Android is the most widely used mobile operating system worldwide. However, new research indicates that its market share has declined by eight percent over the last four years. Meanwhile, iOS has registered a growth of six percent over the same period.

According to a report by analytics firm StockApps, Android registered its highest ever market share of 77.32 percent back in July 2018. However, its global mobile market share fell to 69.74 percent in January 2022, a 7.58 percent decline. On the other hand, Apple’s market share grew from 19.4 percent to 25.49 percent, an increase of six percent. Smaller OS developers held the remaining 1.58 percent market share.

That said, the marginal decline in Android’s market share does not indicate that it is losing its ground compared to other mobile operating systems. It has a secure foothold in the smartphone market. At the same time, Apple seems to be widening its net, as the iPhone toppled Vivo to become China’s top-selling smartphone brand. The company has been shipping a record number of iPhones, and reportedly saw a 25 percent growth in the European smartphone market.

The report also breaks down the dominance of various mobile operating systems by geographic region. Interestingly, iOS dominates the market only in North America and Oceania. It has a market share of 54 percent, while Android has nearly 45 percent.

Android asserts its dominance over iOS in Europe, Asia, and South America with a market share of 69.32, 81, and 90 percent respectively. The iOS share is 30 percent in Europe, 18 percent in Asia and 10 percent in South America. In developing regions such as Asia and South America, Apple devices are viewed as luxury items. This could be why more affordable Android smartphones get a larger market share.