iOS market share has ticked up in the final quarter of 2022 after the successful launch of the Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max. That model is singled out as the vanilla models aren’t doing so well. Meanwhile, Android has lost some ground.
The smartphone market is pretty stable now so the movements are relatively small and iOS remains just under the 30% mark while Android overs just above the 70% mark, based on data by Statista. It’s a two-horse race after the old guard died off and several contenders tried and failed to enter the market.
The iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max brought the first major camera improvement in a few years along with the new Dynamic Island design, which enticed more people to upgrade.
The spruced up design and first high resolution camera aren’t the only reasons that iOS is on the rise, however. Edith Reads, an analyst from StockApps, writes: “Apple is gaining ground in the mobile market due to its focus on customer experience, innovative designs, and quality products. With the introduction of its new flagship iPhone 14 Pro Max, Apple has given itself a competitive edge and attracted more users to its platform. Android is losing market share in key markets like China due to its lack of innovation and fragmentation, which have caused customers to switch over to Apple.”
Smartphone OS market share in China (source: StatCounter)
Apple is the largest foreign smartphone brand in China and with Huawei’s recent decline (due to trade sanctions) the two companies are neck and neck. Though as StockApps notes the open nature of Android has allowed companies to tailor the OS to their needs and to carve out a niche in the market for themselves.
