China now leads world in iOS and Android device activations

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014


China's growing tech-savvy middle class has contributed to a sharp rise in mobile device sales over the past year, and new data reveals that the country has overtaken the U.S. to become the world's largest market for iOS and Android device activations for the first time.



In a report released on Wednesday, analytics firm Flurry found that in February Chinese mobile users activated more devices running the two top mobile operating systems, Apple's iOS and Google's Android, than any other country.



By tracking its entire data set of over 1 billion aggregated app sessions per day across 160,000 apps, Flurry was able to quantitatively measure the growth rate of device activations through software usage. An app session is characterized by the launch and use of a particular app, like opening a news reader and browsing articles for two minutes.



In looking at the 15 months following the first quarter of 2011, China gained 16 percent of the world market for new iOS and Android activations, jumping from 8 percent in January 2011 to an expected 24 percent by the end of March 2012. For comparison, the U.S. fell from a 28 percent share of new activations to 21 percent over the same period.



Interestingly, the growth of iOS and Android device activations in China remained fairly level until September 2011 when the country began its climb to the top. That month Apple launched the iPad 2 in China to an almost overwhelming demand that caused a brief suspension of sales due to rowdy crowds. The same rise in device activations was also seen in the U.S. during the same period, though a precipitous decline initiated in December brought the country's worldwide market share below China's by February.





China took passed the U.S. in February to become the world leader in iOS and Android activations. | Source: Flurry







Although the U.S. still trumps China in its installed iOS and Android user base, the rocketing adoption rate in China's burgeoning market is helping to close the gap between the two countries. Current estimates put the number of active devices in the Chinese market at less than half of the more saturated U.S. market, though the country's rocketing customer base has the potential to take the top spot and already boasts twice as many users than third-place U.K.



China is the second largest app economy and saw an amazing increase in app sessions over the past year, moving up from 7th place on a 1126 percent increase in app usage since the first quarter of 2011. To give a better perspective of China's staggering growth, the uptick in app use represents a figure nearly double that of next-fastest Argentina's 599 percent.





China's app use has grown an amzing 1126% over the past year to become the world's second-largest app economy. | Source: Flurry







Apple launched the iPhone 4S through its second official Chinese partner carrier China Telecom earlier in March, adding to the already strong sales seen from the country's number two carrier China Unicom.



Although not an official Apple partner, the world's largest wireless carrier China Mobile has reported that at least 15 million iPhones are being used on its network. The Cupertino, Calif., company is reportedly looking into a future deal with China Mobile, which would open the doors to the carrier's 600 million existing subscribers.





[ View article on AppleInsider ]

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    This is a massive opportunity, not a problem, for Apple. When China Mobile happens - as it no doubt will, with some compromises both sides - Android share will plummet. Samsung must dread the day.



    A more interesting story would have been what Apple v. Samsung looks like in China Telecom and what the implications might be if similar patterns emerge in China Telecom.



    All it really says is that a vast majority of Chinese consumers are currently largely stuck with Android as their only real choice, and those who are not are doing so because they can't afford a more expensive phone (which is understandable for a developing economy).
  • Reply 2 of 15
    801801 Posts: 271member
    This would be an opportunity to create a Chinese app store. Or is there one already?
  • Reply 3 of 15
    lanklank Posts: 27member
    This only talks about use of IOS & Android compiled together by nation. How do you get anything about IOS v Android out of this article?



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    This is a massive opportunity, not a problem, for Apple. When China Mobile happens - as it no doubt will, with some compromises both sides - Android share will plummet. Samsung must dread the day.



    A more interesting story would have been what Apple v. Samsung looks like in China Telecom and what the implications might be if similar patterns emerge in China Telecom.



    All it currently says is that a vast majority of Chinese consumers are currently largely stuck with Android as their only real choice, and those who are not are doing so because they can't afford a more expensive phone (which is understandable for a developing economy).



  • Reply 4 of 15
    jbrunijbruni Posts: 29member
    Yet more cash that Apple can't bring into the States.
  • Reply 5 of 15
    lanklank Posts: 27member
    Apple can bring it all in, they just have to give some of it to their poor, bankrupt Uncle Sam.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jbruni View Post


    Yet more cash that Apple can't bring into the States.



  • Reply 6 of 15
    tooltalktooltalk Posts: 766member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    This is a massive opportunity, not a problem, for Apple. When China Mobile happens - as it no doubt will, with some compromises both sides - Android share will plummet. Samsung must dread the day.



    A more interesting story would have been what Apple v. Samsung looks like in China Telecom and what the implications might be if similar patterns emerge in China Telecom.



    All it really says is that a vast majority of Chinese consumers are currently largely stuck with Android as their only real choice, and those who are not are doing so because they can't afford a more expensive phone (which is understandable for a developing economy).



    Well, all signs indicate that Samsung (Android) and Apple (iOS) are gaining at the expense of Nokia (which had over 30% Chinese marketshare in 2010, now down to low 20%). Globally, Apple's sales in Q4 was higher than Samsung's, but Samsung has been growing at much greater rate (300+%) for the past few years. There's also the same global trend - Nokia and RIM losing marketshare and Apple & Samsung gaining.



    So now, smartphone sales in China is less than 6% (of all phones sold). If Apple is having so much trouble taking over Android in developed countries, why do you think Apple is going to drive down Android's marketshare in China - especially when China Mobile already has 15 million unsubsidized iPhone subscribers?
  • Reply 7 of 15
    irontedironted Posts: 129member
    All hail china!
  • Reply 8 of 15
    irontedironted Posts: 129member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    This is a massive opportunity, not a problem, for Apple. When China Mobile happens - as it no doubt will, with some compromises both sides - Android share will plummet. Samsung must dread the day.



    A more interesting story would have been what Apple v. Samsung looks like in China Telecom and what the implications might be if similar patterns emerge in China Telecom.



    All it really says is that a vast majority of Chinese consumers are currently largely stuck with Android as their only real choice, and those who are not are doing so because they can't afford a more expensive phone (which is understandable for a developing economy).



    Who say they cant afford iPhones? All the Chinese students i know studying in Canada all have iPhones.
  • Reply 9 of 15
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by 801 View Post


    This would be an opportunity to create a Chinese app store. Or is there one already?



    Sure there is, its filled with bootleg apps, HA!!
  • Reply 10 of 15
    galbigalbi Posts: 968member
    China has more mobile phone subscribers than the ENTIRE US POPULATION, EVERY MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD.
  • Reply 11 of 15
    galbigalbi Posts: 968member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by IronTed View Post


    Who say they cant afford iPhones? All the Chinese students i know studying in Canada all have iPhones.



    The very fact that they came over to Canada differentiates them from the majority of Chinese who arent as wealthy as those few.



    Dont you think that is too much of a generalization on your part? Look at the bigger picture.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Lank View Post


    Apple can bring it all in, they just have to give some of it to their poor, bankrupt Uncle Sam.



    Uncle Sam, who will send that money back to China as part of its debt repayments. Or not.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    What's so shocking about that?! more than half of population are using apple or android...
  • Reply 14 of 15
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by IronTed View Post


    Who say they cant afford iPhones? All the Chinese students i know studying in Canada all have iPhones.



    If they can afford to study in Canada, then they can afford an iPhone!
  • Reply 15 of 15
    eric475eric475 Posts: 177member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by anantksundaram View Post


    This is a massive opportunity, not a problem, for Apple. When China Mobile happens - as it no doubt will, with some compromises both sides - Android share will plummet. Samsung must dread the day.



    I love predictions about Samsung. I'm sure you accurately predicted the trajectory of companies like RIM and HP.
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