Android may still be the dominant player in the global mobile operating system market, but it looks like Apple's new image thanks to the iPhone 6 is winning many over, especially in Europe.

New data from analytics firm Kantar Worldpanel shows that Apple's iOS has grew to encompass 20.3 percent of the smartphone sales market during the first quarter of 2015 in Europe's largest five countries: Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Not only that, is looks like Apple's growth is partially due to Android users defecting.

"In the first quarter of 2015, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus continued to attract consumers across Europe, including users who previously owned an Android smartphone," said Carolina Milanesi, chief of research at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech. "On average, across Europe's big five countries during the first quarter, 32.4% of Apple's new customers switched to iOS from Android."

Apple's new iPhone 6 lineup, including the 4.7-inch normal model and the 5.5-inch Plus variant, has won back customers at a time when the brand was beginning to experience consumer fatigue. The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the largest iPhones to date, and their rounder, slimmer frame coupled with the increased size have contributed to the success of the smartphones. Sales remain high more than half a year after their releases, and customers who previously had to turn to Android for certain preferences now have an iOS option.

Android still remains the mobile OS of choice around the world, however. In the United States, Android racked up a 62.4 percent market share for Q1 2015. Apple came in second with 33.8 percent, distantly followed by Windows with 3.8 percent. The differences are far starker in Latin America, where Android had 84.5 percent of the market in Mexico, 90 percent in Brazil, and 80 percent in Argentina. iOS market share numbers in those countries don't even break single digits.

Despite a surge in iOS interest in major European cities, Android is still king.

Android ended Q1 2015 with a 54 percent market share in Great Britain, 69 percent in France, 75 percent in Germany, 70 percent in Italy, and 87 percent market share in Spain.

Great Britain showed the greatest preference for iOS, with Apple's operating system able to capture 35.8 percent there. Germany and Italy were the only two other large European counties in the Kantar data with iOS market share numbers above 10 percent (17 percent and 15.8 percent respectively).

All Kanter Worldpanel data is based off a three-month period ending April 2015.


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