The eyes of the technology world are focused on the epic patent struggle between Apple and Samsung - the latest iteration of Apple's frantic legal battle against everything Android. The iPhone maker has also brought suits against Android device manufacturers HTC and Motorola. Apple has faced criticism for its endless lawsuits designed to stunt competition from Google's Android, but a quick look at Android device shipments in the second quarter of 2012 reveals a key number that suggest Apple is right to worry.
That number is 68.
According to research firm IDC, Android devices made up a whopping 68.1% of all smartphone shipments in Q2 2012. That calculates to 104.8 million of the 154 million smartphones that left manufacturers plants in the quarter. By comparison, Apple shipped 26 million iPhones in the quarter, good for 16.9% of the market. Together, iOS and Android made up 85% of all smartphones shipped.
IDC notes that Samsung was responsible for 44% of all Android devices shipped. That equates to 46.11 million devices, or about 20 million more than the iPhone. Apple shipped 5.6 million more iPhones (up from 20.4 million) in Q2 2012 than it did in the same quarter of 2011 but still saw its share of the smartphone market fall from 18.8% last year.
It has been well documented that Apple shipments often decrease in the middle second and third quarters of recent years. Consumers appear to be waiting for the next iPhone to be released (in this case, presumably the iPhone 5 rumored to be announced in mid-September). Though Apple took a hit in overall market share this year, it still shipped more iPhones than in any other second quarter since the first iteration of the device was released in 2007.
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