Google’s Android operating system enjoyed the fastest growth of any mobile OS in terms of web browsing sessions during December, figures from Net Applications show.
Use of the OS grew 29% month-on-month, placing it ahead of Apple – which grew 24.3% - and RIM, which was used 18% more often.
However Apple still rules the roost in terms of overall usage share, with iOS garnering 1.69% of browsing time compared to Android’s 0.4% and 0.13% for RIM, the firm notes.
A closer look at Apple’s figures reveals the iPad was its fastest growing device in terms of web browsing – up a third over November to a share of 0.52%, though the iPhone still dominates with a 1.02% share.
In the PC OS market, Microsoft’s Windows 7 achieved a usage share of 7% during December, up 1.18% on November, separate figures from the firm reveal.
However, overall use of Internet Explorer is on a downward trend, losing 12 percentage points over the past two years to leave it with a 57.08% share by end-December, CNN reports.
While that figure is still way ahead of nearest rival Firefox’s 22.81%, the news site cautions that Google’s Chrome is making a charge, ending 2010 with a 10% share of the market compared to just under 5% in December 09.