Android Tops 80% Share In Q3

Android-based devices accounted for more than eight in 10 (81%) smartphones shipped in the third quarter, up from 75% a year ago, according to the latest data from research firm IDC. Apple’s iOS operating system, meanwhile, saw its market share shrink to 12.9% from 14.4% in the year-earlier period, despite a 26% increase in units shipped.

The number of Windows Phone handsets shipped in the quarter nearly tripled to 9.5 million, helping the Microsoft platform to increase its market share to 3.6% from 2%. BlackBerry’s share, by contrast, fell to 1.7% from 4.1% on a 42% drop-off in shipments year-over-year. So Windows Phone is now the clear No. 3 OS, but still a long way behind Android and iOS.

The 40% overall gain in the smartphone space in the quarter was fueled in part by a 12.5% decline in the average selling price of devices to $317. Large-screen smartphones, or “phablets,” were priced notably higher at $443, on average, but that was down 22.8% from $573 a year ago.

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