Android has been deemed the best performing operating system after Apple was hit by high failure rates and crashing apps.
Device diagnostics company Blancco tracked the performance of both operating systems, which run on almost 97 of all smartphones, during the second quarter of this year.
It said Apple was hit by crashing apps (65 percent of issues) and problems with Wi-Fi connectivity (11 percent), with its failure rate more than doubling sequentially to 58 percent, from 25 percent in Q1.
The iPhone 6 had the highest failure rate at 29 percent, following by the 6S (23 percent) and 6S Plus (14 percent).
The worst performing apps on iOS were Snapchat (with a 17 percent failure rate), Instagram (14 percent) and Facebook (nine percent).
The company said Android improved its performance between the first and second quarters with its failure rate dropping from 44 percent to 35 percent.
It said camera (10 percent of issues), battery charging (10 percent) and issues with the touchscreen interface (seven percent) were the most common problems.
Richard Stiennon, Chief Strategy Officer, Blancco Technology Group, said: “Ever since the first iPhone was introduced in 2007, Apple’s iOS has been a force to be reckoned with – launching new models every year and raking in strong sales and revenue quarter after quarter. But our data suggests that the performance battle between iOS, Android and other operating systems is constantly changing and is likely to be influenced by several factors.”
According to Q2 sales figures from GfK, smartphone sales in Western Europe dropped by one percent during the past 12 months. This was largely due to increased tariff charges in Spain.