Slash Lane
New statistics released this week by Net Applications show that Apple increased its mobile browser share from 30.3 percent a month prior to 32.8 percent in May. During the same time, Android also grew, but by a smaller amount — from 5.3 percent to 6.2 percent.
"Google's operating system, Android is rapidly gaining usage share. However, the iPhone still maintains a large lead," the report said.
The top platform remains Java Micro Edition, which is found in use on a variety of older smartphones. However, it is rapidly losing share to both the iPhone and Android.
Apple's next closest competitor is Symbian, which had a 13.98 percent share in May. During the same period, BlackBerry accounted for 3.59 percent of mobile Web browsing, while Windows Mobile took 2.97 percent. While many competitors have remained static or shrunk, monthly tracking data from Net Applications has shown steady growth for the iPhone over some time.
The firm also tracked a spike in iPad usage over the weekend, after the device launched internationally in nine new countries. Last Friday, Apple's new multitouch device went on sale in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
Net Applications found that iPad usage jumped from an 0.08 percent total Web presence on May 27 to 0.12 percent on Friday, May 28. The numbers crept higher over the weekend, with the iPad representing 0.17 percent on Saturday, May 29, and dipping slightly to 0.16 percent on Sunday.
Saturday's total of 0.17 percent represented the highest single day of Web use of the iPad yet, according to Net Applications. The company began tracking the online presence of its device soon after it launched, and found that it quickly began to rival the Android and BlackBerry mobile platforms.
Malcolm Owen
Christine McKee
Andrew O'Hara
William Gallagher
60 Comments
I didn't know Java Micro edition was a browser. I learned something new today.
good news
This even with new iPhone about to come out is pretty impressive.
Android grew by 16.9% and iPhone by 8.25%, so Android is growing faster. If you're going to base stories on statistics, you need to understand them in the first place.
Android grew by 16.9% and iPhone by 8.25%, so Android is growing faster. If you're going to base stories on statistics, you need to understand them in the first place.
Depends on how you look at them. The article showed absolute figures, so in absolute, Android grew less than iPhone, relative to themselves, as you pointed out, Android was faster.
It's funny to see that you can put nearly anything into a statistic, you just have to chose your angle from which you see them.