Android will have second-largest market share by 2011, says Gartner

Gartner Inc., a leading information technology research company, is forecasting that Android OS will be #2 in market share by the end of 2010, only behind Symbian and will even challenge Symbian for the top spot in 2014. A year ago, Gartner predicted that Android would claim the #2 spot eventually, but not until 2012. The increase in popularity and manufacturer support has driven them to change this forecast.

Symbian still has a large share of the market due to its proliferation in mass markets. Android will be challenging them in those markets soon enough, according to Gartner:

"Gartner expects manufacturers such as Samsung to launch many new budget Android devices in 2H10 that will drive Android into mass market segments. Other players, such as Sony Ericsson, LG and Motorola, will follow a similar strategy. This trend should help Android become the top OS in North America by the end of 2010."

This is a sign and example of Android's growth. Gartner, along with other research companies, had expected Android to gain considerable market share, but not for a couple years. The fact that they are now expecting it to claim the #2 spot by the end of this year showcases its popularity and adoption. [Gartner]