Australian Android smartphone market share hits 62.2% as iPhone slumps

Android has claimed a dominant lead in the Australian smartphone market with a market share of 62.2%, with the platform pulling ahead of Apple.

The figures, compiled by ComTech, examined Australian smartphone market share by platform during the quarter ending October 28, 2012.

Android’s 62.2% market share marks a significant year-on-year growth from 51.4% during the equivalent quarter last year.

Meanwhile, Apple’s iPhone market share has slumped slightly to 29.4%, down from 31.2% a year ago, although total sales volume may have increased as a result of overall growth in the smartphone market.

The biggest fall hit Symbian, previously used by Nokia smartphones, which saw a market share collapse from 11.5% last year to just 2% this year.

The collapse in Symbian market share failed to translate into significant growth in Windows Mobile or Windows Phone, which recorded a slight uptick in market share from 4.4% to 4.7%.

However, it is important to note the survey covers the period between the unveiling of Nokia’s flagship Lumia 920 smartphone in September and its Australian launch earlier this month. With Telstra announcing it has sold out of its initial stock of the handset, it is likely there will be an uptick in future market share surveys.

Finally, Research in Motion has seen its market share slip from 1.5% a year ago to just 0.5%, while the broad ‘other’ category rose slightly from 1.1% to 1.2%.