Smartphones will grow at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 24.9 per cent for the period 2011-17, to reach a total 1.7 bn units, according to a report from telecoms analyst Ovum – far outperforming the growth of the overall market for mobile phones, which is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3 per cent over the same period.

Android will continue its reign, Ovum says, staying as the dominant OS for the next five years, as handset vendors rush to make it their primary smartphone platform. The platform will grow at a CAGR of 26.8 per cent, to make up 48 per cent of the total smartphone market by 2017. iOS will hold second place, growing slightly from 23 per cent in 2011 to 27 per cent.

“While Apple has defined the smartphone market since it introduced the iPhone in 2007, were now seeing a sharp rise in the shipment volumes of Android. Apple will continue to be a key player and innovator in the smartphone market over the forecast period, although it will remain behind Android in terms of shipment volumes,” says Adam Leach, principal analyst at Ovum. “We expect Microsoft, despite its slow start, to have established Windows Phone as a relevant smartphone platform by 2017.”

Windows Phone will account for 13 per cent of the smartphone market in 2017, and BlackBerry will represent 10 per cent.