Smartphone sales have increased by 42 per cent year on year, the latest statistics have shown.
The figures from Gartner, which are for worldwide sales, also show that the Android Operating System was behind 52.5 per cent of all smartphones sold. While Apple’s iOS took 15 per cent of the market share, as consumers put off upgrading while waiting for the elusive iPhone 5.
Samsung became the No. 1 smartphone manufacturer worldwide, as sales tripled year on year to reach 24 million. Gartner attributes this success to the strong performance of the Samsung Galaxy handsets.
The number of iPhones sold fell by three million between Q2 and Q3, but Gartner believes that Apple will pull this back in Q4 due to its strongest ever pre-orders for the iPhone 4S in the first weekend after its announcement.
Commenting, Roberta Cazza, principal research analyst at Gartner said: “Some consumers held off upgrading in the third quarter because they were waiting for promotions on other new high-end models that were launched in the run-up to the fourth quarter holiday season. Other consumers were waiting for a rumoured new iPhone and associated price cuts on older iPhone models.”
On Android’s market domination, Cazza said: “Android benefited from more mass-market offerings, a weaker competitive environment and the lack of exciting new products on alternative operating systems.”
