The battle between iOS and Android is ongoing and both platforms do command the largest slice of the pie. However it is no secret that thanks to the various Android OEMs, Google’s mobile operating system is actually in the lead. In fact according to the IDC’s latest numbers (via MobileSyrup), it seems that come 2019 we can expect Google to continue to pull ahead.
Based on their numbers, IDC estimates that by 2019 Google’s Android operating system should command a global market share of 82.6%. This increase over four years is a bit small but it also comes at the expense of iOS which is predicted to command 14.1% of the market by that time. As it stands, IDC predicts Android will hold about 81.2% by the end of the year and iOS is at 15.8%, so IDC actually predicts Apple will lose market share in the next four years.
Their numbers also reveal that they estimate that Android OEMs will be shipping a staggering 1.16 billion handsets this year, but that number will increase to 1.54 billion in 2019. Apple has also been estimated to increase their shipments from 226 million to 263.4 million, but obviously the difference is smaller than Android hence the reason they could end up ceding market share to Google.