Study: Mobile browsers poised for shakeup

New leaders are emerging in the mobile browser market as more players enter the smartphone and tablet computer industry and others gracefully bow out.

According to figures from web statistics company Net Applications, Apple's Safari® maintained the top spot in August 2011 with nearly 53 percent of the mobile browser market share. This is a substantial increase from 10 months earlier, when Safari represented 44.3 percent of the market.

However, Apple® is not alone in the market, and some of its competitors seem to be gaining ground. Google, with its unbranded browser for the Android™ operating system, has also increased its share from 9.2 percent in October 2010 to 15.7 percent in August 2011. This growth is fueled largely by the growing popularity of Android-based smartphones and tablets, which has surged in recent years.

Of course, the strength of the Android browser and Safari has caused others in the market to slip. Most notably, Opera Mini® dropped from 32.4 percent market share to 20.7 percent during the past 10 months.

Google's mobile browser share is poised to increase going forward, as Android-based tablets become more popular. According to research firm In-Stat, Android and Apple's iOS™ will combine for 90 percent of the tablet market through 2017.