TechGreatest
It’s Official: Android HAS TAKEN OVER THE WORLD
Google’s Android platform now controls over 84% of the global smartphone space, with iOS bringing it up the rear with 11.9%
Google’s Android platform is now the biggest mobile OS on the planet by a considerable margin – and when we say, “considerable” we mean really, bloody HUGE. According to Strategy Analytics’ latest research, Google’s Android OS now accounts for 84.5% of the global smartphone space.
84.5% – we’ll just let that sink in for a second.
Strategy Analytics reckons there were 295.2 million smartphone shipments during Q2 2014, the slowest growth rate in the space for five years. Of this figure, nearly all were Android handsets. Apple’s iOS platform came in second with 11.9%, down from 13.4% for the same period in 2013.
“Global smartphone shipments grew 27 percent annually from 233.0 million units in Q2 2013 to 295.2 million in Q2 2014. Smartphone growth was mixed on a regional basis during the quarter, with healthy demand in Asia and Africa counterbalanced by sluggish volumes across North America and Europe due to changes in the operator subsidy mix,” said the report.
Microsoft’s Windows Phone, despite big pushes from Nokia throughout 2013/14, dropped from 3.8% to 2.7%. BlackBerry’s share also dipped from 2.4% to 0.6%, although that should come as a surprise to no-one.
China’s Xiaomi was the biggest surprise of the research, however. The company described as “The Apple of China” is now the fifth biggest handset maker in the world, with an impressive 15.1 million shipments for the quarter.
“Xiaomi’s Android smartphone models are wildly popular in the Chinese market and it shifts millions of them every quarter through its extensive online and operator channels. Xiaomi’s next step is to target the international market in Asia and Europe, where it will have to invest big money to familiarize western consumers with its unfamiliar brand name.”
Samsung shipped 74.5 million smartphones worldwide, capturing 25% of the market (down from 33% in the previous year). Meanwhile, Apple shipped 35.2 million iPhones during the quarter, which, while very impressive, was still down on last year’s figures (13.4% vs. 11.9%).