Android Blows Past 80 Percent Market Share

Google's Android mobile operating system hit a big milestone during the third quarter of 2013, according to the (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. With a total base of 211.6 million smartphone units shipped during the quarter, Android accounted for 81.0 percent of all smartphone shipments, marking the first time that Android topped 80 percent in its short history. Android only began ramping up in 2009, making its market share all the more remarkable. Samsung continues to dominate in the Android hardware space. Here are more details from IDC's latest research.

Notably, Microsoft's Windows Phone is also doing reasonably well. Windows Phone's share grew 156 percent year over year, according to IDC. "Android and Windows Phone continued to make significant strides in the third quarter. Despite their differences in market share, they both have one important factor behind their success: price," said Ramon Llamas Research Manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team, in a statement. "Both platforms have a selection of devices available at prices low enough to be affordable to the mass market, and it is the mass market that is driving the entire market forward."

IDC also provided the following chart breaking down the latest quarterly figures:

 Apple's iOS, despite seeing its total volumes increase and reaching new record third quarter volumes, saw its market share decline during 3Q13, according to IDC's numbers, most likely due to soft demand in the weeks leading up to the launch of iOS 7 smartphones.

Average selling prices for smartphones are declining and new form factors, such as phablets are arriving. For now, though, it looks like Android is firmly entrenched as the market leader.