iOS vs Android Market Share in 2025: What You Need to Know Before Launching Your App
Understanding iOS vs Android Market Share Before Building Your App
Before choosing a platform to launch your app, it's essential to understand the global and regional mobile OS market share. Each country's Android and iOS user base varies significantly, so it's important to plan strategically based on your target audience.
post-title-1753848618031
π Global Market Share
- Android: ~74%
- iOS: ~25%β29%
β Android remains dominant in the global mobile OS market. However, in certain countries and continents, iOS has a higher share, which weβll explore below.
π Mobile OS Share by Continent (As of 2025, smartphone usage)
1. Africa
- Android: ~86% or higher
- iOS: ~Below 14%
- π Dominated by Android due to low-cost smartphones and developing economies
Source
2. Asia
- Android: ~81.4%
- iOS: ~18.3%
Source
3. Europe
- Android: ~70%
- iOS: ~29%
- π Similar to global averages, slightly lower iOS share than in North America
Source
4. North America
- iOS: ~58.6%
- Android: ~41.1%
- πΊπΈ The U.S. and π¨π¦ Canada are heavily iOS-dominant
Source
5. South America
- Android: ~94.1%
- iOS: ~5.9%
- π Android nearly monopolizes this region
6. Oceania
- iOS: ~52.5%
- Android: ~46.9%
- iOS holds a slight lead in π¦πΊ Australia and π³πΏ New Zealand
π Mobile OS Share Summary by Continent
| Continent | Android Share | iOS Share | Key Insight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | ~86% or more | ~Below 14% | Android dominance (budget phones prevail) |
| Asia | ~81.4% | ~18.3% | Android stronghold, led by China & India |
| Europe | ~70% | ~29% | Global average, Android slightly ahead |
| North America | ~41% | ~59% | iOS dominates (US, Canada) |
| South America | ~94.1% | ~5.9% | Android near-total dominance |
| Oceania | ~46.9% | ~52.5% | Slight iOS lead (AU, NZ) |
π° Developer Account Fees: Android vs Apple
To publish apps, developers need to register for official accounts:
| Platform | Cost | Payment Type |
|---|---|---|
| Apple (iOS) | $99/year | Annual auto-renew |
| Google Play | $25 one-time | One-time payment |
- Apple requires an annual renewal, though discounts or waivers may apply for students or nonprofits.
- Google Play only charges onceβno ongoing fees (but account activity must be maintained).
β Summary
- While Android leads globally, iOS dominates in North America and Oceania.
- Tailoring your app launch strategy based on your audience's regional OS usage can improve marketing and monetization.
- iOS users tend to be higher-value, but Android provides easier and faster access to large global markets.
π¬ Personal Thoughts
Iβm in my 30s, and most of the people around me use iPhones.
Yet, statistics show that Android holds over 70% market share in Korea.
This gap between personal experience and official data likely reflects different usage patterns across age groups, regions, and price segments.
Thatβs why I believe app launch strategies should be flexible and data-driven, not one-size-fits-all.
For example, you could start by releasing the app on Google Play, analyze user response, and then launch on the Apple App Store.
To support that workflow, it's important to build your app with cross-platform support in mind from day one.
Thatβs why I chose Flutterβit lets me write once and deploy to both Android and iOS efficiently.