The Android operating system (OS) will continue to grow and will eventually capture 45% of the market in 2016, a new report said.
The ABI Research report also said some 69 million smartphones running the Android operating system shipped last year, out of the total 302 million smartphones shipped in 2010, chalking up a resounding 71% growth over 2009’s shipment levels.
“Android, Bada and BlackBerry have a great opportunity to fill the vacuum being left by the disappearance of the Symbian OS within the next two years,” said Michael Morgan, senior analyst at IDC.
Apple’s iOS, which held 15% of the market in 2010, should continue moderate but steady growth over the mid-term, backed by new product introductions. ABI Research forecasts 19% market share for iOS in 2016. RIM, which held 16% of the market in 2010, is expected to lose just a little ground: 14% is the forecast for 2016.
Of the newer entrants in the smartphone OS arena, Windows Phone 7 and Samsung’s Bada are both aimed at low- to mid-range handsets. Burden concludes, “The overall smartphone market growth for 2010 is not really so surprising: what is more significant is the 19% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) contained in our forecasts through 2016.”