Everyone expects Android to take 50% of the market going forward with Apple maintaining a strong third place in its high margin, formidably strong redoubt. Where there’s room for a Palm OS, now owned by HP, is completely unclear.
If nothing else, these new numbers should remind everyone that it’s the mobile smartphone operating system that really matters. As long as you’re not developing for Apple, the device is of secondary importance.
Of course, if your service uses text massaging, the smartphone OS market dynamics and passions they inspire don’t matter a whit.
In 2011, Android will get nearly 39% of the smartphone market, which will total more than 467 million smartphones.
“Gartner has revised its forecast of Windows Phone’s market share upward, solely by virtue of Microsoft’s alliance with Nokia,” Gartner said in a statement.
Gartner analyst Roberta Cozza explained the Windows Phone growth, noting that Nokia will be able to sell Windows Phones at lower prices than many smartphones sold today and to sell them globally through an extensive sales channel.
