Android Dominates Global Smartphone Shipments

The iOS operating system from Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) lost market share year-over-year, dropping from 16.6% in the second quarter of 2012 to 13.6% in the second quarter of 2013. Windows Phone from Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) solidified its hold on third place, with a year-over-year gain of 0.3%, from 3.6% to 3.9%. The data come from research firm Strategy Analytics.

Of the 229.6 million smartphones shipped in the second quarter, Android accounted for 182.6 million, iOS for 31.2 million and Windows Phone for 8.9 million. On a year-over-year basis, Android shipments rose 68%, iOS shipments rose 20% and Windows Phone shipments rose by 59%.

Apple’s total market share in the second quarter was its lowest total in three years. Most of the decline was due to the increase of Android shipments, but Microsoft also is gaining share at Apple’s expense.

As far as Microsoft, an analyst at Strategy Analytics noted that the company is making “steady progress,” but needs to improve in two areas:

First, the license fee charged to smartphone makers for [Windows Phone 8] must be more competitive to compete with Android in lower price-bands. And second, Microsoft must dramatically accelerate its support for advanced technologies …

Easy to say, not so easy to do.