Although Apple devices, such as the iPhone and iPad are still more than half the web traffic, Google’s Android is coming on strong. According to Internet measurement firm Quantcast, Android devices comprise 21 percent of the web hits it detected. What could be even more troubling for the Cupertino, Calif. handset maker is that Android’s gains are now coming at the expense of the iPhone.
The flurry of iPhone 4 purchases in late June didn’t translate into greater Apple handsets online, Quantcast noted. Akin to a person trading in a car not signalling more autos on the road, “most new iPhones sold were simply replacing earlier models,” the measurement firm announced.
In prior studies, Android’s growth largely came from RIM, Nokia, or Microsoft. The firm, however, announced while Android grew 14.1 percent for the year, iOS device usage fell 7.7 percent, a larger drop than RIM, Palm and others. The change comes as more people “test the waters” with Android and question the iPhone, according to the New York Times.
The Quantcast figures for June mirror those reported earlier this month by fellow Internet measurement firm comScore. That company also reported a 4-point increase by Android between February and March with a 1-point decrease for the iPhone.
[Fortune]
