Android will dominate up to and beyond 2016

Android will dominate the mobile space up to and beyond 2016, according to new research from The International Data Corporation (IDC). 

But perhaps most surprising statistic is of the new research is that, between now and 2016, Microsoft’s Windows Phone will be the biggest winner increasing its market share from 2.6 per cent in 2012 to 11.4 per cent in 2016. 

RIM’s BlackBerry OS will account from around 4.1 per cent come 2016, 0.5 per cent less than it did in 2012 and Apple’s iOS will close on 19.1 per cent, according to the figures.

Android, iOS, and BlackBerry will all lose market share, no doubt on account Windows Phone’s gains, but the two at the top will remain unchanged, with Android and iOS reigning supreme. 

Android, predictably, will come out on top with a predicted 63.8 per cent share of the market in 2016 – a figure that dwarfs its nearest rival Apple, which will own less than a quarter of the space. 

‘Underpinning the worldwide smartphone market is a constantly shifting mobile operating system landscape,’ said Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC’s Mobile Phone team. 

He added: ‘Android is expected to stay in front, but we also expect it to be the biggest target for competing operating systems to grab market share. At the same time, Windows Phone stands to gain the most market share as its smartphone and carrier partners have gained valuable experience in selling the differentiated experience Windows Phone has to offer.’ 

IDC says that until Apple examines the idea of releasing inexpensive iPhone devices it stands no chance of closing the gap between iOS and Android. Not even a lucrative deal in China could secure Apple the numbers it would require to dethrone Android between now and 2016. 

What’s the moral of the story here? Produce a variety of handsets at a multitude of price points and you will have success. Microsoft seemingly knows this, as does Google. Apple and RIM, on the other hand, seem to be taking a little longer to wise up.