Google Android Claimed 75% Of Q3 Smartphone Market Share

The Google Android mobile OS controlled 75 percent of the Smartphone market in Q3 2012. According to a new study by market analysis firm IDC, the jump in market share was a direct result of faltering market reach for Nokia’s Symbian platform and Research In Motion’s Blackberry mobile OS.

According to the study, Google Android smartphone shipments increased by 91.5 percent during Q3 2012. Apple, in the meantime, watched its Apple iOS shipments claim 57.3 percent of the smartphone market.

IDC suggests that 181.1 million smartphones shipped in Q3 2012, a jump of 46.4 percent from one year earlier.

Based on current estimates, Google Android devices accounted for 136 million of those sales and iOS smartphones accounted for 26.9 million units sold.

Overall, Apple is believed to hold a 14.9 percent share of all smartphones currently on the market, up 1.1 percent from Q3 2011. Android is estimated to control 17.5 percent of the overall market based on end of Q3 numbers.

Suffering at the hands of Android and iOS was Symbian, which watched its share drop from 14.6 percent last year to 2.3 percent this year. The report also found that the Symbian-based smartphones were down 77.3 percent.

Research In Motion, in the meantime, now controls 4.3 percent of the market, more than half of its market share during the end of Q3 2011.

Microsoft has fared better, shipping 3.6 million units since the same period of 2011. While the Windows Phone OS has improved its market share, the company still only controlled two percent of Q3 2012.

In terms of market share by company, Apple still leads a quickly growing Samsung smartphone division.