14 DAY TRIAL // Google's Android mobile operating system seems to have conquered the hearts of mobile phone users in the UK already. More and more people in the country are considering the purchase of a device powered by this platform, and the popularity of Android increased considerably during the past month. According to the latest statistics from GfK Retail and Technology, the sales of Android-based devices increased fourfold in just four weeks.
GfK Retail and Technology notes that the Android platform managed to prove a great option on handsets with Advanced Operating Systems (OS) (all Operating Systems which are able to run independent compatible applications). The sales of contract Android devices in the UK increased from only 3.0 percent of the total contract market in week 12 to up to 12.3 percent of the market in week 15. When it comes to the entire UK market, Android managed to grow from 1.6 to 6.7 percent during the same time frame.
According to GfK Retail and Technology, handsets that sport Advanced OS represent around 37.6 percent of the total mobile phone market. However, in the contract sector, these devices account for up to 63.9 percent of the market. “The impressive growth rate exhibited in recent weeks is due to a succession of launches by several manufacturers,” GfK Analyst Megan Baldock commented on the findings. With more and more Android-based phones being brought to shelves by various handset vendors around the world, the OS is expected to register even more traction on the market.
It seems that the performance registered by Google's Android operating system is playing a very important role in the growth of the Advanced OS market, as the above figures remain somehow stable, the company states. “Almost one in every five Advanced OS phone purchased is an Android. This coincides with the continued growth of touch screens, as consumers migrate towards this form factor,” GfK Retail and Technology concludes.