Research company Canalys says the Android operating system has become the world’s leading smartphone platform. Its calculations show that 32.9 million Android-based smartphones were shipped worldwide in Q4 2010, followed by 31 million devices running Nokia’s Symbian platform. Over 101.2 million smartphones were shipped in the fourth quarter, representing year-on-year growth of 89%.
Chris Jones, Canalys VP and Principal Analyst, said “2010 has been a fantastic year for the smart phone market. After a difficult 2009, the speed with which the market has recovered has required real commitment and innovation from vendors and they have risen to the challenge. But vendors cannot afford to be complacent. 2011 is set to be a highly competitive year with vendors looking to use new technology, such as dual-core processors, NFC and 3D displays, to differentiate their products and maintain value.”
Canalys analysis, quarterly smartphone shipments
