The latest forecast from Informa Telecoms & Media suggests that Android will overtake Symbian as the world's most popular smartphone operating system in around four years – with sales of new Android devices outnumbering Symbian smartphones in 2012.
Malik Kamal-Saadi, principal analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media, said "Informa Telecoms & Media expects that the market share of Symbian, from total smartphone users, to drop significantly from 53% in 2009 to 32% in 2015. In fact, the platform will maintain its leading position until 2014 when it will be ousted by Android, which will become the new platform leader thereafter. In terms of sales, smartphones powered by Android are expected to surpass these of Symbian as early as 2012 with more than 142 million Android phones expected to sell that year versus 137 million for Symbian."
Informa Telecoms & Media says the total number of smartphone users is expected to exceed one billion by 2013. It notes that the number of Android smartphone users is expected to grow at a 78% CAGR between 2009 and 2015 to reach 540 million, representing 38% market share from total smartphone subscribers. As a result, the number of Android users is expected to exceed those using the RIM BlackBerry and Apple iPhone by 2011.