The meteoric rise of iOS and Android in one chart
Last week, WhatsApp announced it would shut down support for some of the older smartphone operating platforms, including Blackberry 10, which was released just 3 years ago.
"We want to focus our efforts on the mobile platforms the vast majority of people use," WhatsApp said in a blog post.
WhatsApp's decision makes sense if you look at the changing landscape of smartphone operating systems. As this chart from Statista shows, the smartphone market is dominated by Google's Android and Apple's iOS, each accounting for 81.6% and 15.9%, respectively.
That's a complete reversal from 2009, when smartphones were just starting to emerge: almost 80% of smartphones sold at the time had operating systems offered by non-iOS and Android players, like Blackberry and Nokia. Today, 99.5% of the smartphones run on operating systems offered by Google, Apple and Microsoft, according to WhatsApp.
Statista
- I spent $2,000 for 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on one of the world's largest cruise ships. Take a look inside my cabin.
- Colon cancer rates are rising in young people. If you have two symptoms you should get a colonoscopy, a GI oncologist says.
- Saudi Arabia wants China to help fund its struggling $500 billion Neom megaproject. Investors may not be too excited.
- Catan adds climate change to the latest edition of the world-famous board game
- Tired of blatant misinformation in the media? This video game can help you and your family fight fake news!
- Tired of blatant misinformation in the media? This video game can help you and your family fight fake news!
- JNK India IPO allotment – How to check allotment, GMP, listing date and more
- Indian Army unveils selfie point at Hombotingla Pass ahead of 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas