iPhones still ahead of Android in the UK (and other smartphone stats)

Dec 31, 2010 by Dirk Singer

Some stats from Comscore, Apple has over a quarter (28.1%) of the UK smartphone market, not far behind Nokia’s Symbian (32.2%).

However the inevitable rise of the Google Android platform continues. Google had 14.9% of the UK smartphone market in October, compared to 5% back in May.

To put those stats into context with other pieces of research:

Certainly in the Summer, Apple led Google in European (as opposed to just UK) smartphone sales, meaning that Europe is a relatively strong territory for Apple. Globally of course, Android subscriptions are ahead of iPhones.

However while Android sales are ahead in the US, iPhones are still the most desired smartphones. Android phones are by and large cheaper and so desire doesn’t always equate to actual purchases.

Smartphone use among men and women in the UK is nearing 50/50 (or 53% / 47%) at least among 15-24 year plds. The US is currently the only market where more young women than men own smartphones.

Both in the UK and US, Android phones are far more popular among men than women, with Android having a so-called “Dude” problem

Around a third of 15-24 year olds in the US (33%) and UK (36%) have a smartphone as opposed to a feature phone. In the Summer, a quarter (26.5%) of all European mobile phone subscribers (all age groups) had a smartphone. The figures for the US were just under a fifth (17%)