According to the latest report released by market research firm Gfk Retail and Technology, Android OS is fast lapping up the market 
share in UK smartphone segment. For the quarter ended June 30, it increased its share from 3 percent to 13.2 percent that translates to staggering 350 percent growth rate. This growth seems even more impressive due to the fact that total sales of all mobile contract phones in the UK increased by mere 1 percent. RIM also solidified its position and increased its share of the market pie from 2 percent to 7 percent in the first half of the year. However, Apple's share dropped from 75 percent to 64 percent during the same time period.
The research firm has also pointed out that "operating systems are no longer simply a by-product but a key selling point in their own right.” The figures have been helped by the fact that smartphones are now becoming a norm. The segment recorded 43 percent year on year increase in the quantity of smartphones sold globally in the second quarter.
The growth in Android sales is mainly due to the launch of big name Android based phones this year. Popular phones such as Samsung Galaxy and HTC Desire were launched in the UK at the beginning of this year. However, the OS might be poaching the Apple territory too. Globally, Apple's market share slipped from 15.9 percent to 14.1 percent between the first and second quarter.
Source : ZDNET