Android accounts for more than half the smartphone market in China

We’ve reported in the past that China is one of the fastest growing markets for smartphones, with demand seemingly multiplying on a daily basis. So naturally, this is one big market that most, if not all, players in the mobile world have their eyes on.

And now, according to a study from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, and later reported by CNET, Google’s Android operating system is crushing the competition in the country, being the platform running on 51.4 percent of all active smartphones by the end of Q1, which is a 2.8 percent growth over its position at the end of the 2012’s fourth quarter.

Samsung devices are proving to be the fastest growing of the Android-run products in that market, accounting for 15.2 percent of all active devices. Craig Yu, the consumer insight director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, noted that the company’s Galaxy S4 sold a whopping 10 million units around the world in just a month. But China is a market that largely favors the more affordable smartphones, and Yu predicts that “the launch of Galaxy S4 Mini in the not too distant future will greatly increase its product reach in urban China.”

Trailing behind Android is Nokia’s Sybian, accounting for 23 percent of the market. While still impressive, it’s share is a drop of 2 percent from the previous quarter. This may be a temporary high, predicts Kantar, as Nokia is planning to phase out its older OS, which could cause it to drop down to third place, or even lower.

But for now, iOS is the bronze medalist, with just 19.9 percent of the market share. Perhaps if we finally do see the predicted affordable iPhone Mini introduced to the market, Apple may start to climb even higher. As Yu pointed out, the increase in smartphone use in the area will continue to climb as more affordable options become available.

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