Android is the dominant operating system when it comes to smartphones, while iOS and Windows Phone are well behind Google 's platform .
Android can do is eat market share from each other.
It's been several quarters since BlackBerry and Windows Phone swapped places, with Microsoft 's operating system coming in third in the market.
However, this is not that important in practice, since the Windows Phone platform has not yet exceeded 5% market share. Even though it ranks third, Microsoft has not been able to improve Windows Phone sales worldwide, even after the separation of Nokia devices .
Things aren't much better in the tablet market, as research firm IDC has just released data on the tablet market for 2014.
Just like in the smartphone category, Windows holds third place, while Android is at the top with a 67.7% market share.
iOS is in second place with just 27.5%, while Windows is in third place with just 4.6% of the market share. Once again, Microsoft failed to break the 5% mark, which seems to be a real nemesis for the company.
However, the future looks bright for Windows , as Microsoft 's operating system achieved 67.3% year-over-year growth. Android 's tablet market share also grew 16% year-over-year to 67.7%.
In conclusion, the big loser is Apple 's iOS , having lost 12.7% of market share in about a year. iOS's market share for tablets is now at 27.5%, and there is no indication that it could increase much next year.
"The tablet market continues to be driven by some key trends in the underlying markets. In the early stages of the tablet market, device lifespans are expected to be roughly the same as smartphone lifespans, with devices requiring replacement every 2-3 years," said Ryan Reith, program director for IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers .
Basically, iOS has lost a significant market share, as customers who own an Apple tend to keep their devices for more than 3 or even 4 years.
Price is another aspect to consider, since Apple are always more expensive than Android/Windows and owners tend to be "tied" to them.
