Android maintained its position as the leading mobile operating system worldwide in the first quarter of 2025 with a market share of about 71.88 percent. Android's closest rival, Apple's iOS, had a market share of approximately 27.65 percent during the same period. The leading mobile operating systems Both unveiled in 2007, Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS have evolved through incremental updates introducing new features and capabilities. The latest version of iOS, iOS 18, was released in September 2024, while the most recent Android iteration, Android 15, was made available in September 2023. A key difference between the two systems concerns hardware - iOS is only available on Apple devices, whereas Android ships with devices from a range of manufacturers such as Samsung, Google and OnePlus. In addition, Apple has had far greater success in bringing its users up to date. As of February 2024, 66 percent of iOS users had iOS 17 installed, while in the same month only 13 percent of Android users ran the latest version. The rise of the smartphone From around 2010, the touchscreen smartphone revolution had a major impact on sales of basic feature phones, as the sales of smartphones increased from 139 million units in 2008 to 1.39 billion units in 2023. In 2020, smartphone sales decreased to 1.38 billion units due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Apple, Samsung, and lately also Xiaomi, were the big winners in this shift towards smartphones, with BlackBerry and Nokia among those unable to capitalize.

The statistic shows the market share of the Android operating system of smartphone sales worldwide from 2011 to 2018. In the fourth quarter of 2018, Android's market share was 84.2 percent.

Android OS - additional information

In 2003, when the smartphone market was still in its early development stages, Android. Inc. was founded in Palo Alto, California, with the initial intention of creating an operating system for digital cameras. Two years later, the company was acquired by Google, confirming rumors of the tech giant’s plans to enter the mobile phone market. The first Android operating system was introduced in 2007, with the goal to compete with the then-leading smartphone operating system Symbian. Android accomplished this goal by 2011, when it became the leader of the global smartphone OS market, with about 47 percent of the share, while Symbian fell to third place and was pushed out of the market by 2013.

As Symbian faded out of the market, Apple became Android’s main competitor on the mobile operating system market. However, Android has been the main player in the market since 2012, and is forecast to maintain this leadership in the coming years. In the first quarter of 2016, about 84 percent of smartphones sold to end users used Android as its operating system. Android is expected to maintain its smartphone market share of about 85 percent up to 2020, while Apple’s iOS is projected to account for 15 percent. One of the main reasons for Android’s popularity is its strong collaboration with smartphone manufacturers, such as Sony, Samsung and HTC, while the iOS is limited to operating on Apple devices.

Upon its success in the smartphone market, Android has expanded its operating system to tablets. Android had a slow start in this market, mainly due to the lack of quality applications for Android tablets. However, Android managed to overcome this issue and establish itself as the leading tablet operating system in 2012. Android is now the most used operating system for tablets worldwide, with a 67 percent share of the global market in 2015.

Apple's iOS continues to hold the largest share of the smartphone operating systems market in the United States, claiming more than half of the market as of March 2024. Apple's share of the U.S. market has risen steadily since early 2012, when it accounted for around 30 percent. This growth is not reflected in all markets, however, with Apple's global share remaining stable year-on-year. Apple growing at home Under CEO Tim Cook, Apple has continued to follow a stunning growth trajectory. Apple became the first U.S. company with a market capitalization exceeding two trillion dollars, just two years on from becoming the first trillion-dollar company. The iPhone, responsible for much of the company’s growth, has cemented its status as the smartphone of choice for many Americans during recent quarters. Google's Android operating system is a close competitor in the U.S. OS market, accounting for around 47 percent of the market as of March 2024. However, Apple commands a far wider lead in the U.S. smartphone manufacturer market, with the Android user base split between various vendors such as Samsung and Motorola. Apple’s popularity across markets Apple has seen success with the iPhone in developed markets across the globe. iPhones accounted for four of the five most-sold handsets in the United Kingdom as of January 2024, and four of the leading five in Germany. Yet, the high price of Apple devices puts Apple at a disadvantage outside of wealthier markets. In Africa, iOS accounted for around 13 percent of the mobile OS market in November 2023, while Android dominated with an 85 percent share.

Android was the unquestioned leader of the mobile operating system (mobile OS) market in 2018, with 88 percent of all devices sold running the Android system.

Mobile OS ecosystem

Smartphone operating systems, often referred to as smartphone OS, are operating systems that operate smartphones, PDAs, tablets and other mobile devices. An operating system allows these devices to run applications and programs, therefore, bringing advanced functions to mobile devices that were previously restricted to desktop computers.

The now-discontinued OS Symbian was the first popular smartphone operating system in the world. With the launch of Ericsson‘s R380 in 2000, Symbian became the first modern mobile OS on a smartphone. By 2009, Symbian accounted for nearly half of the global smartphone operating systems market, while RIM/Blackberry, also a pioneer in this market, held around 20 percent of the share. Despite the early start, both Symbian and RIM have been almost driven out of the market as new operating systems were released. Apple introduced its first iPhone model to the consumer market in 2007, revolutionizing the market. Prior to the launch of Apple’s iPhone in 2007, smartphones were a rather niche product and had not yet attained mass appeal.

As of 2020, Apple's iPhone held the third largest smartphone market share. Since 2011, Apple’s iOS market share has varied between 14 and 21 percent.

In 2023, Android held a nearly 80 percent share of the global smartphone OS market. Android's smartphone sales has been decreasing gradually since 2019, when it held a staggering 87 percent of the market, due to Apple's smartphones' increasing share.

Why is Google’s Android OS dominating the market? One reason for Android’s large market share is that it is an open-source platform, allowing mobile phone manufacturers to use and adapt the operating system for their own devices. Samsung, who run their own customized version of the Android operating system, currently have the largest share of global smartphone sales by vendor. In contrast, Apple’s iOS software is a closed-source platform, meaning they can control the user experience and make it available exclusively on their mobile devices, including the iPhone and iPad. This model has also proved profitable: Apple generated 69.7 billion U.S. dollars in revenue from iPhone sales alone in the first quarter of 2024.

Changing trends in mobile OS market Android and iOS are the leading mobile operating systems today, but back in 2009 the market was much different with Symbian and RIM (Research In Motion) holding close to 70 percent of the sales market share. Symbian operated on Nokia, Samsung, and Sony Ericsson devices, while RIM only functioned on BlackBerry smartphones. Both developers were slow to anticipate the changes within the mobile operating systems’ market and were ultimately left behind by the innovative approach of Apple and Google.

Android has consistently achieved a much higher market share than iOS in Germany, with around 66 percent in June 2024, compared to around 33.5 percent for iOS. Individually, figures have fluctuated during the observed time period for both OS. Android and iOS market leaders in Europe Android and iOS are the leading mobile OS among European users, though other systems are used as well, such as Blackberry or Windows Phone. Recent figures confirm that a third of smartphone users are very unlikely to change brands once they have found their winner. Typically, a consumer will put in some time and effort researching smartphones before buying one, and once purchased, if satisfied, they will stick with their choice, keeping tabs on the next model. There are various reasons for Android’s current domination of the mobile OS market, the more obvious ones being pricing, app selection, as well as variety and accessibility. On the phone The number of smartphone users in Germany has grown explosively during the last ten years. Back in 2009, 6.3 million users were recorded. Fast forward to 2021 and there were 62.6 million. Currently, 97 percent of German households own a smartphone, making it the most owned electronic device in the country. In fact, household smartphone ownership eclipses TVs and laptops, as well as headphones.

iOS and Android, Apple's and Google's respective operating systems, were the mobile OS market leaders in the United States in recent years, making up almost 100 percent of the market. The market share of both iOS and Android has remained relatively constant over the past 12 months at or around 60 percent and 40 percent, respectively.

In March 2025, the Android smartphone operating system had a market share of over 77 percent in China. In contrast, its biggest rival, the Apple iOS had a market share of around 22 percent. The Chinese smartphone market is dominated by domestic brands which operate on the Android operating system. The domestic smartphone industry Domestic brands dominate the Chinese smartphone market, making it difficult for foreign manufacturers. While Samsung and Apple are the global industry leaders, only the iPhone can assert its market position as an overseas product in China. The remainder of the market is occupied by Xiaomi, Huawei, Honor, Viva, and Oppo. A truly domestic operating system in the making Despite a large Chinese smartphone industry, domestic manufacturers have not developed a stand-alone mobile operating system — yet. Although all leading brands have developed their proprietary OS, they are still based on the Android system. However, Huawei with its HarmonyOS is the only company that is the closest to a truly independent software. Despite being originally developed on Android, Huawei plans to remove all android code from the microkernel in its Q4 2024 software release.

Google's Android and Apple's iOS are the major competitors in the mobile operating system market in North America. In November 2024, Android accounted for about 56 percent of the mobile OS market, while iOS accounted for around 44 percent. Just 0.2 percent of North American users were running a system other than Android or iOS

As of January 2025, Google's Android accounted for over 50 percent of the mobile operating system market in the United Kingdom (UK), an increase from 46.67 percent during the same month in the previous year.

In 2022, Android dominated the smartphone operating system (OS) shipment market throughout the world, with 75.9 percent of the total market. The Apple operating system, known as iOS, makes up a significantly smaller portion of the total shipment market with only 24.1 percent. However, these are the only two competitors that are anticipated to have a share of the market in the coming years.

Android was the leading mobile operating system (OS) in the United Kingdom in 2024 with a market share of around 51 percent. Apple's iOS was a close second at around 48.5 percent, having been the market leader in 2023. As with many other markets across the globe, no other mobile operating system has come close to challenging either iOS or Android in recent years.

Google's Android dominates the mobile operating system market in Asia. As of November 2024, its market share reached around 83 percent. Apple's iOS accounted for approximately 17 percent in the same month, with the rest of the operating system vendors sharing less than one percent of the market.

Since overtaking iOS in 2013 to become Europe’s most popular mobile operating system, Android has managed to increase its share of the market in each of the following years. As of 2023, Android was the operating system for about 65 percent of European mobile phones. OS market share reflects diversity of android devices The Android operating system has a distinct advantage in terms of gaining market share, purely based on the number of manufacturers creating devices that run on Android. iOS, on the other hand, is only used by Apple devices. Looking at the market share held by individual devices gives a clearer impression of the state of play between the major manufacturers. In the second quarter of 2018, the combined European market share of Apple devices stood at 32 percent, while the Android's market share was 67 percent. Market shares in the United Kingdom   The market share iOS holds in the United Kingdom is higher than at the European level, sitting at 54.45 percent. Apple devices were the two most popular devices sold in the United Kingdom during April 2021, with the iPhone 12 Pro and the iPhone 12 Pro Max making up a combined 26 percent of smartphones sold during that month.

Apple's mobile operating system, iOS, led in the ranking of mobile operating systems in Sweden by market share. Apple accounted for nearly 60 percent of the total market share, whereas Android followed with around 40 percent. All other mobile operating systems each had a share of less than one percent. Sweden’s leading operating system in general, however, is Windows with a minimal lead with its 34.55 percent market share over iOS which is ranked second, with 28.17 percent. What operating systems Swedes use?     Swedish mobile users of different ages were asked what operating system their main phone had in 2017. The younger representatives, aged between 18 and 34, tended to be more keen on iOS. In contrast, people in all age groups over 35, preferred Android that year. Operational systems in Europe The market shares of mobile operating systems varied significantly between 2010 and 2020. iOS led in the ranking in 2010, followed by Blackberry, while Android and Windows Phone had less than ten percent each that year. However, Android’s market share increased drastically between 2010 and 2014, and has been having the highest market share among the mobile operating systems in Europe from 2013 onwards.

In the first quarter of 2024, smartphones running on version 11.0 version of the Android OS accounted for 23.63 percent of all web traffic generated by Android OS smartphones in South America, making the version the most popular in the region. Globally, the same version ranked first in August 2022, with a share of approximately 28.17 percent.

In 2023, Android held a share of 95.17 percent of the mobile operating system market in India. This was followed by Apple's iOS, a distant second, with 3.98 percent market share. Android went from just above 10 percent in 2012 to more than 60 percent within four years. Mobile operating systems in India - additional information Android gained its dominant position in the mobile operating system market in India since 2015 when it first reached more than 50 percent of the market share. The Indian OS market has seen a rapid transformation since the beginning of 2012 when Symbian held over 65 percent of the market. In the following few years, the operating system, which was used in most Nokia smartphones, has seen its market share fall to nothing. Android’s dominance in the Indian smartphone industry is echoed in the global market where the operating system held over 70 percent of the smartphone market at the end of 2023. In the United States, however, more than half of the smartphone users had an iPhone as of March 2024. Android’s closest rival in the global operating system market is Apple’s iOS, which held over 24 percent of the market share of smartphone shipments as of the fourth quarter of 2023. However, as yet, Apple has not broken into the Indian market, although its market share has grown steadily since the start of 2012, it still remained just below four percent.

Smartphones running the Android operating system hold an 87 percent share of the global market in 2019 and this is expected to increase over the forthcoming years. The mobile operating system developed by Apple (iOS) has a 13 percent share of the market.

How Android became the market leader Android’s global success can in many ways be attributed to its open-source software that can be installed on all smartphone devices for free. Developed by Google, the open code provides manufacturers the freedom to choose which apps are pre-installed on their devices, and they can customize layouts to create unique experiences for users. The first commercial version of the Android software was released in 2008 and its rise to market leader was almost instant. The platform held a four percent share of the global operating systems’ market in 2009, but this figure increased by around 20 percent each year for the next three years.

The global smartphone market Annual sales of smartphones have increased to around 1.56 billion units worldwide. They are now available to everyone and not just those with wealth. The cost of buying a smartphone has continued to fall each year, with the global average price now being around 215 U.S. dollars. Fierce competition within the smartphone market could be one reason why prices are falling. Samsung (South Korea) and Apple (U.S.) have historically held large shares of global smartphone production, but Chinese brands Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, and Vivo are now offering alternative devices that are proving popular worldwide.

As of June 2024, iOS had around 45.5 percent of the market share of mobile operating systems in the United Kingdom (UK), while Android led with roughly 54 percent of the market.The penetration rate of smartphones and the number of smartphone users has been growing for quite some time, and Apple and Android have been dominating the smartphone market since the beginning. However, the smartphone penetration growth rate has been in decline the past few years.It seems most consumer purchase a new smartphone because their old device is out of date. In this case, it would depend on how often the smartphone manufacturers bring out with a new model to figure out how often consumer may purchase a new smartphone.

In October 2024, Android concentrated over 82 percent of the mobile operating system market in Brazil. Apple's iOS held a share of nearly 17 percent and was the only other system with a share larger than ten percent at that point in time. In 2019, Brazil was among the largest economies worldwide with an iOS adoption rate below 15 percent, alongside India and Spain. A land of Androids In a country where more than three out of five consumers say they could not live without their smartphones, the mobile industry finds both a source of solid demand and a still expanding market. The preference for Android also helps to explain why the increasing penetration rate of cellphones manufactured in China. Beijing-based Xiaomi, for instance, accounted for less than two percent of the smartphone market in Brazil in February 2019. Exactly two years later, its share in that South American nation surpassed nine percent. A costly Apple Pricing is one of the reasons behind iOS’s limited popularity in Brazil. The average price of a newly released iPhone model in that country nearly doubled between 2016 and 2019, with iPhone XS’s surpassing 2,000 U.S. dollars in 2019. Meanwhile, in the first quarter of 2020, devices priced below 1,500 Brazilian reals accounted for almost two-thirds of the smartphone sales in Brazil. At March 31, 2020 exchange rates, that was equivalent to about 290 dollars.