Android grew to 81% of all smartphones shipped globally in the third quarter, while Apple's iPhones slipped to 12.9% compared to 14.4% a year ago, according to IDC.
The latest data from IDC, released Tuesday, also notes that Windows Phone grew to 3.6% market share, an increase from 2% a year ago.
Part of Apple's decline in iPhone share can be attributed to not having a large-display smartphone to sell, while nearly all Android manufacturers have a phablet on sale that has a display larger than 5 inches, IDC said. Android's third-quarter market share of 81% was up from 74.9% a year ago.
Even Nokia, which made up 93.2% of all Windows Phone-powered smartphones shipped in the third quarter, is introducing two new Lumia phones with 6-in. displays. The Lumia 1520 will be sold by AT&T starting Nov. 22, and the Lumia 1320 will be sold outside the U.S. early next year.
"It would help for Apple to have a larger phone, since they are popular in some hot markets where Apple wants to be, including North America, Europe and China," said Ramon Llamas, another IDC analyst, in an interview. "When you put all things together, there's an opportunity that Apple's not in right now and that other vendors are offering, like Samsung and now Nokia."
Llamas said he's heard the many rumors that the next iPhone, coming in another year, will have either a 4.7-in. or 5.7-in. display. Apples's latest phones, the iPhone 5S and 5C, have 4-in. displays.
Source : Computerworld
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