Android accounted for 81% of the world’s 251 million smart phone sales in Q3 2013 according to Strategy Analytics figures just released.
Overall mobile phone sales slipped slightly in Q3 2013 to 418 million. On the other hand smart phones, which now account for 60% of phones sales and around 90% of phone sale revenue, increased YoY by over 45%. Samsung is a major contributor to, and beneficiary of, the success of Android. It holds 35% of the smart phone market.
For what it is worth the form guide for this three horse race:
With the recent Google release of Android 4.4 KitKat which is aimed at running on lower specification smart phones which will drive growth in the less developed markets you can only see Android continuing its dominance. Microsoft, mainly though the efforts on Nokia, is gaining market share in particular through some very capable and well speced low priced phones. While Apple continues to operate at the top of the price list in the process retaining very healthy margins and profitability it is unlikely to make inroads into Android’s lead.
| Global Smartphone Operating System Shipments (Millions of Units) | |||
| Q3 ’12 | Q3 ’13 | ||
| Android | 129.6 | 204.4 | |
| Apple | 26.9 | 33.8 | |
| Microsoft | 3.7 | 10.2 | |
| BlackBerry | 7.4 | 2.5 | |
| Others | 5.2 | 0.5 | |
| Total | 172.8 | 251.4 | |
| Global Smartphone Operating System Market share % | |||
| Q3 ’12 | Q3 ’13 | ||
| Android | 75.0% | 81.3% | |
| Apple | 15.6% | 13.4% | |
| Microsoft | 2.1% | 4.1% | |
| BlackBerry | 4.3% | 1.0% | |
| Others | 3.0% | 0.2% | |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | |
| Source: Strategy Analytics | |||
