Google's Android operating system generates plenty of buzz, with new Android-based phones debuting all the time. And now, all of that buzz is translating into sales, with new research showing that sales Android-based phones have increased dramatically.
For the first quarter of 2010, Android phones accounted for 9.6 percent of all smartphones sold, according to industry researcher Gartner. That's a marked increase from the first quarter of 2009, when Android-based phones had just a 1.6 percent market share. Android is now the fourth most popular mobile platform, surpassing Microsoft's aging Windows Mobile OS, Gartner says.
Symbian remains the most popular mobile OS worldwide, with 44.3 percent of the market, Gartner says. That is a decrease from last year, though, when Symbian held 48.8 percent of the market. According to Gartner, the only two platforms to gain market share this year were Android and Apple's iPhone OS.
Other notable findings from Gartner's report:
- Smartphones accounted for 17.3 percent of all mobile phone sales in Q1 2010. That's up from 13.6 percent in the same period last year.
- The first quarter of 2010 was Apple's "strongest quarter yet," with a 112.2 percent increase in mobile device sales.
- The top handset manufacturers worldwide are (in order): Nokia, Samsung, LG, RIM, and Sony Ericsson.
Photo © Google
Comments