Just four years after it was launched, Android operating system now supposedly powers three out of every four smartphones shipped, based on figures quoted by research firm IDC for the third quarter of 2012.
According to the IDC, a total of 181 million smartphones shipped in the third quarter, out of which about 75 percent – 136 million units – were Android smartphones. The research firm points out that the Android platform has witnessed a massive growth of 91.5 percent as compared to the previous year’s third quarter. Samsung has once again emerged at the top amongst all the Android vendors, though the company saw a slight dip in market share, while the smaller manufacturers saw a hike in share.
“Android has been one of the primary growth engines of the smartphone market since it was launched in 2008,” said Ramon Llamas, research manager, Mobile Phones at IDC.
“In every year since then, Android has effectively outpaced the market and taken market share from the competition. In addition, the combination of smartphone vendors, mobile operators, and end-users who have embraced Android has driven shipment volumes higher. Even today, more vendors are introducing their first Android-powered smartphones to market.”
The report said Apple’s iOS was at the second position, and was the only other OS to secure a double-digit market share in the quarter. Apple saw lesser shipments as anticipation grew for the iPhone 5. Apple managed to ship 26.9 million units for a 14.9 percent share of the market, a year-over-year increase from 17.1 million units and a 13.8 percent share.
BlackBerry and Symbian platforms continue to see a downfall with customers looking towards other options such as Android, iOS and Windows Phone. RIM shipped 7.7 million units, 4.3 percent share – a total 34 percent decline as compared to the previous year. Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 OS shipped shipped 3.6 million units and increased its third quarter market share to 2 percent.
Linux-based phones managed to have a tiny part of the smartphone market but saw a 3.17 percent decline in units shipped from last year’s third quarters. “The share decline of smartphone operating systems not named iOS since Android’s introduction isn’t a coincidence. The smartphone operating system isn’t an isolated product, it’s a crucial part of a larger technology ecosystem. Google has a thriving, multi-faceted product portfolio,” IDC analyst Kevin Restivo said.
“Many of its competitors, with weaker tie-ins to the mobile OS, do not. This factor and others have led to loss of share for competitors with few exceptions.”
Top Six Smartphone Mobile Operating Systems, Shipments, and Market Share, Q3 2012 (Preliminary) (Units in Millions)
| Operating System | 3Q12 Shipment Volumes | 3Q12 Market Share | 3Q11 Shipment Volumes | 3Q11 Market Share | Year-Over-Year Change |
| Android | 136.0 | 75.0% | 71.0 | 57.5% | 91.5% |
| iOS | 26.9 | 14.9% | 17.1 | 13.8% | 57.3% |
| BlackBerry | 7.7 | 4.3% | 11.8 | 9.5% | -34.7% |
| Symbian | 4.1 | 2.3% | 18.1 | 14.6% | -77.3% |
| Windows Phone 7/ Windows Mobile | 3.6 | 2.0% | 1.5 | 1.2% | 140.0% |
| Linux | 2.8 | 1.5% | 4.1 | 3.3% | -31.7% |
| Others | 0.0 | 0.0% | 0.1 | 0.1% | -100.0% |
| Totals | 181.1 | 100.0% | 123.7 | 100.0% | 46.4% |
Also read,