Dubai: Google’s Android is challenging Microsoft Windows as the world’s most popular operating system (OS) in terms of total internet usage across desktop, laptop, tablet and mobile combined, an industry expert said.
Aodhan Cullen, CEO of independent web analytics company StatCounter, said that Windows remained top of the OS internet usage market share with 38.6 per cent, Android came within striking distance on 37.4 per cent globally in February.
In the UAE, Windows had an internet usage share of 38.45 per cent while Android had 35.66 per cent and iOS had 12.27 per cent.
Cullen said the idea of Android almost matching Windows would have been unthinkable five years ago. In January 2012, Windows held 82 per cent global internet usage share compared to just 2.2 per cent for Android.
Windows dominates
In January 2016, Windows had 48.42 per cent share while Android had only 27.42 per cent globally. In the UAE, Windows had 40.18 per cent and Android had 35.21 per cent during the same period.
Cullen said that the development was a function of the growth of smartphones to access the internet as well as a slowdown in sales of traditional PCs plus the impact of Asia on the global market.
Windows still dominates the worldwide operating system desktop market (PC and laptop) with an 84.1 per cent internet usage share in February while in the UAE, it is Windows still tops the list with 84.13 per cent while Apple’s OS X had 13.87 per cent.
“Windows has won the desktop war but the battlefield has moved on,” said Cullen.
StatCounter recently reported that in October 2016 internet usage by mobile and tablet devices exceeded desktop and laptop worldwide for the first time.
“Windows 10 will need to maintain momentum in order to combat the steady march of Android across all markets,” Cullen said.
