BlackBerry smartphone shipments sink
Troubled smartphone maker Blackberry recorded the largest year-over-year decline among the leading operating systems during 3Q13 – a quarter that saw Google’s Android extend its global domination.
With a total base of 211.6 million smartphone units shipped during the quarter, Android accounted for 81% of all smartphone shipments during the third quarter of 2013 (3Q13), according to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Despite high saturation rates in a number of mature markets, the overall smartphone space grew 39.9% year-over-year in the third quarter.
Microsoft’s Windows Phone grew 156% year over year, although off a small base of 3.7 million units a year ago, with an overall market share at less than 5%.
“Android and Windows Phone continued to make significant strides in the third quarter. Despite their differences in market share, they both have one important factor behind their success: price,” said Ramon Llamas, research manager with IDC’s Mobile Phone team.
Smartphone average selling prices (ASPs) continued to decline as the appetite for more affordable devices grows, IDC noted. ASPs were down 12.5% in 3Q13, accounting for an average price of $317.
The research specialist pointed out that the market has seen a large influx of large-screen smartphones (5-7” screens), also known as phablets.
Phablet ASPs in 3Q13 were notably higher than the market average at $443. However, the 3Q13 ASP was down 22.8% from the $573 phablet ASP in 3Q12.
“In 3Q13, phablet shipments accounted for 21% of the smartphone market, up from just 3% a year ago. We believe the absence of a large-screen device may have contributed to Apple’s inability to grow share in the third quarter,” said Ryan Reith, Program Director at the IDC.
| Operating Systems |
3Q13 Shipments |
3Q13 Market Share |
3Q12 Shipments |
3Q12 Market Share |
Year-Over-Year Change |
| Android | 211.6 | 81.0% | 139.9 | 74.9% | 51.3% |
| iOS | 33.8 | 12.9% | 26.9 | 14.4% | 25.6% |
| Window Phone | 9.5 | 3.6% | 3.7 | 2.0% | 156.0% |
| BlackBerry | 4.5 | 1.7% | 7.7 | 4.1% | -41.6% |
| Others | 1.7 | 0.6% | 8.4 | 4.5% | -80.1% |
| Total | 261.1 | 100.0% | 186.7 | 100.0% | 39.9% |
Operating Systems
While Android as a whole moved forward, Samsung accounted for 39.9% of all Android shipments for the quarter, while the rest of the vendors either saw single-digit market share or, in the case of the majority of vendors, market share of less than 1%.
iOS, despite seeing its total volumes increase and reaching new record third quarter volumes, saw its market share decline during 3Q13, most likely due to soft demand in the weeks leading up to the launch of iOS 7 smartphones.
“Still, if the 9 million units sold during the last week of September is any indication of future adoption, iOS stands to reap another record quarter in terms of volumes, market share, and year-over-year growth,” the IDC said.
The IDC said that, by itself, Nokia accounted for 93.2% of all the Windows Phone-powered smartphones shipped during the quarter.
BlackBerry recorded the largest year-over-year decline among the leading operating systems during 3Q13. Underpinning its results was softer demand for its new BB10 operating system and continued demand for its older BB7 within emerging markets.
“Now with a new CEO in place and an infusion of $1 billion, what remains to be seen is how and when the beleaguered operating system will be able to change course in the face of mounting pressure from Android, iOS, and Windows Phone,” the IDC said.
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