14 DAY TRIAL // As part of its Mobile Analytics Report, Citrix dishes out some interesting information regarding the mobile space today, including key data points regarding the positioning of iOS, Android, and Windows Phone in key areas of the marketplace.
iOS dominates many of the report’s charts, most notably one about security. According to Citrix, the financial industry is particularly fond of Apple’s mobile operating system thanks to its strong security. Here’s the key takeaway from the financial spotlight in the PDF:
Security is paramount for finance operations
“The financial industry requires the highest levels of security to protect sensitive corporate and customer data, and to support regulatory compliance. Effective security is a critical requirement for mobility. iOS devices offered superior security, helping them gain a dominant share (71%) in the sector.”
Hardly anyone can say security is their strong point these days, but Apple remains at the forefront for various reasons. On the desktop (OS X), Apple’s relatively low market share has always ensured that hackers don’t find it justifiable to pour resources into making malware.
On the mobile front, Apple has tremendous market share but also holds the keys to software distribution - the App Store. Laying down strict rules for apps, Apple has created an ecosystem that’s almost entirely malware-free.
Other findings
There are areas, of course, where Android is ahead of iOS. Such as the healthcare industry (though probably not for long) where the sheer number of Android devices in the wild nabs the platform a 39% share in healthcare.
Citrix speculates that this may also be caused by cost concerns -Android hardware being typically less pricey than iOS devices, for example - and the increasing equivalence of apps in Google Play (mirroring those found in Apple’s App Store).
Microsoft takes the manufacturing spotlight with its Windows devices, with Citrix arguing that such environments “require users to be on the move with access to applications throughout various facilities.” Windows devices hold a 7% position.