iOS vs. Android Market Share 2013 in USA: Christmas Sale Shoppers Favor Apple Inc. Mobile OS Over Google Android; Tablets Top Smartphones, Says IBM

The Christmas season apparently favored Apple Inc. and its iOS platform based on new data released by IBM.

Despite the Google Android mobile operating system dominating iOS worldwide, U.S. shoppers favored Apple, especially the iPad tablet.

IBM noted iOS sales grew five times higher than Android with 23 percent against 4.6 percent, respectively.

"On average, iOS users spent $93.94 per order, nearly twice that of Android users, who spent $48.10 per order," reported IBM. "iOS also led as a component of overall traffic with 32.6 percent vs. 14.8 percent for Android."

When it comes to overall smartphones, the devices represented 28.5 percent of all online traffic compared to the 18.1 percent provided by tablets. Tablets, however, finished ahead in the online sales category with 19.4 percent to smartphones' 9.3 percent.

IBM also noted Christmas Day sales increased 16.5 percent compared to the same period in 2012.

"Additionally, iOS shoppers also spent a lot more: Just under an average of $96 per order versus Android users, who spent a smidge over $48 per order," reported PC Mag's David Murphy. 

"What's interesting is that if the IBM data was wildly wrong, Google would have probably contested it," reported Business Insider. "We haven't seen any evidence from Google, or developers, that these numbers are out of whack. Maybe it's time to admit that Apple is doing the exact right thing with its iPhone business."

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