There are now an astonishing 6.7 billion smartphone users worldwide! Given that there were fewer than 2 billion active smartphone users at the end of 2016, that is a rather rapid development. Two operating systems are currently used by 98% of smartphones, and you likely noticed that they are Android and iOS.

The ownership of Android and iOS by Google and Apple, two trillion-dollar businesses with abundant resources, is one obvious explanation. Of course, wealth is not the sole factor in their success. Both iOS and Android consistently outperform the competition in terms of technological improvements and provide users with the newest features. Both operating systems are similarly updated and modernized frequently to guarantee a seamless user experience. With their UX and features, they only manage to enchant their users. There weren't any notable rivals to the two OS heavyweights, therefore.

It is simple to comprehend why Android and iOS are so popular. To become the third-best mobile OS, several players have tried and failed. What about a side-by-side comparison of the two, though? How do they currently compete with one another in the market? To give you an idea of how the two operating systems are doing in the global market, here are some intriguing Android and iOS market share figures:

• With a market share of more than 70%, Android is the most popular operating system worldwide. Android continues to grow outside of China in both emerging and developed economies, trailing only iOS by roughly 25% of the market.
• In specialized areas like the US, Japan, and the UK, the iOS market is expanding in a positive way.
• Android users tend to prefer older iterations of the operating system. Users of iOS favor the newest releases.
• Nearly $34 billion was made in the fourth quarter of 2021 on the Google Play Store and iOS App Store combined.

Numerous data sources demonstrate that Android is the most popular mobile operating system in the world. Although iOS is in second place, the market share gap is appreciably wide. Statistics show that iOS has a market share of 26.99% and that Android has a market share of 72.2%.

Around the same time, iOS and Android were both released. The majority of the early market was dominated by Apple, and Android only had a 10% share in 2009. But with time, Android grew to be the most popular smartphone operating system worldwide. But that doesn't imply that iOS is trailing behind in any way. Despite having a lower market share than Android, iOS continues to have a sizable global presence and a greater revenue stream.

The most popular smartphone OS in China is still Android. As of August 2022, Android had a market share of 79% in China, while iOS had a market share of 20%. However, according to Statista, Android held an 81% market share in July 2021. This rapid change over the course of a single year paints a clear picture of Android's rapid collapse in China.

The biggest market for smartphones is China, where Android, the most popular operating system, is seeking to succeed. But we are aware that there is persistent corporate and political rivalry in the Chinese market.

Google and the Chinese government have a rocky relationship. They used various methods to restrict Google's access to the Chinese market for this reason. As a result, Android's market share has decreased, giving Chinese mobile users other options from local brands like Xiaomi, Huawei, and OPPO.

In the US, iOS has a market share of 59.17%, and Android has a market share of 40.54%. Nearly 63% of the market in Japan is occupied by iOS. Similar to the US, iOS dominates Android in the UK by a large margin. Customers' high spending power in developed markets is the major factor in why iOS is their preferred pick.

Because we like to have the newest OS version on our phones, the popularity of older OS versions seems odd. While this is true for iOS, user numbers for Android indicate otherwise. The most widely used Android versions among Android users, according to a Statista survey issued in February 2022, were those introduced in 2015. Older Android versions are still installed on 60% of Android users' smartphones.

Not that there are issues with the most recent Android version. Simply put, there are many Android phone manufacturers, making it difficult to manage several models, manufacturers, and manufacturers while staying up to date with the current version. On the other hand, users of iOS rely on a single vendor of iOS hardware. As a result, more than 80% of iOS users have the most recent version of iOS installed on their devices.

On both of the top mobile operating systems, customers spent close to $34 billion in Q3 2021 on premium applications, in-app purchases, and new app installations. Despite having a 50% lower market share than Android, iOS had revenues of $21.5 billion, which were almost twice as high as Android's $12.1 billion.

Because consumers in developed markets are more inclined to spend more money on apps, iOS has a big edge in these markets, which enables it to make higher revenues.

As a result, Android and iOS are the only two players competing for the majority of the worldwide mobile OS market. The current data we can see here makes it quite clear that Android's strategy is to maximize market penetration and draw in as many users as possible. While iOS frequently keeps a profit-driven presence in developed regions, In the battle for market share with iOS, Android prevails, but iOS has caught up thanks to a far stronger revenue source.