China market: Symbian losing dominance, market share falls to 50-60%

With Research in Motion (RIM), Apple and a slew of Android-based handset vendors making more aggressive moves in the China market, Symbian operating system's (OS) dominance of the country's smartphone sector is quickly disappearing, according to sources from China's handset industry. Symbian's 70-80% smartphone market share of the past has fallen to about 50-60%, the sources said.

Both Blackberry and iPhone OS has over 5% share, with the Apple-developed platform fast approaching 10% largely on the strength of closer cooperation with China's telecom carriers.

With international heavyweights such as Samsung, Motorola and HTC as well as smaller local players joining the Android camp, the OS already grabbed a 10% share. With strong support from carriers and more price-friendly devices from local makers scheduled to hit the stores, Android's market share is expected to rise substantially and quickly, the sources said.