Android On Top: System Pulls Ahead Of iOS In Web Usage

Google Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) wins the latest round of the operating system wars as its Android operating system is now being used more prevalently than Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iOS operating system, recent numbers released by market research firm Net Applications show. In the month of July, 44.62 percent of mobile Web traffic came from Android-powered devices while 44.19 percent of traffic came from iOS-powered devices, Net Application revealed.

The data, which is based on the 160 million monthly visits to its network, notes Android usage saw an 0.8 percent increase while iOS usage saw a 1.4 percent drop. Though the data show there is no real favor between Android and iOS in terms of usage, Android’s global influence has been rapidly expanding, which could account for its new-found prevalence.

Several major manufacturers like Samsung Electronics Co. (KRX:005930) and LG Electronics Inc. (KRX:066570) have released new Android flagships in recent months. Manufacturers in many domestic markets, like Xiaomi in China and Micromax in India, have also contributed to the increase of Android’s mobile Internet presence. Meanwhile, Apple has struggled to implement significant hardware upgrades into certain devices like its iPad, which may have contributed to its diminished sales, and in turn fewer iOS devices connected to the Web, TalkAndroid notes.

The Android operating system has also seen considerable upgrades over several versions, 9to5Mac notes. In particular, Google’s upcoming Android L software is highly anticipated among software developers.

When it comes to software updates, Apple still has a great advantage. As of July, 90 percent of Apple devices are running the latest iOS 7 software while just 17.9 percent of Android devices are running the latest Android 4.4 KitKat software. Apple’s control over software updates has led to higher adoption rates in comparison to Android, which is dependent on individual manufacturers and mobile carriers.

Usually, by the time an Android device receives an update a new Android version has been released. This fragmentation of Android system versions has often been frustrating for Android users, who quickly end up with out-of-date devices.

However, Google has attempted to correct this issue with Android 4.4 KitKat by making the software compatible with a wider range of devices. Google is expected to continue efforts to unify Android with Android L and other projects.