In January 2025, Android 14 held the top spot with a market share of just around 37 percent, followed by Android 13 at nearly 19 percent, and Android 12 with about 13 percent. The newly released Android 15 accounted for just above three percent. Android dominates the global market Released in 2007, Android’s adaptability and versatility quickly attracted the support of major smartphone manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, and HTC, who designed phones specifically for the Android system. This strategic alliance and competitive pricing propelled Android to become the most used smartphone operating system since 2011. By 2023, it dominated over 70 percent of the entire mobile OS market worldwide, outpacing its biggest competitor, Apple. In addition to its global dominance, Android led the European mobile OS market in 2023 with a share of nearly 65 percent. Android Apps and the Google Play Store The world’s largest app store, the Google Play Store, bolsters the popularity of Android devices, which boasted nearly 2.6 million apps ready for download as of June 2023. During this time, the most downloaded Android apps were Meta’s Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp. Meanwhile, the streaming services apps Disney+ and HBO Max were the top revenue-generating Android apps, raking in over 70 million and 50 million U.S. dollars, respectively, in June 2023.

Pie 9.0 was the most popular version of Android operating system as of April 2020, with a market share of 31.3 percent. Despite being released in the fall of 2015, Marshmallow 6.0 was still the second most widely used version of Android’s operating system on smartphone devices as of then. Developers Google previously named its Android versions after items of confectionery, but in a break from tradition the latest release in September 2019 is simply called Android 10, which had a share of 8.3 percent seven months after its release.

Google took the Android distribution chart off of the web in 2020. For more updated Android version data please this other statistic based on StatCounter data.

Why are older Android versions still being used?

It is considered good practice to install the latest version of software on to your smartphone for security reasons, but Android updates vary by device, manufacturer, and mobile carrier. It is also true that older devices cannot always run newer Android versions. Around 60 percent of Android devices are running a mobile operating system that is over two years old. In comparison, 81 percent of iPhone devices are running on the latest version of iOS.

Unlocking the code to Android’s success

Android is the mobile operating systems’ market leader worldwide. Since its initial unveiling in 2007, the platform has pursued a commitment to openness – its source code is freely available which allows smartphone manufacturers to install the software without having to pay a license. This reduction in costs allows vendors to make their devices cheaper than the competition. The average selling price of an Android smartphone worldwide was around 200 U.S. dollars in 2018 – more than 400 U.S. dollars cheaper than an iPhone.

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.

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.

Between 2018 and 2024, Android was the leading tablet operating system in Italy, followed by Apple. In the fourth quarter of 2024, Android 14 Oreo was the most popular OS version in the country. The Italian tablet market Since the introduction of the iPad in 2010, tablets have quickly gained popularity worldwide, and Italy is no exception. However, the revenue generated by the tablet industry has fluctuated in recent years, with forecasts suggesting it will undergo a decline in the near future. Apple and Samsung have always been the main tablet vendors in the southern European country, and the American tech giant has been leading the way with a market share of almost 50 percent in 2023. If Apple’s iPadOS also occupies around half of the Italian tablet OS market, the other half is held by Google’s Android. Android on the podium of the OS market After acquiring California-based Android Inc. in 2005, Google officially launched Android as their operating system for smartphones and tablets in 2007. Contrary to iOS, which runs only on Apple devices, Android is compatible with various device manufacturers, including Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi. Such flexibility has made Android the leading mobile operating system worldwide since 2012, recording a market share of over 70 percent in 2024. By contrast, Apple leads the tablet OS market, with Android ranking second.

Use the OpenWeb Ninja Google Play App Store Data API to access comprehensive data on Google Play Store, including Android Apps / Games, reviews, top charts, search, and more. Our extensive dataset provides over 40 app store data points, enabling you to gain deep insights into the market.

The App Store Data dataset includes all key app details:

App Name, Description, Rating, Photos, Downloads, Version Information, App Size, Permissions, Developer and Contact Information, Consumer Review Data.

In 2022, Google Play users worldwide downloaded 110 billion mobile apps, down from 111.3 billion apps in 2021. Generating significantly more downloads than it’s iOS counterpart, the Apple App Store, Android apps on Google Play are available for a wider range of devices than those catering to Apple's closed ecosystem.

Google’s app sales continue to climb Google’s success was equally reflected in its app revenue which has steadily increased each year, reaching 38.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2020. Since 2019, the highest average number of apps released monthly on Google Play was 141.4 thousand in March 2019. Meanwhile, August 2021 saw the lowest number of apps released within the last two and a half years. Despite its success in the mobile app arena, the tech powerhouse still generates the vast majority of its revenues from advertising.

Social and dating apps are among most popular in 2021 In the first quarter of 2021, one year into the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns, the number of available dating apps grew by nearly 24 percent. Meanwhile, travel apps saw relatively little growth during this period. Facebook-owned Instagram was the most downloaded Android app in July 2021. With travel restrictions still in place in many regions of the world, communication and social apps such as Snapchat, TikTok and Telegram also featured among the most popular apps downloaded that month.

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 April 2025, 36 percent of apps on the Google Play Store were updated on a weekly basis. In comparison, 73 percent of mobile apps were updated on a monthly basis. Over 95 percent of Android mobile apps hosted on the Google Play Store were updated each year.

This statistic shows the results of a survey conducted by Cint on the distribution of smartphone operating systems in Spain in 2017 and 2018. In 2018, 71.95 percent of respondents stated that they use Google Android on their personal smartphone.

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.

This dataset mainly consists of daily-updated user reviews and ratings for the ChatGPT Android App. It also contains data on the relevancy of these reviews and the dates they were posted.

As of February 2022, the first Android apps appearing to users on the Google Play Store results page were updated on average every 58 days. Social media apps presented the most frequent updates on average, with a median update date of 13 days, and an average update frequency of 54 days. By comparison, finance apps had a median and an average of 55 days for new releases, respectively.

The number of Android smartphone users in the United States reached 129.1 million in 2020, and this figure is forecast to reach more than 130 million in 2021.

The rise of the Android robot

One reason for the growth of Android – developed by Google – is its open-source platform that allows 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, is the leading manufacturer for Android smartphones in the United States..

Is Android’s success affecting iOS?

The increase in Android smartphone users in the United States is a part of growth in the overall market, and does not come at the expense of nearest rival, the Apple iPhone. The number of iPhone users in the United States is also increasing year-on-year. Google Android and Apple iOS are together conquering all other competitors in the United States’ mobile operating systems market holding a joint share of 99 percent.

The statistic shows share of smartphone shipments worldwide by operating system from 2009 to 2017. In 2017, 85.9 percent of all smartphones sold had Android as its operating system.

Smartphone operating systems market - additional information

The operating system, also known as an OS, transmits user commands to all other programs and applications. It also controls the peripheral devices, such as printers or cameras. A mobile OS operates on hand-held devices, such as mobile phones, smartphones, tablets or smart watches. While OS themselves are usually available for free and are already installed on the device, the additional programs and apps are tailored specifically for each system.

As of 2014, the main players on the smartphone OS market are Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS. Other smartphone operating systems on the market include Microsoft’s Windows Phone and Blackberry’s RIM to a lesser extent. Symbian, which was used extensively on mobile phones and early generations of smartphones by leading manufacturers, such as Samsung, LG, Motorola and most notably Nokia, was a dominant player on the market in 2009 and 2010. Due to the growing popularity of Android, which most major smartphone manufacturers adopted as their OS of choice, and Nokia’s partnership with Windows Phone, which began in 2011, Symbian was effectively pushed off the market in 2014.

Google’s Android leads the global market with an 80 percent market share, while Apple’s iOS is second, with 15 percent. There are stark differences between regional markets; in the United States for example, the market is almost equally divided between Android and iOS.

According to a study conducted in 2023, 37 percent of the most popular Android apps and mobile games hosted on the Google Play Store for the United States market updated the screenshots on their description page twice or more times in the past year. In comparison, eight in 10 apps in the Google Play Stores did not update their titles, while 75 percent of apps did not update their icons.

Android tops the list of the most popular smartphone operating systems in France. After being purchased by Google, Android was originally conceived for smartphones and tablets before broadening its activities to connected objects (TV sets, smartwatches) and computers. From 2016 to June 2024 Android held over 70 percent of the total market share, except during a brief drop between November 2023 and January 2024. Apple’s iOS market share peaked in December 2023 with 34.3 percent of the total share. Apple, beyond the second place While Android generally holds around 80 percent market share, Apple’s iOS generally arrives at second place. Apple managed to carve out a significant place for itself by offering high-end and high-prices products with a strong and unique design. As of 2024, two iterations of the iPhone 15 model were among the best-selling smartphone models in France. A market that holds the line The number of French smartphone users has gone through the roof in a short amount of time, so much so that the 50 million users mark should be reached by 2024. In a decade, smartphone penetration boomed from 17 percent to 87 percent, which makes them the most-used type of mobile phone, way ahead of regular mobile phones.

As of April 2025, Monday was the most common day to release mobile app updates among Android developers, with around 3,500 apps updated on average on this weekday. In comparison, Saturday was the least favorite day among Android developers and publishers to release mobile app updates. Among mobile gaming apps, Thursday was the most popular day for developers and publishers to release an update.

Apple’s iOS is the leading operating system for tablets in the United States, with a market share of 56.36 percent as of January 2025. Its closest competitor, Google's Android, has a smaller, yet growing, market presence, with a nearly 43.5 percent share of the market, down from around 42.27 percent in the same month in 2024. iOS and Android: A duet In line with the United States, Apple’s iOS operating system also dominates the tablet market in the United Kingdom with a 59.2 percent market share in 2023, leaving Google’s Android with round around 40.7 percent of the market. However, on a global scale, Google’s Android was the leading operating system for tablets until the third quarter of 2023, when iOS's market share globally overtook that of Google's with around 54.8 percent share of the tablet OS market. The Apple iPad Introduced to the consumer market in 2010, the Apple iPad has become a household name in the tablet industry. The iPad has dramatically changed the tablet market not only in terms of technology but also consumer expectations. Since its initial release, Apple has progressed through 10 generations of iPad hardware, shipping almost 15 million units worldwide in the third quarter of 2022 alone.

In 2023, the two smartphone operating systems with the largest market share in Australia were Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android. As of January 2024, iOS held a 60 percent share of the mobile operating system market in Australia. Smart phone hardware and users It’s hardly surprising then, that Apple also had a share of over half of the device market in April 2019. By comparison Samsung, the leading Android device manufacturer, had a share of just over 20 percent. By comparison, other companies all had market shares of around one percent. In 2018, 90 percent of Australians aged 12 and over owned a smartphone, with 96 percent aged between 25 and 54 owning a device. Market penetration of smartphones in Australia Most mobile phone users in Australia use smartphones; the penetration of smartphone devices in Australia in 2016 was around 66 percent of the population, and this was estimated to increase to around 75 percent by 2022. Additionally, estimates suggest that in 2019, 85 percent of Australian mobile phone users would use smartphones.