TMCnet News
Android strong in key markets over Christmas(City A.M. (UK) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) GOOGLE finished 2013 on top with sales of phones running its Android operating system dwarfing those of rivals iOS, Windows Phone and BlackBerry over the Christmas period. Data from researchers Kantar Worldpanel found that Android had a 68.6 per cent share of sales in the five largest European markets for the 12 week period to the end of December. Though this was slightly down on the overlapping period ending November, it was an increase of 5.7 per cent from the same stretch last year. "Android finished 2013 strongly, showing year-on-year share growth across 12 major global markets including Europe, US, Latin America, China and Japan," Kantar Worldpanel director Dominic Sunnebo. Apple maintained its position in second place with iPhones accounting for nearly one in five smartphones sold over the holiday period in Europe. Despite Microsoft's aspirations for its Windows Phone platform, sales of the smartphones remained flat accounting for just over 10 per cent of smartphones sold. "Windows Phone has now held double digit share across Europe for three consecutive months. Unfortunately for Nokia the European smartphone market is only growing at three per cent year on year so success in this market has not been enough to turn around its fortunes - reflected in its recent disappointing results," said Sunnebo. "Its performance also deteriorated toward the end of 2013 in the important growth markets of China, USA and Latin America." BlackBerry was the only platform showing consistent decline in market share, with both monthly and year on year sales down, with consumers instead choosing Android and Windows Phone. In the UK smartphone penetration stood at 69 per cent in December, with 85 per cent of mobiles sold in the past three months being smartphones. (c) 2014 City A.M. |