iOS Grows But Android Still Dominant

Android, however, still continues to lead the way, claiming a 58.1 per cent market share, up from 55.6 per cent year-on-year, while Windows Phone lost market share, claiming a 6.2 per cent share, down from 9.3 per cent.

Android has continued its dominance of the European operating system market, Kantar found, holding a 73.9 per cent share, with iOS claiming 15.4 per cent, followed by Windows Phone with 9.2 per cent.

In the US, Android holds a 61.8 per cent market share, followed by iOS with 32.6 per cent and Windows Phone with 4.3 per cent.

Apple has experienced market share and volume increases across all major European markets, as well as in China and Australia, in part thanks to the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, Kantar reported.

Market competition has been reinvigorated in the US with LG and Motorola increasing their shares, Kantar stated, with the recently launched LG G3 and Motorola Moto X better positioned to compete with flagship products from Samsung and HTC.

Apple’s US market share declined three percentage points year-on-year in the three months ending in September, however Kantar noted “it is clear that demand for the iPhone 6 has been very healthy”.

In China, local brand Xiaomi continues to dominate, with its Xiaomi Red Rice 1S and Xiaomi Rice Note models the two top selling smartphones over the past three months, helping it to secure a 30.3 per cent market share, followed by Samsung with an 18.4 per cent share.