Google’s Android platform now makes up 52.5 percent of the worldwide smartphone market, according to data from industry analysts Gartner.

 

The results are impressive for Google to say the least, having more than doubled their market share since this period last year. Android has effectively taken a bite from every single one of its rivals’ shares, bar Apple’s iOS which has remained level.

Roberto Cozza, research analyst at Gartner said that Android had “benefited from more mass-market offerings, a weaker competitive environment and the lack of exciting new products on alternative operating systems such as Windows Phone 7 and RIM.”

Nokia’s Symbian OS claimed second spot, but also suffered a huge drop in market share, down to 16.9 percent from 36.3 percent – unsurprising due to Nokia’s concentration on their partnership with Microsoft.

Apple were third, dropping 1.6 percent from last year’s 16.6 percent, and the blame is placed firmly on the disappointing performance of the iPhone 4 – things should be getting better with the 4S, but the public was really expecting, not to mention waiting for, the iPhone 5.

RIM come fourth in the OS table, losing 4.4 percent of their market share and although the Bada OS from Samsung doubled its share from 1.1 to 2.2 percent, the company’s use of Android in their top-of-the-range smartphones looks set to continue for some time.

Microsoft are in a lowly sixth place, dropping from 2.6 to 0.9 percent, However, while this might produce the odd nervous squeak for employees waiting outside Ballmer’s office, we’re pretty sure that Microsoft will be reasonably confident of picking up in 2012, once the Windows Phone OS really starts flying.

The gloves are off for Christmas……

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