ABI Research: Android on 45% Smartphones by 2016

Google's Android operating system is expected to account for around 45 percent of the total smartphone shipments in 2016, becoming the leading mobile operating system in the world.

At the same time, the company notes that Apple’s iOS is expected to be placed on the second position on the market at that time, with 19 percent market share.

ABI Research notes that the smartphones shipments reached 302 million in 2010, and that 69 million units arrived on shelves with Google's Android platform on board, a number that would increase significantly during the next few years.

“Android, Bada and BlackBerry have a great opportunity to fill the vacuum being left by the disappearance of the Symbian OS within the next two years,” notes senior analyst Michael Morgan.

Apple’s iOS is expected to increase its market share from the 15 percent it accounted for last year, while RIM might see its share go down from 16 percent of the market in 2010, to 14 percent in 2016.

“RIM’s slight loss of share doesn’t mean falling shipments,” says Vice President Kevin Burden. “RIM has found its niche, but the consumer market will grow faster than its portion of it.”

What's interesting to note include the research company's expectations regarding Samsung's bada operating system, which they say might account for around 10 percent of the market in 2016.

“With 4 million units shipped in 2010 (amounting to a 1.5% market share), Bada has taken off very well, very fast,” Morgan notes, adding that Windows Phone 7's market share would fall short of bada's.

“Bada may reach 10% market share by 2016. Windows Phone 7, on the other hand, which shipped in two million handsets in Q4 2010, will have to find incredible success through its Nokia channel to take more than 7% of the market by 2016.”

The smartphone market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19 percent through 2016, the research firm states. Additional info on ABI Research’s “Smartphone Market Data” can be found on the company's website.