As you can see in the graph from comScore Data Mine, Google’s Android operating system had astounding growth from May 2010 through May 2011 – 634%! In the past year Symbian has fallen from the top spot in the UK market to #3, behind Apple’s iOS and Android, dropping 10% to 22.5% of the market. Google’s Android, at 26.7% remains a hair behind Apple’s 27.1%, but is increasing as a much faster rate – 634% growth to 46% – and Android should be in the #1 spot soon, if not already. RIM, which has been taking a beating in the US market, surprisingly grew their share by 59% over the year, and if the trends continue RIM could knock Symbian into fourth place.

As they say, a rising tide lifts all boats, and the UK smartphone market overall is experiencing significant growth. A year ago 27% of mobile users used a smartphone, in 2011 that figure was 42%. Which helps explain how Android alone could add 4.7 million users in one year without gutting the other players. And also helps explain RIM’s growth, I’d think.

Microsoft, knocked from fourth to fifth place by the Android explosion, is not doing well, losing 32% of their share in a year. This is surely due to the decline in Windows Mobile use and the lackluster response to Windows Phone 7 to date.

Via Engadget.