Android has hit new records the past Q3, beating Apple’s iOS and other available platforms. The Cupertino company reported a decline recently which meant some numbers went to Android. Google has captured 88 percent of the global market with phone shipments reaching 375 million. That’s only for Q3 2016 which is a lot despite Samsung, one of the top OEMs in the world, losing some sales. Perhaps people within the mobile industry are just switching from one brand to another.
Compared to last year, same quarter, shipments increased by 6 percent (from 354.2M). So far, this is the fastest for the smartphone market. Just when we thought the smartphone game has reached its plateau, here’s some good news especially for Android. We’re not really surprised though since emerging markets like those in South Africa and India are on a rise.
Android is still King. The platform still dominates the mobile industry, winning over the Apple iOS. The latter even experienced a 12% decline in global sales, no thanks to poor numbers in Africa and China.
As for the “Others”—BlackBerry and Windows Phone—they only captured a combined 2.3% which is practically nothing.
They say Android is getting overcrowded but we don’t think the situation will change soon because “its low-cost services and user-friendly software remain attractive to hardware makers, operators and consumers worldwide” according to Strategy Analytics Director Woody Oh.
Ironically, as devices get more affordable and more units are being sold, more companies are losing money. This is a big challenge for most OEMs especially Android partners. We know market will also be affected with the release of the Google Pixel range—better for Google, not so with the phone makers as they compete with more groups willing to sell products at such lower prices.
SOURCE: Strategy Analytics
