Google has a new record to pin to the wall. The world's largest web search engine also has the largest number of mobile devices running its Android operating system around the world.
According to Strategy Analytics, Google's Android OS dominated the world by powering 88 percent of the world's smartphone market in the third quarter of 2016. This means 9 out of every 10 mobile phones in the world are using Android, while the rest rely on iOS or other mobile OS such as BlackBerry OS, Tizen and Windows Phone.
It is also interesting that the global smartphone OS shipments and market share in Q3 2016 grew 10.3 percent over the year, whereas iOS and other operating systems lost a sizable share. Apple's exclusive iOS for its iPhones, iPads and iPod Touch devices captured 12.1 percent, leaving a negligible share of 0.3 percent to other operating systems for mobile devices.
"Android's domination of global smartphone shipments remained strong in Q3 2016, with a record 88 percent of all smartphones now running Google's OS," Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, said in a statement. "Android's gain came at the expense of every major rival platform. Apple iOS lost ground to Android and dipped to 12 percent share worldwide in Q3 2016, due to a lackluster performance in China and Africa."
But that dominance comes with its own challenges. According to Woody Oh, director of Strategy Analytics, "Android platform is getting overcrowded with hundreds of manufacturers, few Android device vendors make profits, and Google's new Pixel range is attacking its own hardware partners that made Android popular in the first place."
The report also added that the global smartphone shipments grew 6 percent year-over-year to 375.4 million during the quarter, which is the fastest growth rate for a year. Samsung took the lead in the global smartphone shipments with 75.3 million units, which dropped from 83.8 million a year ago.
Huawei, Oppo and Vivo recorded major growth in the smartphone shipments, contributing 9 percent, 5.8 percent and 4.9 percent to the total smartphone market share during the quarter.
