Android is the Clear King of the Smartphones Market

Here are two tables which tell the story of smartphones market share – specially in case of Operating systems.  This assumes importance since Microsoft has come out with its new Operating System called Windows 8.  Many proclaim it as the greatest move by MSFT since Windows 95 hit the market and catapulted Microsoft to its heights.  However, when one looks at the lead that Android has slowly but surely amassed in the area of Mobile Operating system, one wonders if Windows 8 came too late to the party?

In the chart below, one can see that Google’s share of the smartphone subscribers in US has jumped from June to September. Apple has gained more – probably due to the iPhone 5 launch – but it is still almost 18 percentage points behind Google!

As you can see from the chart below, the market share in terms of shipment of devices with Android, the market share for Google’s OS has jumped from 57.5% a year ago to 75% in 3Q of 2012!  Of course, iOS from Apple has also grown, but not that much.  Others are basically gone cases.

That Google is the largest player is important not because of what it is today but because of all the stakeholders who are vested in it the world over.  From App Developers to firms which make apps and tools to Online product makers who have made Android apps for their content or apps, it is a complete web.  Unless you have that web around your product, your success is unsure.

That is why, I believe Windows 8 will not have the fate of Windows 95, the last major overhaul by Microsoft.  It came too late with too little friends to the party!