Strategy Analytics: Global smartphone shipments reached 229.6 million units in Q2 2013, 182.6 million of which were Android phones

Android phones accounted for 80% of the smartphone market in the second quarter

On August 2, 2013, market research firm Strategy Analytics released a report on Thursday saying that in the second quarter of this year, Android phones have occupied 80% of the global smartphone market.

Strategy Analytics' report shows that of the 229.6 million smartphones shipped worldwide in the second quarter, 182.6 million were powered by Google's Android operating system. Apple's iOS operating system ranked second with a market share of 13.6% and 31.2 million smartphones shipped. Windows Phone ranked third with a market share of 3.9% and 8.9 million smartphones shipped.

Neil Mawston, managing director at Strategy Analytics, said: “Competitive licensing costs, a wide range of hardware partners and a larger app store continue to be the main drivers of Android’s success. Apple’s iOS share of the global smartphone market fell to 14% in the second quarter, the lowest level since the second quarter of 2010.”

Despite the decline in iOS market share, the second quarter was still very strong for Apple. The company shipped 26 million more phones in the second quarter than in the same period last year. Android phones shipped a total of 108.7 million units in the second quarter of 2012. This means that the total number of smartphones shipped worldwide in the second quarter of 2012 was 156.5 million units, 73 million fewer than in the second quarter of this year.

Strategy Analytics also emphasized that Windows Phone has made significant progress in the mobile field, but stressed that if Microsoft wants to gain more market share, the company must lower the Windows Phone software licensing fee to allow Windows Phone to better compete with Android.

A report previously released by Strategy Analytics showed that the world's top five smartphone manufacturers in the second quarter were Samsung Electronics, Apple, LG Electronics, ZTE and Huawei, with shipments of 76 million, 31.2 million, 12.1 million, 11.5 million and 11.1 million units, respectively, with market shares of 33.1%, 13.6%, 5.3%, 5.0% and 4.8%, respectively.