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Android ups lead over iOS on mobile ad network

Android gets a 54 percent share among smartphone platforms of ad impressions seen on the mobile ad network run by Millennial Media. But among all devices, Apple's iOS still rules.

Lance Whitney Contributing Writer
Lance Whitney is a freelance technology writer and trainer and a former IT professional. He's written for Time, CNET, PCMag, and several other publications. He's the author of two tech books--one on Windows and another on LinkedIn.
Lance Whitney
2 min read

Android has strengthened its leading position as the most popular smartphone platform on Millennial Media's mobile ad network, according to the company's January Mobile Mix report.

For January, Google's mobile OS captured 54 percent of all ad impressions seen on smartphone platforms on the network, up from 46 percent in December. At the same time, the share of impressions held by Apple's iOS fell to 28 percent from 32 percent the prior month.

In third place was Research In Motion's BlackBerry with a 14 percent share, followed by Nokia's Symbian and Microsoft's Windows Mobile, each of which picked up 1 percent of all ad impressions.

Millennial Media

Android may be the leading smartphone OS, according to the report. But switching gears to look at the device makers themselves, Apple held onto its top spot by a healthy margin.

For January, the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad collectively grabbed 26 percent of all ad impressions, a jump of 24 percent from December. Of all connected devices tracked on Millennial Media's network, the iPhone retained its No. 1 position but was followed by the iPod Touch, which sneaked into second place last month with an 8 percent share.

Among other device makers, HTC's share of ad impressions grew 36 percent in January to propel it to the No. 2 position among the top 15 manufacturers. All told, HTC won 21 percent of all impressions and accounted for eight of the devices in Millennial Media's top 30 list with its Nexus One smartphone taking third place.

Fellow Android device maker Samsung dropped to the No. 3 spot, though its Epic and Galaxy 5 smartphones joined the top 30 list for the first time last month. Collectively, Samsung captured 15 percent of all ad impressions tracked by Millennial Media and saw seven of its devices scattered among the top 30.

In fourth place was RIM with 10 percent of all ad impressions and five of its BlackBerry phones on the top 30 list.

The top ten device makers seen on Millennial Media's ad network.
The top ten device makers seen on Millennial Media's ad network. Millennial Media

The report for January also uncovered further evidence of the ongoing popularity of smartphones. For the month, smartphones accounted for 23 of the top 30 mobile devices to win a collective 55 percent share of all ad impressions, up 15 percent from December.

Of course, the year is still young, and recent events promise to shake up the mobile market as 2011 progresses. Will the Verizon iPhone knock Android a few pegs off its perch? And though Nokia and Microsoft were on the bottom of Millennial Mobile's ad network, will the new deal between the two companies at least give Windows Phone 7 a much-needed shot in the arm?