Talk of a duopoly between Samsung and Apple in the US and, as such, between Android and iOS has been backed up by the latest projections delivered by Datamonitor's technology-focused arm Ovum.
The firm predicts smartphone shipments will enjoy a compound annual growth rate of 24.9 percent between 2011 and 2017, with annual shipments eventually topping out at 1.7 billion.
More importantly, however, Ovum believes it will be Google and Apple leading that charge, leaving the rest of the smartphone market far behind.
Eyes on Android
Ovum expects Android to grow its share to 48 percent of the smartphone market by 2017. That's up from its hand of 44 percent in 2011.
Apple, too, will expand, with iOS rising from a current global base of 23 percent in 2011 to 27 percent in 2017.
"Android will dominate the smartphone market over the next five years," said principal analyst Adam Leach.
"While Apple has defined the smartphone market since it introduced the iPhone in 2007, we're now seeing a sharp rise in the shipment volumes of Android, signalling its appeal to leading handset manufacturers."
Rising Windows
Feature phones will only play a small role against this onslaught, Leach claims, with Google and Apple pushing them out thanks to a continued smartphones surge in developed markets such as North America and Western Europe.
"Although it will remain behind Android in terms of shipment volumes, Apple will continue to be a key player and innovator in the smartphone market over the forecast period," added Leach.
"We expect Microsoft, despite its slow start, to have established Windows Phone as a relevant smartphone platform by 2017."
Indeed, Windows Phone will hold 13 percent of the market by 2017, Ovum concludes, ahead of BlackBerry on 10 percent.
[source: Ovum]
Data & Research
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
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