Android on 80 percent of smartphones but Windows Phone growing fast

Lenovo expected to become third placed vendor after Motorola deal

Almost a billion smartphones shipped globally in 2013, according to the latest figures from research firm Canalys, with Google's Android platform making up 80 percent of these, while Windows Phone was the fastest-growing platform.

Canalys confirmed Android's dominance based on figures garnered from more than 50 countries that it tracks. It found that of the 998 million smartphones sold during the year, Android was on 785 million, or just over 79 percent, up from 68 percent in 2012.

Among the major platforms Microsoft's Windows Phone saw the fastest year-on-year growth at 69 percent, although it should be noted that this impressive growth is based on a low shipment figure of just 17 million units the previous year up to 32 million.

In contrast, Apple iOS device shipments grew by just seven percent, although a glance at the figures shows that the increase from 135 million units in 2012 to 153 million in 2013 is actually greater than the increase in Windows Phones.

The move means that Windows Phone and BlackBerry OS have effectively traded places, with BlackBerry sales declining by roughly the same amount that Windows Phone has increased.

In vendor terms Apple gained market share in the fourth quarter, following the release of its new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C handsets. However, rival Samsung strengthened its position as the world's leading smartphone vendor, seeing its market share step up from 30 percent in 2012 to 32 percent in 2013.

Huawei edged past Lenovo to claim third place, but this position is likely to be reversed in future following Lenovo's recent acquisition of the former Motorola mobile division from Google. The move means that future Google Nexus devices are likely to be produced by Lenovo, according to Canalys.

Canalys principal analyst Chris Jones said: "Nexus supply will now presumably pass to Lenovo, which gains an immediate entry into the US, Motorola's major market, as well as key markets in Western Europe and Latin America."

Lenovo is likely to double its worldwide smartphone market share within two years and may achieve double-digit market share by 2015, Jones predicted.

Meanwhile, market uncertainty and caution affected Nokia's performance in the fourth quarter, with Microsoft's acquisition of its devices business yet to be finalised. The pair failed to stimulate sufficient demand for the latest Lumia products to deliver a seasonal sales boost, Canalys said.