In Q2 of this year, smartphone flourished everywhere around the world. Undoubtedly, Android and iOS made their stronghold in mobile OS segment, while the hold of BlackBerry and Symbian slacked during Q2 of this year. According to a market research firm–IDC–, Â in Q2 of 2012, Android and iOS succeeded to manage 85% of total mobile OS market share. Meanwhile, the market share of BlackBerry and Symbian dwindled and fell below 5%.
Android continued to grow with 68.1% market share in Q2 of this year, up 11.2% compare to the same quarter of the prior year, while iOS succeeded to hold 16.9% smartphone market share in Q2 of this year, down by 1.9% over the same quarter of the prior year. On the other hand, BlackBerry and Symbian managed 4.8% and 4.4% of smartphone market share during Q2 of 2012 respectively and their shipments  plunged by 40% and 62.9% respectively compare to the same quarter of the previous year.
How Android Grew Up Its Market Share?
Android gained smartphone market share due to several flagship models from its handset partners and low-price strategy (that users could easily afford). Besides, endeavors of Google and its hardware partners to provide best smartphone experiences to users boosted the shipments of the OS- powered devices in Q2 of this year. However, there’s still a room for entrants, but they will have to face a fierce competition from existing players due to their strong penetration in Smartphone segment.
I think, Samsung played a crucial role in Android’s smartphone market share growth; 44% Android smartphones were shipped by Samsung in Q2 of this year. If we compare Samsung’s smartphone shipments in Q2 of this year with the cumulative sum of Android next seven vendors, then we find that it’s more than the cumulative sum of its vendors’ shipments during the same period.
Apple’s Smartphone Market Share Declined
However, Apple’s iPhone’s shipments were not impressive in Q2 of this year due to users’ inclination to get their hands for its next generation smartphone (iPhone 5). Meanwhile, BlackBerry’s market share declined from 11.5% in Q2 of the last year to 4.8% in the same quarter of this year. Recently, RIM has announced to launch its BlackBerry 10 in January of the next year.
Symbian’s market share is declining due to Nokia’s decision to make Windows Phone its primary smartphone OS and also, decreasing demand of the OS in emerging markets. The shipments of the device plummeted in key economically developing countries including China, Central & Eastern Europe and Middle East Africa.
Windows Phone 7/Windows Mobile Registered Highest Y/Y Growth
Windows Phone 7/Windows Mobile succeeded to grab 3.5 % of total mobile OS in Q2 of this year, up 1.2% compare to the same quarter a year back. And also, it registered 115.3% year-over-year growth in terms of shipments in Q2 of last year. Thanks to Nokia’s Lumia models, which helped Windows Phone to make its penetration in the emerging markets. In Q2 of this year, Nokia shipped 4 million Windows powered Lumia models. There’s also an opportunity for Microsoft to accelerate its market share after launch of its Windows Phone 8 OS coming this fall.
