Android powered phones dominated smartphone market during third quarter of this year, with three out of every four phone shipped during the period were powered by Android, according to a new report.
According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone, there were about 181.1 million smartphonesshipped during the period, with 136 million phones being powered by Android, accounting 75% of the total shipment.
Android operating system launched four years ago, recorded 91.5% year-over-year growth which is nearlydouble the overall market growth rate of 46.4%.
IDC Mobile Phones research manager Ramon Llamas said Android has been one of the primary growth engines of the smartphone market since it was launched in 2008.
"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," Llamas said.
"Even today, more vendors are introducing their first Android-powered smartphones to market."
Apple’s iOS stood at distant second place with shipment of 26.9 million and a market share of 14.9%.
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According to IDC, the iOS however was the only other mobile operating system apart from Android to record double digit growth recording 57.3% growth over the corresponding quarter last year.
Market share of BlackBerry market share continued to decrease, dropping to 4.3% during the quarter shipping 7.7 million units.
Since the BlackBerry 10 is expected to be released in 2013, the company has to rely on its aging BlackBerry 7 platform, and equally aging device line-up, IDC said.
Symbian OS recorded largest decline of 77% during the quarter, with shipment of 4.1 million smartphones.
Though Nokia along with Fujitsu, Sharp, and Sony continue to support Symbian, IDC believes that these vendors will cease shipping Symbian-powered smartphones in 2013.
About 3.6 million smartphones shipped during the period were powered by Windows Phone 7 OS, without making a significant impact in the smartphone market dominated by Android and iOS.
IDC analysts however believe that the scenario could change when several Windows Phone 8 smartphones will reach the market.
