Android now claims three-quarters of worldwide smartphone market

Android has pulled ahead as the dominant smartphone platform during the first quarter of 2013, according to new IDC figures.

The figures show the worldwide smartphone market hit 216.2 million units during the first quarter of 2013, up from 152.7 million for the same quarter last year.

Android shipped on 162.1 million smartphones or 75% of the worldwide market, up from 90.3 million and 59.1% marketshare a year earlier.

Apple grew slightly, from 35.1 million in the first quarter of 2012 to 37.4 million in the first quarter of 2013, but its marketshare fell from 23% to 17.3%.

Windows Phone claimed a distant third with 7 million units and 3.2%, up from 3 million units and 2% marketshare year-on-year.

BlackBerry plunged to fourth with 6.3 million units and 2.9% marketshare, down from 9.7 million units and 6.4% marketshare a year earlier.

“Android and iOS accounted for more than the lion’s share of smartphones in the first quarter, but a closer examination of the other platforms reveals turnaround and demand for alternatives,” says IDC mobile research team manager Ramon Llamas.

“Windows Phone has benefited from Nokia’s participation, and BlackBerry’s new BB10 devices have already hit a million units shipped in its first quarter of availability.”