China: Q3 2012: Androids take 90,1% market share.

WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jesùs.

China: Q3 2012: Androids take 90,1% market share.

Google's Android platform has taken a 90% share of the smartphone platform market in China. However, as iPhone 5 and many Windows Phone 8 models will be introduced to the China market at the end of 2012, Android's market share is expected to decline.

According to market research institutes, Android has taken more than 70% share of the global smartphone market. As for the China market, which has been dominated by low-price smartphones, the Android platform has taken about 90% of the market. Another research institute stated that among smartphones in China, Android has seen increasing market share from 58.2% in third-quarter 2011, to 90.1% in third-quarter 2012.

Handset makers noted that this is mainly due to the multiple brands and price ranges that carry the Android platform. Also, handset makers added, Android has been excelling in market share because iPhone and Windows Phone have been transitioning to new models.

In China, handset makers have been promoting the Android platform with models priced under CNY1,000 (US$160) which has been pushing the platform to lead in market share. Studies show the average price of Android smartphones in China in the third quarter was CNY1,393, a 10% on-quarter decrease. This average price is far lower than the price of CNY4,523 for iOS handsets. Compared to the average price of CNY3,000 and CNY2,000 for Blackberry OS and Windows Phone, respectively, the average price for Android handsets is also cheaper.

The expanding market share of Android is creating tougher competition for other platforms. iPhone has a sizable market share of 4.2% in the high-end market in China, however, this is far lower than its 14-15% share in the global market.

In the past, China's smartphone market was dominated by Nokia's Symbian platform. In the third quarter of 2012, Symbian's market share dropped to 2.4%.