Who leads in webshare, iOS or Android?

posted by Alan F. / Feb 02, 2013, 11:25 PM

Ever since day one, the mobile Safari browser was seen as the one to beat

The latest data released by Net Applications shows that iOS users, both on their smartphone and tablet, are using their browser much more than Android users. The current figures show that iOS has a 60.6% web share compared with 24.5% for Android. The trend has picked up since October, according to CNNMoney’s Philip Elmer-DeWitt, who points out that this was around the time that the Apple iPhone 5 launched (which was on September 21st to be precise) and the Apple iPad mini was released.

On the other hand, the data that comes from market research firms like IDC tell a different story. IDC reported Samsung outselling the Apple iPhone in Q4, world-wide and in the U.S,.and catching up in the tablet market to the Apple iPad. That is why the numbers presented in the graph are either an indictment of the stats that some analytic firms are presenting or there really is a wide gap in web use between Android and iOS. StatCounter, which tracks 3 million web sites to determine the market share of various platforms, computes webshare as a byproduct of its computations. Based on its data, Android's webshare is about 10% higher than iOS' figure. Both sites can't be right. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

source: StatCounter, TechFortune via AndroidAuthority

Net Applications (L) has iOS dominating webshare while StatCounter has Android in front

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81 Comments

1. wendygarett unregistered

Funny, series40 get that high webshare as well? Lol

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 11:39 PM 4

12. jsdechavez

Posts: 793; Member since: Jul 20, 2012

Asha for the masses especially in developing countries. They don't get subsidized handsets there.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 4:11 AM 4

2. sithvenger

Posts: 371; Member since: Aug 25, 2012

The stock android browser is androids biggest weakness. Chrome is much better.

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 11:44 PM 6

3. wendygarett unregistered

Stock android browser is better, it can help you to save pages so that you can read it again offline... And faster that the chrome if you ask me...

posted on Feb 02, 2013, 11:48 PM 24

5. caseball2051

Posts: 31; Member since: Feb 09, 2012

i think this is the first rational post ive seen you make, kudos.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 12:20 AM 12

6. wendygarett unregistered

I don't understand is that some disagree when I speak the truth, if you are true jellybean user, you will realise how true I am... chrome is best when it comes to desktop, but not in android

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 12:30 AM 13

11. TerryCrowley

Posts: 194; Member since: Jul 31, 2011

As of 4.2 Chrome is the default browser on Android you goon.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 3:21 AM 0

13. TheOldOne

Posts: 196; Member since: Mar 29, 2012

no it is not: it is on the Nexus 7, but on the 4.2 for Galaxy Nexus it is still not.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 4:18 AM 2

22. sithvenger

Posts: 371; Member since: Aug 25, 2012

Well my note 2 doesn't run 4.2, it runs 4.1.2 and the stock browser sucks...you goon.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 6:22 AM 2

15. boosook

Posts: 1442; Member since: Nov 19, 2012

The stock browser is better on phones, especially on phones with small screen and not so powerful cpu, but on tablets chrome is much better. On the nexus 7 chrome works like a charm. Saving an offline page? I did it once in two years... Show many times did you actually do it? Webpages are dynamic so it is a feature rarely uused I think.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 5:06 AM 0

19. wendygarett unregistered

I've saved a lot of Michael.H articles tho :)

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 5:41 AM 6

14. Shubham412302

Posts: 569; Member since: Nov 09, 2011

Stock Android browser had better hardware acceleration than chrome and is faster... Stock one works well better on maps.ovi.com were chrome lags too much

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 4:27 AM 4

61. axllebeer

Posts: 271; Member since: Apr 05, 2011

I tried Chrome on my HTC EVO LTE and it renders pages poorly with the txt flow different sizes all over the place. I used Firefox for a while but have gone back to the stock browser after the 4.1 update and find it to be the best for my needs. Running ICS the stock browser was lousy, but now it's quite good.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 12:04 PM 1

64. TA-21

Posts: 20; Member since: Oct 22, 2012

Just one openion i want to share "F*k IOS and Apple"

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 12:24 PM 7

69. sithvenger

Posts: 371; Member since: Aug 25, 2012

Opinion is spelled o p i n i o n

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 12:47 PM 2

7. ilia1986 unregistered

Not when it comes to the GS3 stock browser - that thing is awesome. Chrome is still a bit of a resource hog.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 12:36 AM 1

24. sithvenger

Posts: 371; Member since: Aug 25, 2012

ilia which do u prefer pre 4.2 stock, or chrome?

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 6:29 AM 0

34. ilia1986 unregistered

I have pre 4.2. Got 4.1.2 Samsung stock. Better than Chrome imo.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 8:58 AM 0

38. sithvenger

Posts: 371; Member since: Aug 25, 2012

I like the page to page swiping in chrome.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 9:31 AM 1

54. tedkord

Posts: 17312; Member since: Jun 17, 2009

Personally, I don't particularly care for either. I use Dolphin HD most of the time. Fast and responsive. Chrome has its uses, I do occasionally use it. Want a disappointment in a browser? Skyfire. That browser was awesome on my old WinMo phones. Blows on Android. Though I guess there's not much need for it on Android since Flash is enabled anyway.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 11:25 AM 1

58. sithvenger

Posts: 371; Member since: Aug 25, 2012

Is android still supporting flash moving forward

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 11:33 AM 1

80. tedkord

Posts: 17312; Member since: Jun 17, 2009

Nope, but the ICS flash apk still works.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 7:06 PM 0

8. AamirSIII

Posts: 187; Member since: Oct 04, 2012

r u nuts??? have u seen the browser in Note 10.1?? guess not! it gets almost the same score as the chrome in Nexus 10 in almost all the benchmarks except a few and there is a generation difference of the processor as well! stock android browser (the old one not the chrome) is the best browser! chrome is not as smooth hell its not even optimized yet!

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 12:39 AM 1

81. Mittal

Posts: 494; Member since: Dec 14, 2011

That is an overstatement And pleaaasseee.... people wont change their surfing habits if some browser takes 2 seconds more to load a website (compared to Safari) In any case they will shift to any of the better browsers available.

posted on Feb 04, 2013, 12:20 AM 0

9. darac

Posts: 2156; Member since: Oct 17, 2011

Oh not again that stupid deceiving statistic. Get it already that It is because BIG PERCENTAGE OF ANDROID PHONES AND TABLETS USE THE DESKTOP USER AGENT. PERIOD

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 1:54 AM 3

10. aco96

Posts: 244; Member since: Oct 12, 2012

The only thing I hate about my Symbian phone is the worst browser ever. It's practically unusable...

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 2:19 AM 1

18. JunkCreek

Posts: 407; Member since: Jul 13, 2012

so many people use operamini, many android users on my country indonesia using operamini as their preferred browser. i, myself, always almost using operamini on android (rehardless phone or tablet) to browsing and downloading, except for downloading files from some web file hosting, i'm using whatever browser can handle downloading scripts and plugins. sometimes stock browser, opera mobile.

posted on Feb 03, 2013, 5:33 AM 0

21. palmguy

Posts: 979; Member since: Mar 22, 2011

Some Android phones browser are seen as desktop not mobile like Safari always is. Of course it will seem like iOS browser is prominent when they're isn't a way to determine true Android web surfing.