Android OS has long been known to be the leading mobile operating system in terms of popularity, but the latest stats show that no other platform can match what Google has achieved with its Android ecosystem.
According to the latest stats, 87.5% of the smartphone world is controlled by Android OS. Where does this leave the likes of Apple’s iOS and Microsoft’s Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile? Well, you can do the math. The released report takes into account the period starting from June to later September, which is basically Q3 2016.
The continued growth of Android OS all over the world has been attributed to the low-cost phones that many OEMs using the OS are releasing to the world, especially the developing world where smartphone adoption is at a record high. In addition, the OS has been hailed by many for its user-friendliness, which makes life easier for both hardware makers and users.
Despite having such huge numbers in the smartphone world, Android OS reaps back the least profits for hardware developers. Apparently, this is caused by the huge number of OEMs that make use of the OS and in turn, the Android ecosystem is overcrowded with thousands of devices. Google has recently released its Pixel and Pixel XL phones, adding to the already saturated market.
The report also attributes the huge strides made by Android OS to the fact that BlackBerry made the switch to the platform, with two phones already out this year. The fading-away Windows OS is also another factor contributing the bulging Android numbers. If anything, Microsoft’s OS is technically non-existent.
As for Apple’s iOS, it managed a mere 12.1% of the total share, something that is close to 2014’s 12.2% at the same stage. When iOS and Android OS are combined, they account for 99.6%, meaning the rest of the platforms only operate on 0.4% of all global smartphones. By now, you should know that this is now a two-horse race.