A new report from market research firm Canalys indicates that Google’s Android mobile operating system now owns nearly half of the global market share. Overall Q2 2011 smartphone shipments topped 107.7 million units (up 73 percent year-on-year). Android-powered smartphone shipments grew 379 percent over the same quarter a year ago to 51.9 million.
Android is now leading in 35 of the 56 countries being tracked by Canalys. Its market share in some Asian countries is staggering: 85 percent in Korea and 71 percent in Taiwan for example.
Apple’s iOS, represented by the Apple iPhone, saw shipments of 20.3 million units, good enough for a global market share of 19 percent. More importantly, Apple is now the world’s leading individual smart phone vendor. It took the position over from a slumping Nokia which fell from the position it had held for years to third as Samsung overtook it as well for second place with shipments of 17 million smartphones. HTC also had a good quarter although global numbers were not provided (but reaching a 21 percent share in North America). RIM saw global shipments rise 11 percent but its North American share slipped to 12 percent (down from 33 percent a year ago), highlighting the challenges the company faces going forward.
With Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich), BlackBerry 7, iOS 5 and Windows Phone 7.5 all in the wings, this battle is far from over…