Android emerged as the top OS across Europe by capturing 68.6% market share, outpacing Apple’s iOS which had a 18.5% share during the three months to December, the latest Kantar Worldpanel ComTech report revealed.
The latest smartphone sales data revealed that Microsoft’s Windows OS remained flat at 10.3% for the three months to the end of last year.
Kantar Worldpanel ComTech strategic insight director Dominic Sunnebo said that Android finished 2013 strongly, showing year-on-year share growth across 12 major global markets including Europe, USA, Latin America, China and Japan.
"Apple has lost share in most countries compared with this time last year, but importantly it has held strong shares in key markets including 43.9% in USA, 29.9% in Great Britain and 19.0% in China," Sunnebo said.
According to the latest Kantar Worldpanel ComTech report, Samsung is now under pressure in many regions, with a drop in European share to 40.3%, with its China’s share ending at 23.7% by late 2013.
"Windows Phone has now held double digit share across Europe for three consecutive months," Sunnebo added.
"Unfortunately for Nokia the European smartphone market is only growing at 3% year on year so success in this market has not been enough to turn around its fortunes – reflected in its recent disappointing results.
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"Its performance also deteriorated toward the end of 2013 in the important growth markets of China, USA and Latin America."
The UK experienced highest smartphone penetration with 69% in December, with 85% of devices sold during the three-month period being smartphones.
The report added that about 34% of smartphones bought in December were gifts, with Samsung being the top gifted smartphone maker with 30.7%, followed by Apple and Nokia at 28.4% and 17.6% respectively.
