The International Data Corporation (IDC) reports that smartphones are going to rule the world of phones and smartphone market share is expected to grow 50% in 2011. In the latest quarterly report, IDC reported that smartphone makers will ship more than 450 million smartphones in 2011 compared to 303 millions in 2010.
Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, said
Overall market growth in 2010 was exceptional. Last year’s high market growth was due in part to pent-up demand from a challenging 2009, when many buyers held off on mobile phone purchases. The expected market growth for 2011, while still notable, will taper off somewhat from what we saw in 2010.
Android No.1 Smartphone OS in 2011
According to the IDC report, with the strong customer demand for smartphones and the deluge of new smartphones from a number of manufacturers, the smartphone market will grow four times as fast as the rest of mobile market. In the race to the top of OS for smartphones, Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst with IDC’s Mobile Devices Technology and Trends team, said
Android is poised to take over as the leading smartphone operating system in 2011 after racing into the number 2 position in 2010.
And Nokia’s Symbian will be at No. 2 with 20.9% market share followed by Blackberry and iOS almost the same market share.
Windows Phone to Rise to No. 2 by 2015
The announcement of Nokia’s plan to make Windows phone as its OS starting from 2012 will cause a major disruption. IDC predicts that by 2015, the new Microsoft-Nokia alliance will help make Windows Phone the number 2 smartphone OS worldwide behind Android. It is interesting to note that although Windows Phone gains significant market share by 2015, as a combined force Microsoft-Nokia loses significantly when compared to 2011. So, it is a gain for Microsoft, but still a lose for Nokia. On the other hand, Android gains the most with 15% increase in market share by 2015. And iOS and BlackBerry hovers around similar market share as in 2011.
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