Android smartphone share crosses 50 pc

BANGALORE, INDIA: Sale of smart phones based on Andorid operating system has sored over the months and Android has emerged as dominant software by capturing a market share of 51.8 per cent of all smartphone owned so far.

Andorid phones also accounted to 54.6 per cent of of purchases in the past three months, according to a new study by research firm Nielsen.

The finding is in line with an earlier survey by ComScore, which also found Android had secured half the market.

Analysts credit strong sales of high-end Android phones like Samsung's Galaxy range and HTC's One X - but, more, a swarm of low-cost Androids.

Within the Android camp, Samsung has the greatest market share, followed by Taiwan's HTC (which also makes budget house-brands for phone companies) and recent Google acquisition Motorola.

The losers are RIM's BlackBerry, which continues to fall away, and the Nokia-backed, Microsoft Windows Phone platform, which has yet to gain serious traction. Yesterday, Nokia halved the price of its flagship Lumia 900 smartphone.