iPhone has "commanding lead" of mobile web

 

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By Stuart Turton

Posted on 2 Mar 2009 at 12:16

The iPhone has a "commanding lead" of the mobile web, according to a new study.

The survey, conducted by Net Applications, reveals that 66.6% of people who accessed the internet using a smartphone in February did so through the iPhone.

The figure dwarfs that of second placed Java ME, which took 9.6% of the market. Java ME is a popular tool for creating games and other internet applications.

Windows Mobile crept into third place with 6.91%, with Android and Nokia's Symbian platform tied for fourth, taking 6.15% of the market.

The report singles out Android for achieving its position in less than five months, an impressive feat considering the length of time its rivals have been in place.

However, the study does come with a notable caveat: "Our mobile share methodology measures share for browser capable mobile devices. This means the mobile device must be able to render HTML pages and javascript. Visits to WAP pages are not included."

This means that despite the vast number of BlackBerries out there, RIM accounts for just 2.24% of the market.

The report notes that: "Android and BlackBerry are rapidly gaining market share. This does not mean that iPhone web browsing is shrinking, because the overall market is growing rapidly."