Mobile Computing | Research
Android, iOS, Windows Phone All Make Gains in Second Quarter
Smart phone shipments increased by more than 50 percent in the second quarter of 2013, with the top 3 operating systems — Google's Android, Apple's iOS, and Microsoft's Windows Phone — all seeing double-digit gains, according to a new report from market research firm IDC.
The biggest winner in the three-month period ended June 30 was Android, according to IDC's latest quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. Shipments of smart phones built around Google's OS increased 73.5 percent worldwide from 2Q 2012, reaching 187.4 million units worldwide. Android now commands a 79.3 percent share of all smart phones shipped worldwide in the quarter, up from 69.1 percent in the same period last year.
According to IDC: "Android maintained its leadership position, with strong contributions from Samsung and its Galaxy S4. Not to be overlooked were LG and Chinese vendors Huawei, Lenovo, and ZTE, which each recorded double-digit shipment volumes in the millions. Combined, these vendors accounted for 62.5 percent of all Android-powered smartphone shipments during the quarter. Still, the remaining vendors within the Android ecosystem should not be overlooked, as many have developed a strong local presence within key developing markets."
Apple's iOS, in the No. 2 position, slipped in market share by a few points but increased unit shipments by 20 percent year over year, reaching 31.2million units in the second quarter of 2013. The market share for iOS decreased to 13.2 percent from 16.6 percent last year.
"The iOS decline in the second quarter aligns with the cyclicality of iPhone," said Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team, in a statement released to coincide with the latest report. "Without a new product launch since the debut of the iPhone 5 nearly a year ago, Apple's market share was vulnerable to product launches from the competition. But with a new iPhone and revamped iOS coming out later this year, Apple is well-positioned to re-capture market share."
Windows, meanwhile, leapfrogged from No. 5 to No. 3, jumping 77.6 percent to 8.7 million units in the quarter. Its market share edged upward from 3.1 percent in 2Q 2012 to 3.7 percent in 2Q 2013.
"Last quarter we witnessed Windows Phone shipments surpassing BlackBerry and the trend has continued into the second quarter," said Ryan Reith, program manager with IDC's Mobility Tracker Programs, also in a prepared statement. "Nokia has clearly been the driving force behind the Windows Phone platform and we expect that to continue. However, as more and more vendors enter the smartphone market using the Android platform, we expect Windows Phone to become a more attractive differentiator in this very competitive market segment."
BlackBerry continued its ongoing slide, dropping 11.7 percent in the quarter to hit 6.8 million units, representing a worldwide market share of 2.9 percent (down from 4.9 percent last year).
Linux wound up in the fifth position on unit shipments of 1.8 million, down 35.7 percent from 2Q 2012. It lost one point of market share, ending the quarter at 0.8 percent of the market.
Also worth noting, No. 6 Symbian tumbled 92.3 percent in the quarter, with about 500,000 unit shipments worldwide. Its market share fell four full points year over year, ending at 0.2 percent.
Total smart phone shipments in the quarter reached 236.4 million units, an increase of 51.3 percent over the second quarter of 2012.
Additional details can be found in IDC's quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
