Google would definitely be ecstatic for the fact that Android accounted for almost 85 percent of global smartphone shipments in the second quarter of 2014, new report claims.
According to latest figures as released by research firm IDC on Thursday, a record 301.3 million smartphone units were shipped in the second quarter this year, up 25.3 percent as compared to 240.5 million devices shipped during the same period last year.
Out of the total 301.3 million smartphones shipped during Q2, Android-powered smartphones accounted for roughly 255.3 million units, or nearly 85 percent of the shipments, up from 191.5 million devices shipped in the same period a year ago, with Samsung accounting for 29.3 percent of all Android-powered shipments.
Apple’s iOS powered smartphones accounted for 11.7-percent market share in the three month period, as against 13-percent recorded in the June 2013 quarter.
While Android and iOS were no doubt declared as the market leaders, smartphone makers Microsoft and BlackBerry had to satisfy with the remaining percentage points. Microsoft’s Windows Phone shipments declined to just 7.4 million, or 2.5 percent in 2014, as compared to 8.2 million shipments, or 3.4 percent share a year ago.
Blackberry stood last in the list with a mere 0.5 percent smartphone market share during the quarter off from 2.8 percent in the same period in 2013.
Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC’s Mobile Phone team said Android has been successful in reaping huge gains within emerging markets with many of its OEM partners focusing on the sub-$200 segments.
Llamas said around 58.6 percent of all Android smartphone global shipments during the second quarter cost less than $200 off contract which made it attractive as against other rival devices.
He expects the sub-$200 volume proportion will climb even higher in future with introduction of Android One, in which Google offers reference designs below $100 to Android OEMs.
