android people are cheaper, so paying for something like WIFI on a flight is beyond the reasonable limits that the average Android user can be expected to spend. You can not surf the web if you are not connected to the internet.

     

    (5) Browsing the web is far more pleasing and enjoyable on iOS devices than on Android.

     

    In conclusion, these numbers tell us that Apple devices get used, and get used a lot. Most people love their Apple devices. It also tells us that Android phones are not that useful.


    Wow, do you actually believe what you are saying, absolute malarkey. I can afford to buy any smartphone that I wish. However, I choose to use a Nokia 1020 and Nexus 5 because I find their experience more suited to me needs, that's it. Just because a person enjoys using another platform doesn't make them any less worthy, poor, unintelligent or some other silly negative adjective. Really, who cares as long as the device does what you need it to do, holly Moses people are just way too passionate about their inanimate object of choice.

  • Reply 13 of 41
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Originally Posted by Relic View Post

    Wow, absolute BS on every single point.

     

    He’s not wrong on 1, 2 (first half), or 3 (first half), so I’m not sure where you’re coming from.

  • Reply 14 of 41
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

     

    He’s not wrong on 1, 2 (first half), or 3 (first half), so I’m not sure where you’re coming from.


     

    A lot of my points are based on various studies and statistics.

     

    Sure, I'll throw a little bit of hyperbole in for good measure every now and then, but the majority of my claims have a solid foundation.

  • Reply 15 of 41
    vaporlandvaporland Posts: 358member
    All those Android devices must be getting used for something. Just not the normal things people would do with a "smartphone".

    You can always put your android on vibrate...

    Where you put it after that is entirely up to you...
  • Reply 16 of 41
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Relic View Post

     

     I can afford to buy any smartphone that I wish. 


     

    Good for you! You should consider yourself lucky, because you are not the average Android user, and your one person anecdote does not trump the studies and statistics that I constantly read, which consists of a far greater number of people. One person does not represent Android users.

     

    And I can definitely conclude that Android people are poorer, because I am a believer in facts and science. As a matter of fact, in many cases, the poorer the country, the more likely that Android will have a greater foothold in said country. I've seen the maps and charts.

  • Reply 17 of 41
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    misa wrote: »
    Let's see:

    1. Android SmartTV's and Blueray players are generally not hooked up to anything, so no internet, and even those that are, ever try using the internet with a remote, gamepad or wiimote? It's an irritating experience to say the least.
    2. ISP's put their junk Android phones on the "feature phone" service tier, thus it costs 5 cents a kilobyte to use the data, so it's disabled.
    3. Android phones are frequently the only option for 7-11 Speakout and similar pay-as-you-go, and these do not include data either.
    4. ISP's push the inferior Android phones because they are more profitable, and people who buy them don't realize they can do anything but phone/text message on them..

    1. A few million at best?
    2. ISP's talk buyers out of data plans? Not that I've ever heard of.
    3. Even pay-as-you-go plans here in the US include data. Not sure about other countries.
    4. Not using web services out of choice or ignorance does not mean the smartphone you purchased isn't capable of doing so.

    So what evidence do you really have that most Android phones aren't capable of accessing the web which is the claim Maestro made? That would be none at all sir as far as I can tell. If buyers aren't using web services it's not because their Android phone cannot.

    By the way has anyone looked at worldwide usage numbers? Despite Apple's significant lead in tablet usage and US numbers favoring iOS Android and iOS are essentially neck and neck in web traffic worldwide:

    "Although Piper Jaffray’s Quantcast data showed that Apple’s iOS has a stable lead in the mobile web browsing traffic market in the U.S., other market research firm’s studies indicate that Android may soon overtake iOS in worldwide mobile web traffic share. According to data from Net Applications, Android’s share of the global web traffic market has been steadily climbing over the past several months. While Apple’s iOS still led with a 45.6 percent share last month, Android is not far behind with a 43.75 percent share. Also, unlike in the U.S. market, Android’s rise appears to be coming at the expense of iOS. As seen in the chart above, the worldwide market share for iOS has slipped from 53.3 percent in March to 45.6 percent last month."
    http://wallstcheatsheet.com/technology/apples-ios-keeps-web-traffic-lead-in-u-s-amid-global-android-threat.html/?a=viewall

    I'll agree that Apple mobile devices tend to be used with higher-priced plans that allow for more data while Android phones are more available to the "everyman" who may (or may not) have a more restrictive budget. It does not mean the Android smartphone he bought is less capable of browsing the web if he wishes to.
  • Reply 18 of 41
    ericthehalfbeeericthehalfbee Posts: 4,485member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post



    By the way has anyone looked at worldwide usage numbers?

     

    Sure. App Store vs Google Play, where there is no regional breakdown and revenues are worldwide. In that regard iOS completely dominates Android.

     

    There are several worldwide internet usage reports by they are all over the place.

     

    Statcounter puts Android at 48% vs iOS at 34% for all mobile and tablet combined. For tablets only they show iOS at 70% and Android at 26%.

     

    Net Applications most recent report for June 2014 has iOS at 45.61% and Android at 43.75% and they seem to think Android will overtake iOS in a few more months.

     

    Still, there's quite the discrepancy on the iOS side (34% or 45.61%) which makes me question what they're counting (for example, actual data usage/transferred or just page hits).

  • Reply 19 of 41
    geekmeegeekmee Posts: 629member
    "Mystery Solved..."

    ...but Android tablet users beat iPad users in every other category??
  • Reply 20 of 41
    geekmeegeekmee Posts: 629member

    I think what this proves is.... Android users still haven't discovered their smartphone can do more than make a phone call!

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