Are you developing a mobile application for the Zimbabwean market? Android is still the best option to focus your attention on.
The latest figures on mobile operating system (OS) spread from GS Stat Counter indicates that as recently as December 2016-January 2017, Android, the Linux Kernel-based, mobile OS developed by Google is on 76.95% of all mobile devices in the country.
Windows comes in at a very distant second place (4.55%) followed by Nokia’s Series 40 (4.26%). Apple’s iOS retains 2.64% of the market.
The numbers reflect Android’s continued dominance in the market. It has been enabled by the flood of low-end smartphones which support the operating system and are now the mainstay for the connected segment of the population which relies on predominantly mobile devices to stay connected to the internet.
WhatsApp’s hand is also visible in all this. The popular instant messaging platform has encouraged its users to move to devices with operating systems that it supports. This has left devices with legacy systems like Series 40 from Nokia, with no access to the app.
WhatsApp is a leading representation of internet access for Zimbabweans, so most users will opt for advice that provides access to it. It’s no wonder then that Android, which is on almost every phone on the budget device market right now, ends up as people’s OS of choice.
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2 comments
I understand the expense of investigating, but guys you cannt just be plucking from one source into into Techzim without at least verifying or checking few facts.
That graph on its third choice l do not think its correct, lm yet to meet anyone who have a phone running Linux OS to put it as a third most popular.
If you know people who are using it, can you please enlight us and what version they are using.
It’s not uncommon to interchange Linux kernel and Linux or Linux OS when speaking about software built upon the core Linux components (kernel).
Lots of phones non-Android phones run Linux-based OS’s!