Global smart mobile device (combined notebook, tablet and smartphone) shipments total 308.7 million units with 37.4% Y-o-Y for Q1 2013 according to Canalys, with Android devices making 59.5% of shipments.
When it comes to other OS vendors, iOS has 19.3% market share thanks to strong smartphone and tablet market presence, while Windows share totals 18.1% through "relative" PC market strength.
Tablets continue to show the fastest growth of the three market segments-- Canalys reports WW Q1 2013 tablet shipments are up by 106.1% Y-o-Y to 41.9m units. Apple controls 46.4% of the market, even if it continues to lose share for the 3rd consecutive quarter to the Android-based competition.
"The commoditisation of the tablet market has happened far quicker than that of the wider PC market," the analyst says. "Profit margins are being squeezed and vendors without a low cost structure will find it hard to compete. A solid range of must-have accessories and a software and services strategy are vital as vendors will increasingly need to make revenue around their devices."
Smartphone shipments total 216.3m units with "strong" 47.9% Y-o-Y growth. Android handsets make 75.6% of total shipments. Samsung dominates the market with share reaching 32% and 64.3% Y-o-Y volume growth, while Apple sees the lowest shipment growth (6.7%) since the 2007 original iPhone launch.
"Apple needs to respond with its next iPhone," Canalys remarks. "The iPhone UI is now 6 years old and badly in need of a refresh. Hardware-wise, the biggest dilemma that Apple faces is what it does with the size of the display on the next iPhone."
On the other hand notebook PCs continue to decline-- Q1 2013 shipments drop by -13.1% Y-o-Y to 50.5m units, with W. Europe seeing the biggest (-25.2%) decline.
The analyst concludes "...the impact of tablets must not be understated. The combination of ARM-based chipsets and Android has taken computing devices to new, lower price points. If Microsoft and Intel are serious about capitalizing on this exploding market, both will need to ensure that their OEMs can remain competitive on price."
Go Smart Mobile Device Shipments Exceed 300m in Q1 2013 (Canalys)
