If Google and Apple were to merge, their respective Android and iOS mobile software would seize well over three-quarters of the world’s platform share in smartphones, per latest Millennial Media’s “Mobile Mix” mobile device usage share report. Separately, Android and iOS held 54 percent and 28 percent share in August. Millennial now includes data from smartphones, tablets, e-readers and gaming devices so direct comparison to their smartphone-focused July study is meaningless.
Nearly one-third of devices on all carriers used wireless hotspots. Verizon Wireless and Sprint had 18 and 14 percent carrier mix, respectively, followed by T-Mobile USA and AT&T with eight percent each. Games, music and entertainment remain the most popular app categories. iOS represented 41 percent of the app platform mix and Android 49 percent. On Android, News apps rose by 26 percent month-over-month. Go past the fold for a bunch of pretty charts and more explanation.
When it comes to hardware, Apple was the top vendor with a 23.19 percent share, followed by HTC (16.33 percent), Samsung which dropped to number three with a 14.55 percent share, Motorola (11.37 percent) and Canada-based BlackBerry maker Research In Motion which slid into the fifth spot with a 11.06 percent share. The study is based on tracking ad impressions in mobile apps and sites that are part of Millennial’s network. Up to 72 percent impressions came from smartphones, a six percent sequential increase. Feature phones and connected devices (which include tablets, gaming devices and e-readers) each took 14 percent impressions.
Cross-posted on 9to5Google.com
