In a new forecast, Gartner predicts worldwide smartphones sales in 2011 will increase nearly 58% to 468 million and that Android will be easily the most popular mobile operating system by year's end,
with 38.5% market share. By 2012, Gartner expects that share to grow to nearly 49%. The research firm also projects Windows Phone becoming the second most pervasive smartphone platform by 2015, with
19% share, on the strength of Microsoft's recent alliance with Nokia.
IDC issued a similar forecast last week, projecting 49% growth in the smartphone market and Android becoming the dominant
platform this year, with a 39.5% share. That figure will climb to 45% in 2015. The research firm also predicted Windows Phone will be second to Android by then, with a nearly 21% share. Read more here.