According to a recent iPROM survey on internet users' devices across international markets, mobile devices are becoming increasingly common for online access in South-East Europe, Germany, and Austria.

A recent survey on the technological attributes of devices used to access digital media in South-East Europe (including Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Albania), as well as Germany and Austria, reveals a strong dominance of mobile access. Chrome remains the most popular browser choice, while Microsoft Edge and Safari have strengthened their positions. Among mobile operating systems, iOS saw significant growth, increasing its share by more than a quarter (25.9%). Windows remains the dominant operating system on desktop computers.

The data indicates that the share of mobile device access to digital media increased to 76.11% in 2024, up by 5.6% from 2023. In contrast, the share of users who use desktop computers to engage with digital media has declined by 4% in 2023 and stands at 23.89% in 2024.

A detailed analysis of the shares of mobile devices and desktop access across different countries reveals significant differences between geographies. Mobile device access is dominant in countries such as Montenegro (95.47%), Albania (94.89%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (91.11%), and North Macedonia (89.64%). In contrast, desktop computers are still used more often in Germany (67.41%), Austria (70.80%), and Italy (77.89%) even though mobile access is prevalent everywhere.

“The results of our latest survey confirm that ‘mobile-first’ strategies have become key. The smartphone has become the primary device for consuming digital content and is a constant companion in our daily lives. The differences between more and less developed markets are primarily reflected in the number of devices used by users. In regions with high mobile phone penetration, the smartphone is often the sole device users rely on to access the internet and engage with digital content. In more developed markets, computers continue to play a key role, particularly for in-depth reading and analysis of digital media content,” said Tomaž Tomšič, Head of iPROM Labs.

Desktop computers remain the preferred choice for in-depth engagement with digital content

iPROM’s survey shows that in South-East Europe, Germany, and Austria, desktops remain indispensable for in-depth research and consuming digital media content, even though most users initially access this content through their mobile phones. Digital media browsing on desktop computers is more than twice as intensive (2.03 times) compared to activities on mobile devices, indicating that personal computers are still the preferred choice when it comes to deep interaction with digital content.

Chrome continues to dominate among web browsers

Browser shares are gradually stabilizing as data shows that market shares of the most popular browsers remained similar to those recorded in 2023. Chrome remains the leading browser in terms of usage and is the most widely used browser across all analyzed countries, confirming its market dominance. In second place is Microsoft Edge, which has solidified its position as the second most popular browser through ongoing improvements and its integration with the Windows ecosystem.

“In response to growing concerns about online privacy, Safari and Mozilla Firefox stand out for their efforts to safeguard users’ privacy.” Safari has implemented policies that significantly limit the use of third-party cookies, while Firefox continues to develop features aimed at enhancing user security and privacy. This shift towards browser-based privacy solutions reflects an important market trend, as users increasingly seek solutions that offer greater control over their personal data,” explained Tomšič.

In Austria, Chrome’s share is relatively low at 41.87%, while Microsoft Edge holds a higher share at 26.88%. In Germany, Chrome also has a smaller share at 42.07%, with Firefox (22.04%) and Edge (19.13%) also being popular choices. Italy follows a more typical pattern, with Chrome dominating the market with a 63.55% market share. Chrome is the leading browser in the Adriatic region, particularly in North Macedonia (74.09%), Kosovo (73.36%), and Montenegro (71.98%). Albania is a standout with a higher share of Safari at 13.42%, reflecting the popularity of Apple PCs in the country.

iOS share up by over 25 percent

The survey of mobile operating system market shares reveals that iOS increased its share by 25.9%, with the largest gains in Italy (+9.6 percentage points), Albania (+5.5 percentage points), Montenegro (+4.9 percentage points), and the Republic of Serbia (+4.0 percentage points). The data shows that the market share of Apple mobile devices in these markets is growing.

PC operating system shares remain similar to last year

When it comes to PCs, Windows continues to dominate in South-East Europe, Germany, and Austria, holding an 82.89% share of the market in 2024 (up by 1.54 percentage points). Mac OS has a 13.17% share, down by 1.97 percentage points.

“We can see that, following several technological innovations that have shaped trends in the past, market shares are stabilizing as key trends among users have already been established. Until the arrival of new disruptive technologies and tools, we can expect the market to consolidate and mature further. This stability provides predictability and enables developers to focus on optimizing the features and security of their products. Market maturity allows users to have more confidence in the products they use and reduces volatility, which can benefit the entire industry in the long term,” concluded Tomšič.

 

Methodology used

This year’s iPROM analysis was carried out on a sample of 86.3 million regional internet users and covered 20.4 billion measurement requests according to the IAB standard. iPROM captures and processes the data on internet user behavior using the iPROM Programmatic Platform, which is deployed in the Southeast Europe markets (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania), as well as in the German and Austrian markets. iPROM reaches a total of 95 percent (approximately 152.5 million) of active digital media users through the iPROM Programmatic Platform.