Android Is the Top Mobile OS in the US, Not iOS
With 2015 coming to a close, research firm Nielsen took a look back at the year’s top trends and presented the year’s top radio formats, the year’s top TV programs, the year’s most anticipated games, as well as the year’s top smartphone apps and top mobile operating systems – in the US.
If you thought that everyone has an iPhone or some other device that runs Apple’s iOS mobile operating system, Nielsen says otherwise. According to the global information and measurement company, Google’s Android is the top smartphone operating system in the US, not iOS.
“Smartphone penetration grew to 80% of U.S. mobile subscribers at the end of September 2015 from 78% at the start of the year. In third-quarter 2015, a majority of subscribers used Android (53%) and iOS (43%) devices to access their apps. Three percent of U.S. smartphone owners used a handset that operated on a Windows phone, followed by 0.7% on a BlackBerry,” Nielsen explained.
Because I am familiar with these smartphone facts, I don’t find this surprising at all. You have to keep in mind that Android powers more than 1.4 billion devices worldwide. You also have to keep in mind that the huge Android ecosystem is made up of more than 4,000 different Android devices. There’s an Android for everyone, from really cheap to really expensive ones, from tiny to gargantuan ones.
Alongside the top mobile operating systems of 2015, Nielsen presented the top mobile apps of 2015. As you can see below, 3 companies monopolize the top 10: Facebook, Google and Apple.
With more than 126 million average unique users each month, the official Facebook app took the top spot, yet again. Compared to last year, the official Facebook app grew 8% in popularity. Facebook’s Messenger app saw an even greater popularity increase. Compared to last year, the number of Messenger users grew by 31%. That might have something to do with the fact that Facebook took messaging out of the official app this summer, pushing us to get the Messenger app because “it’s faster and more reliable.”
The app with the second highest year-over-year change was Apple Music with a 26% growth. The app is available for Apple's own iOS and it's also available for Google's Android. It's one of several apps that Apple rolled out to Google Play.
In related news...
Since we're talking about popular apps, I have to bring up Google’s best Android apps and best Android games of 2015. I also have to bring up Apple’s best iPhone apps and best iOS games of 2015.
If you thought that everyone has an iPhone or some other device that runs Apple’s iOS mobile operating system, Nielsen says otherwise. According to the global information and measurement company, Google’s Android is the top smartphone operating system in the US, not iOS.
“Smartphone penetration grew to 80% of U.S. mobile subscribers at the end of September 2015 from 78% at the start of the year. In third-quarter 2015, a majority of subscribers used Android (53%) and iOS (43%) devices to access their apps. Three percent of U.S. smartphone owners used a handset that operated on a Windows phone, followed by 0.7% on a BlackBerry,” Nielsen explained.
Because I am familiar with these smartphone facts, I don’t find this surprising at all. You have to keep in mind that Android powers more than 1.4 billion devices worldwide. You also have to keep in mind that the huge Android ecosystem is made up of more than 4,000 different Android devices. There’s an Android for everyone, from really cheap to really expensive ones, from tiny to gargantuan ones.
Alongside the top mobile operating systems of 2015, Nielsen presented the top mobile apps of 2015. As you can see below, 3 companies monopolize the top 10: Facebook, Google and Apple.
With more than 126 million average unique users each month, the official Facebook app took the top spot, yet again. Compared to last year, the official Facebook app grew 8% in popularity. Facebook’s Messenger app saw an even greater popularity increase. Compared to last year, the number of Messenger users grew by 31%. That might have something to do with the fact that Facebook took messaging out of the official app this summer, pushing us to get the Messenger app because “it’s faster and more reliable.”
The app with the second highest year-over-year change was Apple Music with a 26% growth. The app is available for Apple's own iOS and it's also available for Google's Android. It's one of several apps that Apple rolled out to Google Play.
In related news...
Since we're talking about popular apps, I have to bring up Google’s best Android apps and best Android games of 2015. I also have to bring up Apple’s best iPhone apps and best iOS games of 2015.
