Three out of four devices powered by Android in recent quarter

Smartphones and tablets powered by Google's Android software are devouring the mobile gadget market, eating into Apple's turf by feeding appetites for innovation and low prices, analysts say.

The Android operating system powered nearly three out of four smartphones shipped worldwide in the recently ended quarter, as the mobile platform dominated the market, according to industry trackers at IDC.

"Android has been one of the primary growth engines of the smartphone market since it was launched in 2008," said IDC's mobile-phones research manager Ramon Llamas. "In every year since then, Android has effectively outpaced the market and taken market share from the competition."

In tablet computers, Apple's market share has fallen to just over 50 per cent from 65 per cent in the second quarter as Android devices gain ground, according to IDC figures.

"Having a lot of people building a lot of things covering a lot of price points with multiple brands in multiple places makes a big difference," said NPD Group analyst Stephen Baker. "Variety is strength when it comes to moving units."

Android smartphone shipments surged to 136 million, topping those in the same three-month period last year by slightly more than 90 per cent, IDC reported.

Samsung's Galaxy S3 overtook Apple's iPhone 4S in the third quarter to give the South Korean firm the world's best-selling smartphone model for the first time ever, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.

"The pace of innovation in Android is faster than Apple," said Gartner vice-president of mobile computing Ken Dulaney.

Android's success can be put down to it being an open-source platform that gadget makers use free of charge. They improve the software as they deem fit, providing Google with insights along the way.

In contrast, Apple tightly controls its products from the software to the hardware and even the online shop for music, books, games or other content.

Having thousands of different Android devices vying for consumers' cash was a strength when it came to market share but put hardware makers into a fiercely competitive arena, Baker noted. "Other than Samsung, I don't know if other Android guys are making money," he said.

Google gives Android away free, but the platform is crafted to make it easy for people to use services such as search and maps, and get content at its online Google Play shop.

Forrester analyst Charles Golvin said forces powering Android's momentum included changing demographics of smartphone buyers. "People are more inclined towards the Android platform because there is more choice and most of that choice is low-priced," he said.