Android would rule for next 5 years: IDC

BANGALORE, INDIA: Google's Android is expected to remain as the world's most shipped smartphone operating system for the next five years, although its market share will peak this year, according to a new report by International Data Corporation (IDC), a market intelligence firm.

The IDC report also also predicts that the Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 will overtake Apple's iOS by the end of 2016.

The IDC's forecast says that sluggish global economic conditions and decline in feature phone market are expected to drag down overall mobile phone market growth to just 4 per cent year over year, which is the lowest annual growth rate since 2009. However, feature phones will still comprise 61.6 percent of the total mobile phone market this year.

"The mobile phone user transition from feature phones to smartphones will continue in a gradual but unabated fashion. Smartphone growth, however, will increasingly be driven by a triumvirate of smartphone operating systems, namely Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7." said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst, IDC.

Market intelligence firm International Data Corporation (IDC) is reporting that Google's Android is expected to remain as the world's most shipped smartphone operating system for the next five years, although its market share will peak this year. It also predicts that the Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 will overtake Apple's iOS by the end of 2016.

According to IDC's latest forecast, sluggish global economic conditions and decline in feature phone market are expected to drag down overall mobile phone market growth to just 4 per cent year over year, which is the lowest annual growth rate since 2009. However, feature phones will still comprise 61.6 percent of the total mobile phone market this year.

"The mobile phone user transition from feature phones to smartphones will continue in a gradual but unabated fashion. Smartphone growth, however, will increasingly be driven by a triumvirate of smartphone operating systems, namely Android, iOS and Windows Phone 7." said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst, IDC.