Android will take 45 per cent of smartphone market share by 2016

IN YET ANOTHER SHOW OF SUPPORT for the Android operating system, ABI Research has forecast that 45 per cent of the smartphone market will belong to the little green robot by 2016.

Google's mobile operating system shipped 69 million units in 2010 and its high growth is expected to continue over the next five years to make up nearly half of the total market by 2016.

Rival platforms will not do as well, but Apple's IOS will see growth from its current 15 per cent market share to 19 per cent by 2016, thanks to the introduction of new Iphone and Ipad products.

Bada will grow to 10 per cent, but Windows Phone 7 will struggle. ABI Research said that it will need to have "incredible success" with its Nokia deal or it will barely get higher than seven per cent of the market by 2016, which puts it at the bottom of the chart. This prediction starkly contradicts IDC forecasts that the Microsoft operating system will have the second largest market share by 2015.

RIM will lose further market share, dropping from 16 per cent to 14 per cent in five years time. ABI Research said that RIM "has found its niche", but the consumer market, where RIM is not as strong, will grow much faster. µ