Android maintains its European domination...while iOS holds firm in US and UK

The latest smartphone sales data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech* shows that Android continues to gain share across Europe, now holding over two thirds of the market.

Dominic Sunnebo, global consumer insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, explains: “Android continues to dominate the European market in the build up to the iPhone 5 release, increasing its share by 20.2 percentage points in the past year. Surprisingly, Windows has managed to maintain its 5% share despite a raft of new Windows 8 products being announced. However, this has been achieved through heavy discounting.

Phones with bigger screens are becoming noticeably more popular – 29% of the Android devices sold in the past 12 weeks have a screen size of over 4.5 inches.

Dominic continues: “It is interesting to look at the impact a larger screen size has on how consumers use their smartphones, particularly as the line between tablets and smartphones becomes more blurred. Consumers who own a smartphone with a larger screen tend to be much more engaged with their device across a whole array of functions. For example, only 19% of consumers with a screen smaller than three inches download and watch videos, compared to 65% when the screen is five inches or more.

“However, bigger screens don’t just lead to an improved consumer experience; they also play a key part in customer retention. ComTech data shows that the more engaged consumers are with their device, the more likely they are to stay loyal to an OS or brand when they upgrade.”