Android reigns but Windows gains

2 May 2013

WASHINGTON, USA: Google's Android mobile operating system extended its dominance in smartphones in the US and other major markets in the first quarter of 2013, according to a survey published this week.

Kantar Worldpanel ComTech said Android was used on 49.3% of smartphones sold in the US market in the first quarter, compared with 43.7% for Apple's iOS, the operating system for the iPhone.

Android has boosted its lead from a year ago, when was ahead of Apple by a margin of 47.9% 44.6%.

In other major markets, Android was even more dominant -- with 93.5% of smartphones in Spain, 73.6% in Germany, 69.4% in China, and 63.3% in France.

Japan was the only country in the survey where Apple was in the lead, with a 49.2% market share compared with 45.8% for Android.

But the survey also showed gains in several countries for a relative outsider, Microsoft's Windows Phone, following the upgraded platform introduced in late 2012.

"In the United States, Windows boosted its share to 5.6% from 3.7% a year ago", Kantar said in a statement. Windows grabbed 10.9% of smartphone sales in Italy, 7.2% in France and 7.0% in Britain.

"As iOS and Android continue to battle it out for top-selling smartphone software platform, we have seen Windows steadily grow over the past year and it is now at its highest sales share figure so far," said Kantar analyst Mary-Ann Parlato.

"Windows' strength appears to be the ability to attract first time smartphone buyers, upgrading from a feature-phone," she said, adding that this means prospects are positive for Windows, especially in the United States.

"With over half of the US market still owning a feature-phone, it's likely that many will upgrade over the coming year, which will ultimately contribute to more growth for the Windows brand," Parlato said.

Source: AFP via I-Net Bridge

Source: I-Net Bridge

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