iOS Devices Still Preferred In Regulated Markets

iOS remains the most used mobile operating system among regulated industries, but Android is eroding Apple’s dominance elsewhere, according to new research from Good Technology.

The firm’s latest Mobility Index Report claims 72 percent of all devices activated on its platforms were running iOS, compared to the 26 percent running Android and one percent using Windows Phone.

iOS devices are particularly strong in regulated markets like education, where it has an 83 percent share, the public sector, where it commands 80 percent, and financial services, in which it has a 76 percent slice.

Android industry

However Android is slowly eroding this dominance in regulated environments and is making significant strides in unregulated industries. In hi-tech, it has a 47 percent share and energy, the platform is used by 44 percent of devices.

Even Microsoft has increased its influence in some markets for the first time. Windows 8 has a five percent share of retail and Windows Phone is used on seven percent of all devices in entertainment and media.

Good Technology’s findings are based on data collected from its customers through its various services, which also revealed insight into what types of applications various industries are using.

Mobile app use within the enterprise has increased 27 percent quarter on quarter, growth which Good claims shows organisations are mobilising at a rapid pace. Email remains the most popular type of enterprise application, ahead of instant secure browsing and instant messaging.

The company says priorities differ between industries but all are looking to mobilise their processes.

For example, a third of all apps activated by insurance companies are custom-built, while 27 percent activated by financial service firms are instant messaging – highlighting the need to share time-sensitive trading information quickly.

Nearly half of all apps activated by manufacturing firms were secure browsers and nearly two thirds activated by business and professional services were for document access, editing and secure browsing.

Apple has been looking to increase its share of the enterprise market to offset any slowdown in the consumer space, most notably through its partnership with IBM. Similarly, Samsung is pushing its Knox platform, while Google is spearheading Android for Work.

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