Android's share of the global smartphone operating system market will be an estimated 19.4 percent in 2012, up over 2.7 percent in 2009.

In the second quarter, handsets running the Android system accounted for 43.4 percent of worldwide smartphone sales, compared with 18.2 percent for Apple, according to the research firm Gartner.

Apple's iPhone (the latest version of which goes on sale from October 14th) and the many Android-based competitors boast many more apps, and are simply trendier.