Global smartphone shipments reached the one billion mark in 2013, with the market mainly dominated by Android and iOS, according to a study by IDC.
The analyst firm said both operating systems accounted for 93.8% of total smartphone shipments last year, a rise from 87.7% in 2012.
IDC’s Mobile Phone team research manager Ramon Llamas said: "What stands out are the different routes Android and Apple took to meet this demand. Android relied on its long list of OEM partners, a broad and deep collection of devices, and price points that appealed to nearly every market segment.
"Apple’s iOS, on the other hand, relied on nearly the opposite approach: a limited selection of Apple-only devices, whose prices trended higher than most.
"Despite these differences, both platforms found a warm reception to their respective user experiences and selection of mobile applications."
The report also revealed that consumer demand had tilted towards low-priced products.
Samsung topped the list of Android vendors with a 40% share of shipments during the year, while Nokia topped the list of Windows OS vendors with a 89.3% market share.
IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker program director Ryan Reith said: "While the market moves downstream to cheaper products it makes sense for Samsung and others to continue their marketing investments geared toward high-end products.
"These efforts build crucial brand perception while having less expensive alternatives that closely relate to these top products helps to close the deal. Samsung has done exactly this with the ‘Galaxy’ line.
"The family name is associated with Samsung’s high-end products, yet there are ‘Galaxy’ variants offered by Samsung at much lower price points than the Note 3 and S4.
"This has been an important factor in how Samsung has sustained its market lead."
