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Topic: Android

Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

Summary: Android has grown into a hugely popular platform, according to usage tracked by ad network Millennial Media. Google's platform is generating more revenue than Apple's.

James Kendrick

By for Mobile News |

Android has grown into a hugely popular platform, according to usage tracked by ad network Millennial Media. Figures for December show that Android has leveraged an astounding 3130 percent growth in 2010 to grab 46 percent impression share in December. This knocks iOS back to second place with a 32 percent share. RIM placed a distant third to the big guys, with only half the iOS share in December.

This network serves up millions of ad impressions and while it's important to realize this is just one source, the figures have historically been meaningful. The impression share statistic clearly demonstrates that Android phones are multiplying in the consumer space, and being used on the web in great numbers.

Ad impressions are important to the mobile business world, but revenue generation even more so as it's all about the money. In the fourth quarter of last year Android generated a respectable 55 percent of all ad revenues, while iOS accounted for 39 percent. These two platforms are grabbing almost all of the ad revenue pie, something not likely to change anytime soon. It will be interesting to see if the two platforms see a shift with the iPhone 4 coming to Verizon, as that is expected to generate a lot of sales for the iOS platform.

Topics: Android, Google, Mobility

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  • The Android value proposition

    Just goes to show that a consistant platform with actual choice of hardware options will do well. People actually seem to be thinking with their heads and not just for the latest bling/status symbol gadget.
    garethmcc
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

      @garethmcc

      Do people actually know they have Android? It's on the B&N Color Nook along with other sub-$200 "craplets". It's on dozens upon dozens of devices, not just smartphones as the graph states. iOS is on 4 devices. Not exactly "Apples" to apples here.
      jmiller1978
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

        @jmiller1978 But thats the entire point. iOS is only on FOUR devices. Andriod has an almost unlimited selection from "cheap" little devices to very powerful ones. If you want iOS you have a choice of four ... in comparison thats not a choice at all.
        garethmcc
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

        @jmiller1978 <br>How did you come to the conclusion that iOS is on only 4 devices? It is used on iPhones, the iPad, iPods and I also think that it is used on Apple tv. That is a lot more than 4 devices.<br><br>As an aside, Android is doing well, but Apple "owns" all 32% of its share. Similarly, for RIM. Although Android devices are shown to have 46% of the market, that is split several ways. There are at least 6 manufacturers and so each probably only has 8% or less of the market. It is highly likely that no single Android manufacturer has a market share anywhere near either Apple or RIIM. Whilst 46% of the market might be good for Google, it is not equally as good for manufacturers, albeit that they might still be doing okay.

        As a point of interest, does anyone really believe that MS only has 1% of the market? I accept that it would not be particularly high at this point, but 1% seems rather low.
        Restricted_access
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

        @ptorning<br><br>"@jmiller1978 <br>How did you come to the conclusion that iOS is on only 4 devices? It is used on iPhones, the iPad, iPods and I also think that it is used on Apple tv. That is a lot more than 4 devices."<br><br>Hoist by your own petard. How is that a lot more than four? Ignoring very minor differences such as storage size, there are currently one iPhone, two iPods (Touch and Nano), one iPad, and one version of Apple TV on the market running iOS. That's five. <br><br>'As an aside, Android is doing well, but Apple "owns" all 32% of its share.'<br><br>Is that supposed to be a selling point, or something? Am I supposed to like iOS more because Apple takes a bigger chunk out of my wallet each time I buy iOS than Google or Samsung, or whoever, gets when I buy Android? Why should I give Apple my $$? As a result of competition between Android vendors, I can get devices that suit my pocket and my needs precisely. Android saves me money.
        Xenia Onatopp
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

      @garethmcc
      Why is this even news??? of course android will pass IOS, DUH!
      Hasam1991
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

        @Hasam1991

        ZDNET partially depends on flame wars...
        DonRupertBitByte
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

      I'm glad to see that people are looking beyond their slick looking Iphones and realizing that Android clearly has more to offer.
      Lennatron
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

        @Lennatron Yes, more ads.
        kent42
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

      @garethmcc This is more about which platform is riddled with Ads. Look at the Android Marketplace stupid. Most apps are free coz they are ad supported (Its the Google way..to commodotize eveything so they can skim revenue from ads). Not only do the ads consume data usage on your plan, they get in the way and can accidently be clicked on taking you away from what you were doing. In the Apple "App Store" most apps are paid for a nominal amount and are free from ads. One reason why the iOS ecosystem is superior...no ads to accidently "click" on.
      global.philosopher
      Reply Vote

      • Um...one word: iAd

        @global.philosopher <br><br>Funny...If this was an article about breadth of apps, you would be screaming "Apple store has 300K...and alot of those are free!" And you wouldn't be worried at all about how many of those had ads that, as you put it, "to accidently 'click' on".<br><br>Obviously your rose colored glasses prohibit you from seeing the truth. So I will refer to one of the deployments that Steve Jobs himself presented in one of his "revolutionary" press conferences: iAds. Please don't act like Apple's **** (and yours) don't stink.<br><br>Oh, and, dont for one second think your "superior" iOS ecosystem is any more safe. Here, take a look:<br><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576020083703574602.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576020083703574602.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576020083703574602.html</a></a>
        SonofaSailor
        Reply Vote

      • Or, Conversely, RIM's platform is once again more secure!

        @global.philosopher

        You state: [i]"This is more about which platform is riddled with Ads"[/i]

        Well, since RIM has a lower #, [b]by your own words, their platform is more secure than Apple's...AND, not necessarily less popular![/b]

        Think about it...you stated that this doesn't mean Android is more popular than iOS, just that more apps w/ ads are being used on the Android platform...hence, (by your own argurment, mind you) RIM's #'s aren't necessarily less popular than Apple's...it's just that less RIM users are using Apps w/ less ads in them.

        I'd like to see you try to argue your way out of your own words on this one.
        SonofaSailor
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

      @garethmcc Consistant platform? Really, consistant has never been a word I have heard used when talking about Android. The only thing it shows is that Android devices have flooded the market and ads are being displayed on them. Nothing more and nothing less.
      non-biased
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

    Since Millenial Media doesn't use iAd, the impression count is skewed and highly inaccurate for the conclusion being drawn.
    killsport@...
    Reply Vote

  • Steamroller baby

    Stats seem inflated, but, you know what, I think everybody can agree that Android has gone over the top of Apple iPhone in the sales department.

    Never mind the 'false' impressions.
    Dietrich T. Schmitz, ~ Your Linux Advocate
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

      @Dietrich T. Schmitz, Your Linux Advocate
      That's fine, Android wins, the whole world will run Android, now a few of us would rather have Apple quality with no crapware and no carrier logos stamped on our phones... and yes Linux will rule the rule, now let me enjoy my OSX.. thanks!
      Hasam1991
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

        @Hasam1991
        You know that your OSX is running on a unix platform right?
        DLCurtis@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

        @DLCurtis
        Now don't confuse him. After all, he is a macTurd.
        sackbut
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

        @Hasam1991 What do you think the Apple logo is on the back of the phone? Logos are logos! No one said you couldn't enjoy your Macintosh phone either. The linux part is still in doubt due to the "niche" attitude of those that support it..
        No Thanks, Just Lurking
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Stats: Android Growth Continues; Passes iOS in Usage

        @Hasam1991 For those with Assburgers I will spell it out for them...he obviously does know OSX is Unix...that was his point stupid(s). Not sure why Linux people have to dump on other OSes. I am a Linux head but think that OSX is a great OS too. And iOS is also a good OS because it does exactly what i want it to do...work straight out of the box. Occasionally techies like to sit down and relax and not have to fiddle with every device they buy. Linux is good for server and OK for PC's but at the moment is not cooked right for handhelds (from a consumer point of view).
        global.philosopher
        Reply Vote
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