Worldwide sales of smart phones are expected to reach a staggering 1.1BN in 2015, according to a recent report by Gartner Inc. As early as the end of 2011 it is expected that smartphone sales will be 468 Million units, a 57.7% increase on last year. This growth should continue over the medium term culminating in the 1.1 billion units expected to be sold in 2015.
Android are expected to consolidate the dominance they set in the market at the end of 2010, growing their current 23% market share to authoritative 49% in 2015. “As vendors delivering Android-based devices continue to fight for market share, price will decrease to further benefit consumers” said Roberta Cozza, principal analyst at Gartner. “Android’s position at the high end of the market will remain strong, but its greatest volume opportunity in the longer term will be in the mid- to low-cost smartphones, above all in emerging markets.”
Meanwhile iOS are expected to remain the second biggest platform worldwide through 2014. Without a direct competitor on its own platform, Apple will not be under pressure to reduce profit margins in favour of increasing market share. Their expected static price will result in a stagnated growth, from a 15.7% market share in 2010 to only 17.2% in 2015.
The biggest loser of market share is of course expected to be Symbian, declining from market leader last year to negligible share in 2015. Following the partnership of Microsoft and Nokia this was expected. What was less expected was who Gartner expect to pick up that share as Symbian wanes. The meteoric rise of Android will naturally account a portion of Symbian’s loss, however much of it will stay within the confines of Nokia influence. Gartner expect Nokia to push Windows phone into the mid tier of its portfolio by end of 2012, driving Microsoft into a surprise second place for expected market share in 2015.
What do you think? Will the new NokSoft partnership be able to take on the might of Android and even beat iOS in the market that apple helped to define?
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