The International Data Corporation or IDC has predicted that Android phones are about to take the position of Windows based PCs in the market in terms of sales by 2016. A study showed that 50% of US citizens increasingly chose smart devices over feature ones, including tablets, computers, and smartphones, showing that Windows was losing out to Google. This can be attributed to Android phones being less expensive.
Everybody wants a smart device these days, be it educational institutions who want to minimize bulk and have smarter classrooms or businesses to increase efficiency. It’s no surprise that IDC estimates that sales of smartphones will surpass 1.1 billion worldwide shipments in 2012 and 1.84 billion in 2016, meaning the compounding annual growth will be 15.4% for the 5 year period.
Tom Mainelli, research director for IDC predicts that the number of devices that run on ARM CPUs will grow from a market share of 29% to 31% in 2016 and Windows will fall from a market share of 35.9% (when it comes to computers that run on x86-compatible CPUs) to 25.1% in 2016. Such optimistic predictions aside, people still prefer the iOS due to high quality apps in spite of Apple’s smaller market share. These apps can be accessed through any iOS based device. Bob O’Donnell, Vice President of Clients and Displays at IDC was quoted saying that though people use multiple devices, the real challenge of the “PC plus era” was to put them on the cloud, an area that Apple has begun to explore already.
Though expectation for Android sales and development are high, the low price range of Android phones may put many out of business thinks Tom Mainelli, research director, Mobile Connected Devices. With smartphones being a popular way to go online, it is not surprising that the only direction smartphone sales in the US are taking is up. 48% of smart phones in the US run on the Android OS while the iPhone follows with 32%. 91% of smartphone sales in the country are made up of iPhones and Android phones.
In the Asia-Pacific region, like China, 3G mobile phone prices are being slashed which is adding to the global market, said Will Stofega, program director, Mobile Phone Technologies and Trends.
