Mobile analytics and tracking firm AdMob has just released its latest mobile metrics report, a monthly snapshot of the smartphone industry based on data generated by ad requests within its network of 23,000 mobile websites and mobile applications. This current report, the last of its kind, notes the company who plans on reinventing the report to make it “more useful going forward,” focuses on long-term trends across the industry.
Not surprisingly, the company found that Android has seen rapid growth thanks to the launch of new devices, Apple is still the top manufacturer and iPads are having an impact on mobile Internet traffic worldwide.
Details on the Data
Before delving into the numbers themselves, it’s important to note how AdMob generates this data – it uses its own network of ad requests, a metric which provides a slice of smartphone pie, but not perhaps the best snapshot of the industry as a whole. Some contend that AdMob’s data slights that of RIM (makers of Blackberry), but even if so, there’s still relevance to be found within AdMob’s numbers, given their wide sampling. Changes within its network can speak to wider industry trends, which is worth examining.
Another important item of note is that AdMob was acquired by Google, makers of the Android operating system. The acquisition was announced back in November of 2009, but it took until May for Google to close the deal, due to a pending FTC inquiry into anti-trust matters. The regulatory body unanimously approved the deal in late May, citing Apple’s entry into the mobile ad market industry as evidence of competition.
AdMob notes that the majority of the data in the report pre-dates the Google acquisition.
Just the Highlights
Disclosure out of the way, here are the latest findings, highlights first:
- 92 countries generated more than 10 million request in May 2010, up from 27 countries in May 2008
- Nokia leads in Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe
- Apple leads in North America, Oceania and Western Europe
- In May 2010, smartphones generated 46% of traffic in the AdMob network, up from 22% 2 years ago
- 24% of May’s traffic was via Wi-Fi
- Mobile Internet Devices (including the iPad, PSP and iPod Touch) consistently have accounted for 10% of traffic over the past year
- 57% of Apple devices in AdMob’s network are outside the U.S.
- Traffic from the Android platform has grown 29% month-over-month since May 2009
- iOS and Android users spend 79 minutes per day using apps
- iOS and Android users download about 9 apps per month
Android Gains Thanks to New Devices
The introduction of numerous Android-based phones has allowed the mobile OS’s market share to increase dramatically over the past year, AdMob finds. But what’s most interesting is seeing what those gains look like, graphed out.
In this chart, for example, you can see a sharp increase in Android’s market share while Apple’s iOS market share drops. In February, Apple appears to have a 50% share, but by May, it’s down to 40% worldwide.
And as of May 2010, 7 of the top 10 smartphones run Android, notes the report. These include the Motorola Droid, HTC Magic, HTC Hero, HTC Dream, Motorola CLIQ, HTC Droid Eris and Samsung Moment. The top smartphone, however, is still Apple’s iPhone. Nokia’s N70 and 6300 have also remained in the list over the past two years.
The report also looks at how both Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android OS register higher mobile Web and mobile app usage, relevant to their actual market share.
While again, AdMob’s numbers are not meant to be definitive, there is a notable trend here – Android is gaining, and gaining fast. Worldwide, however, Apple still dominates while Symbian dominates in particular regions…at least for now.
