Third Quarter Results Show Android with Over 80 Percent of the Market Share and Huge Jump for Windows Phone Shipments

The results from International Data Corporation’s (IDC) “Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker” report for Q3 2013. We are looking at a new milestone for Google’s Android operating system. Android achieved an 81 percent share of the total base of 211.6 million smartphone units that were shipped during this quarter.

Another momentous high was also achieved. It seems that Microsoft’s Windows Phone grew by an amazing 156 percent year-over-year. The large jump is somewhat attributed to the fact that Windows Phone started last year with a small base of about 3.7 million units. This however does not take away from the fact that it is good news for Microsoft, even if it only amounts to a little less than five percent of the overall market share.

This growth from both platforms comes about despite the fact that we are seeing high saturation rates in several of the mature markets. Overall, year-over-year the smartphone market saw a 39.9 percent growth in the third quarter.

Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC's mobile phone team said, "Android and Windows Phone continued to make significant strides in the third quarter. Despite their differences in market share, they both have one important factor behind their success: price. Both platforms have a selection of devices available at prices low enough to be affordable to the mass market, and it is the mass market that is driving the entire market forward."

Ryan Reith, program director with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, added “Almost all successful Android vendors have added one or more 5-7-inch phablets to their product portfolios. And Nokia’s recent announcement of the Lumia 1320 and 1520 put them in the category as well. In 3Q13, phablet shipments accounted for 21 percent of the smartphone market, up from just 3 percent a year ago. We believe the absence of a large-screen device may have contributed to Apple's inability to grow share in the third quarter."

A breakdown for shipments of the top four operating systems can be seen in the following table:

Source: IDC Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker, November 12, 2013

Although the total volume for Apple’s iOS did increase and it reached a new record for third quarter volumes, its market share still declined during this year’s third quarter. The soft demand in the weeks leading up to the launch of iOS 7 smartphones is seen as one of the reasons.

If you look at the fact that 9 million units were sold during the last week of September, this could be an indication of future adoption. iOS could reap another record quarter in terms of volumes, market share, and year-over-year growth.

BlackBerry recorded the largest year-over-year decline among the leading operating systems during Q3 2013. A lot has been happening at BlackBerry and its results were softer demand for its new BB10 operating system and continued demand for its older BB7 within emerging markets.