For First Time, Android Surpasses iOS as Largest Smartphone OS

On 01.13.11, In News, by Kellex

Millennial Media Releases December 2010 Mobile Mix™ Report

Added By Mack McKelvey at 6:01 AM, January 13, 2011

2010 certainly proved to be a very strong year for Android with requests on our network growing more than 3130% overall – and December was no exception. Android once again takes the headline in the latest issue of Mobile Mix.

For the first time, we saw Android surpass iOS as the largest Smartphone operating system on our network last month, with an 8% month-over-month increase and 46% of the impression share. iOS represented 32% of the impression share. In 2011, we anticipate that we’ll continue to see increased platform diversity with not only Android, but RIM and Windows Phone 7 applying pressure on iOS. This prediction once again stresses the importance of advertising and developing across platforms.

Here are a few additional highlights you can find in the December issue:

* Samsung maintained the number two position in the Top 15 Manufacturers for the third consecutive month. The Samsung Code entered the Top 30 Mobile Devices for the first time in December and is the only Windows OS device in the Top 30 Mobile Device Ranking.

* HTC claimed the number three position in the Top 15 Manufacturers – with a 9% growth month-over-month. There is a direct correlation with this increase and HTC having the highest number of devices (nine) in our Top 30 Mobile Device Ranking, including the debut of four new devices on our network: HTC Nexus One (Passion), HTC Evo, HTC Droid Incredible, and the HTC Desire.

* Travel and Vacation app impressions doubled quarter-over-quarter. Apps in this category have evolved to bring online capabilities to the mobile platform (e.g., reservations, check-in, boarding passes, travel updates, etc.). The double digit quarterly growth shows that mobile consumers found value in staying connected through their mobile devices as they traveled this holiday season.

* Music and Entertainment apps maintained the number three position quarter-over-quarter with 22% of the impression share. Television apps are the fastest growing sub-category with 259% growth in impression share quarter-over-quarter.

* Touch Screen devices grew 10% month-over-month, with approximately 57% share of impressions in the December Device Input Mix. This growth can be attributed to the increased penetration of Smartphones with this input method.

Source: Millennial Media.