In a surprising turnaround, Apple maps had succeeded in pipping Google Maps in mapping traffic on 4G, two years on from its much-derided launch, according to a new report.
UK mobile network operator EE reports that Apple Maps currently represented 70% of mapping traffic on the 4G network, as against 60% posted in the second half of 2013, taking from Google maps’ market share, which was down 7 percentage points (ppts).
With regards to mapping traffic on 3G, Apple Maps was up 19ppts while Google Maps was down 15ppts.
According to EE, the increase in Apple map usage could be attributed to iPhone owners, who typically used Apple Maps over all other smartphone owners who used Google Maps or other mapping services.
EE, however, did not disclose as to how many of the 4.2 million people using 4G LTE were iPhone owners, and how many were Android users.
The revelation is even more interesting considering that it details numbers for a European country that has been dominated by Android, at least when it comes to smartphone market share. A recent report from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech revealed that Android has a 73.3% market share in Europe, including markets such as the U.K., France, Germany, Spain and Italy.
4GEE Mobile Living Index details how the mobile network operator’s 4G LTE network was being used.
According to the company its recent 4G-related findings were based on its network data as also an independent survey of 1,000 4GEE users by consultancy TNS, part of Kantar.