Google Gaining Ground In Smartphone, Browser Markets

By Pamela Parker

Published: January 3, 2011 at 4:55 pm

Google’s Android smartphone operating system is poised to overtake Apple’s iPhone for market share, and its Chrome browser has reached a major milestone, capturing 10% of the market. The smartphone figures come from Nielsen in November, while the browser numbers were measured in December by Net Applications, an Aliso Viejo, Calif. company that tracks market share on various technologies.

The figures show that Google, despite being a latecomer to both fields, is giving competitors a serious run for their money.

In the smartphone arena, Android OS has achieved 25.8% market share, which is still behind Apple’s iOS (28.6%). RIM’s Blackberry came in at 26.1% in Nielsen’s reckoning. Android has the most momentum, however. Among those who acquired a smartphone in the last six months, Android was the clear winner, at 40.8% in November, with iOS coming in next at 26.9%. Blackberry only captured 19.2% of the new buyer market in November, and its share has been decreasing over the past 6 months, Nielsen reports.

Chrome also achieved a significant milestone, reaching 9.98% market share, effectively 10%, according to Net Applications data. Microsoft’s Internet Explorer still commands the lead at 57% market share in December, though it lost 1.36% in market share since November. The Safari browser grew 0.34%, to 5.89%, in market share in the same period, while Firefox stayed essentially the same, at 22.81%, according to Net Applications.

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About the author

Pamela Parker

Pamela Parker is Research Director at Third Door Media's Content Studio, where she produces MarTech Intelligence Reports and other in-depth content for digital marketers in conjunction with Search Engine Land and MarTech. Prior to taking on this role at TDM, she served as Content Manager, Senior Editor and Executive Features Editor. Parker is a well-respected authority on digital marketing, having reported and written on the subject since its beginning. She's a former managing editor of ClickZ and has also worked on the business side helping independent publishers monetize their sites at Federated Media Publishing. Parker earned a master's degree in journalism from Columbia University.