Today is the first anniversary of the launch of the Android OS, and to celebrate the occasion, mobile ad network AdMob has released a selection of Android stats. The AdMob stats show that:

• The Android OS now has a 7% market share globally
• 10% of Smartphones in the UK now run the Android OS
• The HTC Dream, which uses the Android OS, is the second most popular mobile phone for surfing the mobile web in the UK, after the iPhone
• Android is growing rapidly in North America and Western Europe. The HTC Magic is a Top 10 Smartphone in both North America and Western Europe
• The HTC Dream handset is ranked fourth globally

An AdMob study of 1,000 mobile phone users revealed that:

• Android users download 9.1 apps a month on average
• iPhone users download 10.2 apps a month on average     
• iPod touch users download 18.4 apps a month on average

Since its launch last year, Android has become one of the most popular operating systems in the world, says AdMob MD EMEA, Thomas Schulz. The Android's openness has helped to speed up the mobile industry's evolution from tightly controlled data services to increasingly open access. This has resulted in a number of very popular devices coming on the market and has driven data and mobile Internet usage.
It's no surprise that Android-powered handsets are now driving the mobile industry forward, as consumers opt for more user-friendly and powerful handsets that are better equipped for surfing the mobile web. This is great news for advertisers, as it means that there are now more ways to engage with switched-on mobile users.