Android and iOS Corner 96% of Global Smartphone OS Market in 2014

In a dramatic fashion, Android and iOS swept even closer to global domination of the smartphone market in both the last quarter of 2014 and for the year as a whole. Data released from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker established that Android and iOS commanded 96.3% of all smartphone shipments, up from 95.6% in the fourth quarter of 2013 and 93.8% for the calendar year of 2013.

Remarkably, Android’s year-on-year shipment growth for 2014 exceeded the overall smartphone market rate (32.0% vs 27.7%, respectively). iOS too held its own by surpassing the market growth in the final quarter of 2014 (46.1% vs 29.2%, respectively).

“Many of the same factors that enabled Android and iOS to cement their dominance in the market,” says Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC’s Mobile Phone team. “A potent mix of strong end-user demand, revamped product portfolios, and the accessibility of low-cost devices–especially for Android–propelled these volumes to a higher plane.”

Looking forward, Llamas adds, “What deserves scrutiny is how the two operating systems fare in 2015 and beyond–especially after Apple’s entry into the phablet market which has left it with few unchartered territories to explore.”

Contrary to expectations, no formidable third ecosystem emerged after Android and iOS in 2014. Nonetheless, rumbles were felt with Windows Phone narrowly beating out competitors such as BlackBerry, Firefox, and Sailfish. However, these platforms were unable to muster the gains requisite to challenge the two frontrunners.

Melissa Chau, Senior Research Manager with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, adds, “It’s not as though competitors are twiddling their thumbs, particularly when considering growth segments such as the low-end markets. As Microsoft continues to churn out ever-cheaper Lumia devices, and with Tizen finally launching in India early this year, the quest to loosen Android’s foothold persists.”

**Smartphone OS Highlights**

**Android** smashed records by shipping more than one billion units in 2014. This victory was not only significant in itself but also because the total Android volumes that year outdid the total smartphone volumes for 2013. Samsung retained its leadership position by shipping more units than the next five vendors combined. However, Samsung’s total volumes for the year remained essentially stagnant. Asian vendors including Huawei, Lenovo (including Motorola), LG Electronics, Xiaomi, and ZTE fueled the most growth for Google’s platform.

**iOS** saw its market share for 2014 slightly taper off even as its volumes reached a watershed moment. Much of this increase was attributable to strong demand for Apple’s new and larger iPhones and the warm reception they received in key markets. Going forward, one can only speculate how Apple will continue to fuel demand, especially with larger screens being the last gap in its product portfolio.

**Windows Phone** had the smallest year-on-year increase among the leading operating systems, growing a mere 4.2%, far below the overall market. After finalizing its acquisition of Nokia in the spring of 2014, Microsoft primarily relied on a series of entry-level Lumia devices to maintain its position in the market. The launch of Windows 10 later that year positioned Windows Phone to make a more concerted effort to recapture the high-end market.

**BlackBerry**, in contrast, was the only leading operating system to post a year-on-year decline, falling a staggering -69.8% from 2013. For BlackBerry, 2014 was a year of stringent rationalization. CEO John Chen expects to ship 10 million units in 2015, which would mark a 72% increase from the 5.8 million units shipped the preceding year.

This article was updated in 2025 to reflect modern realities.

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