The latest numbers from research firm IDC reveal that the smartphone market continues to be a largely two-horse race between iOS and Android, which accounted for 19.7% and 76.6% market share in the fourth quarter respectively. The mobile operating systems combined to dominate Windows Phone, BlackBerry and all other platforms with 96.3% market share during the three-month period ending December.
iOS increased 2.2 percentage points to 19.7% during the fourth quarter over its 15.1% market share in the year-ago quarter, while Android experienced a marginal year-over-year decline as its market share slipped from 78.2% to 76.6%. Apple shipped a record-breaking 192.7 million iPhones during 2014 on the strength of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, while overall Android device shipments on the year surpassed the 1 billion mark.
Android and iOS continue to dominate the smartphone operating system race, resulting in a smaller battle between Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Firefox OS and less popular platforms for third place. Windows Phone and BlackBerry were the closest runner-ups to iOS and Android, claiming 2.8% and 0.4% market share in the fourth quarter respectively to close out 2014. All other platforms held 0.6% market share on the year.
iPhone owners are sticking with the platform at a higher rate than a year ago, with new research firm CIRP putting iPhone loyalty at 87% for the first quarter of 2026.
CIRP's latest quarterly survey found that just 12% of new iPhone buyers in the March quarter had come over from an Android phone, with the remaining 1% arriving from a feature phone, a different smartphone platform, or buying...
Wednesday July 22, 2026 9:35 am PDT by Juli Clover
Android 17 includes a wireless native migration experience for transferring more types of data from an iPhone, making the process of switching to an Android device easier.
Google says the upgraded method allows Google Accounts, passwords, Wi-Fi credentials, and eSIMs to be transferred. It also supports photos, videos, contacts, messages, and calendars, like the prior version of the switching ...
Wednesday August 5, 2026 12:43 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Sunbird Messaging today reintroduced its app that brings iMessage to Android users. Sunbird is now available on the Google Play Store following an early access testing period.
The app allows Android users to send "blue bubble" messages to iPhone users instead of the standard green bubbles. It incorporates iMessage, RCS, and SMS/MMS messages in one app.
Sunbird was previously available from...
Apple's "Crapware" doesn't interrupt my web browsing, or auto-install more crapware when I click the "No" button, or beg for money, or insist that a virus will empty my bank account.
Apple's "crapware" plays music, shows me stock prices and the photos I took, and tells me what the weather is like.
Profitability is sustainability. Google is losing money on Android, and especially if Samsung begins putting Tizen on the Galaxy line as has been repeatedly rumored, Android is in big trouble.
Hopefully your landlord raises your rent or your bank increases your mortgage interest rate so it can maintain sustainability. Ditto for your insurance company, power company, cable company, cell provider. And also your healthcare,and supermarket too. If we're going to brag about and support big profits, let's make it universal.
Apple's first foldable iPhone, with a book-style design featuring a ~5.5-inch outer display and a ~7.8-inch inner display with a minimal crease down the middle.
