New figures released by market researchers Kantar Worldpanel have revealed that Google’s Android operating system has increased its share of the UK mobile phone market by nearly 50 per cent.
According to the data, Android now holds a 47.1 per cent share of the smartphone market – up 24.2 per cent from the last year – followed by BlackBerry with 21.5 per cent and Apple with 20.8 per cent.
In fourth place is Symbian (Nokia’s mobile OS) with 7.2 per cent, while Windows Mobile 7 has 1.7 per cent, Bada (mobile OS for Samsung handsets) holds 0.8 per cent and Windows Mobile 0.7 per cent.
While Android was the biggest winner in terms of market share, Symbian – the world’ former number one operating system – took the biggest hit, losing 19.1 per cent.
Speaking to Mobile Today, Dominic Sunnebo of Kantar Worldpanel said: “While smartphones are quickly becoming the norm there are still new sales opportunities for manufacturers that innovate in terms of design.”
However, he added: “Smartphone design is in danger of becoming too standardised, with 90 per cent of smartphones now using a candybar shape, compared with only 54 per cent in 2009, and 62 per cent including a touch-screen function.”
“With a lack of design differentiation, big name brands have to work harder to convince consumers to choose their products over another’s.”
