Data: Android Closing Global Internet Usage Gap With Windows

According to new data coming from StatCounter, Google’s Android is within touching distance of passing Windows as the world’s most popular operating system in terms of internet usage. The data provided is based on internet usage across a number of devices, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobiles. StatCounter notes that the current standing is one which was “unthinkable five years ago” and further highlights this point by providing similar data that shows Windows had a clear and dominant 82-percent market share as of January 2012. Compared to Android’s then market share of only 2.2-percent.

To highlight just how much has changed since then, the latest findings from StatCounter show Windows with a market share of 38.6-percent. In contrast, Android’s market share has now risen to 37.4-percent, figures that are relevant to data collected during February 2017. In fact, the graph shown below illustrates the change between Windows and Android over the past five years and further details just how much the gap has closed between the two operating systems between February 2012 and February 2017.

As to be expected, much of the change noted has been attributed to the rise of the smartphone which has inevitably benefited Android in particular. One which is not expected to slow down anytime soon. Although, StatCounter does also draw on the declining sales of traditional PCs as another contributing factor to the overall decline of Windows in this respect. As well as the effect Asia has had on the wider global market. A point which is further illustrated when the figures are broken further down by region. For instance, StatCounter notes that in Asia, Android accounts for 51.8-percent market share while Windows manages only 29.8-percent. This is in stark contrast to elsewhere. As an example, if just looking at the US market, then during the same time-frame (Feb 2017), StatCounter notes that Windows remained dominant across all platforms with a market share of 40.7-percent. In contrast, Android comes in third here with 20.3-percent, behind Apple’s iOS at 24.9-percent. A pattern which the data suggests is the same in Europe with Windows securing a 51.8-percent market share, compared to Android’s 23.5-percent. Although, whichever way you do look at the data, it does seem that the gap between the two operating systems is certainly closing. The difference now mainly being, by how much.