Android's Dominance Over the Smartphone Business Gets Firmer

The good times of Android are likely to continue into the future as per the firm IDC. Though the frenetic growth of smartphones is no longer the same, Android shipments are expected to cross the 1.05 billion mark this year. This will give Google a whopping 82% of the market share and with Apple a distant second at 14% and with only 178 million shipments and Windows at a 2.7% market share having sold only 35 million pieces, Google really has nothing much to worry about.

Alternative OS Competitors Will Find It Tough

If established players like Apple and Windows are struggling, it is not difficult to predict the scene for alternative competitors like Tizen as well as Firefox. They would not be able to just compete on pricing alone and hope to gain market share. They would have to offer something more substantial if they have to stand a chance and at this point in time, that looks difficult. Android today faces no competition at all. Global sales of smart phones are expected to cross the 1.3 billion mark this year. The jump over last year is 26% and though growth may not be the same next year, even a 10-12% growth over a higher base means a lot many Android phones would be out there in the market next year and in the years to come. IFC had correctly predicted the sales of tablets last year and their figures have been proved right with tablet sales declining and Apple suffering the most. Its iPad sales have declined by 13% and here too Android was the gainer with a 67% market share. Going by that logic, the smart phone market for Android is expected to show a 12-14% growth rate till 2018. Google will have a market share of 80% and Android shipments would have crossed the 1.5 billion mark that year. Though Apple iOS too will do well, its overall share is expected to drop.

Google, Microsoft And Apple Don’t Respond

When this IDC report was presented to Google and Apple, they have not responded with their thoughts as yet. The only good news for Microsoft is that it is expected to show better growth in the next 4 years and their share will be 5.6%. Microsoft too has chosen not to respond to this estimate. Though market dominance is not only about shipment numbers and revenue too is important, Google will benefit to the extent of over $450 billion from Android hardware sales and will account for 61% of the total revenue with Apple generating 34% of the global revenue. These are figures estimated by IDC for 2018. It goes to show that Apple will maintain its premium pricing and will not bother much about dropping market share whereas Google will continue to press ahead with its affordability tag. The scenario thus looks good for consumers who can continue to expect more competitively priced smart phones and better software features on these phones.