52% of Surfing done via iOS

Web browsing via mobile devices is growing and iOS from Apple is the operating system of choice for such activity, according to new data from NetMarketShare.

In December, 52 percent of mobile Web browsing took place via iPhones and iPads. Web browsing was evenly split between iPhone and iPad devices. 16 percent occurred on Android devices.

All told, Mobile devices accounted for 8 percent of Web traffic, up from 4 percent in February 2011.

Mobile Web browsing is growing at the expense of desktop browsing, which had a 96 percent share at the beginning of last year and ended the year with a 92 percent share.

IOS’ strength in terms of Web browsing is especially significant when you consider that iOS is not the dominant smartphone operating system — Android is. Android sales also are suprassing iOS and accounted for 53 percent of sales in the U.S. according to recent data from Kantar Worldpanel Com Tech.