Watch Out iPhone: Android Captures Almost 50% of Worldwide Smartphone Market

Google's

popular Android software now holds almost 50% of the global smartphone market, research firm Canalys announced in a report Tuesday. Of the 56 countries Canalys tracks around the world, Android software led in 35, and hit a global market share of 48%. The worldwide market for smartphones grew a staggering 73% year-over-year. The report is proof-positive of Android's quick penetration of the mobile device market. The open-source software works on smartphones, tablets and small laptops. Android-based smartphone shipments were up 379% from a year ago, hitting nearly 52 million units. According to Canalys, "Growth was bolstered by strong Android product performances from a number of vendors, including Samsung, HTC, LG, Motorola, Sony Ericsson, ZTE and Huawei. " Google is still locked in tight competition with Apple

, which produces the iPhone and iPad, both wildly popular devices in their own right. "The iPhone has been a phenomenal success story for Apple and a watershed product for the market," said Canalys VP and Principal Analyst Chris Jones. "It's an impressive success story, given that Apple has only been in the smart phone market for four years. With the next-generation iPhone anticipated in Q3, it's likely that Apple's position will grow even stronger in the second half of the year." Notably, Nokia

remained strong in the BRICs: Brazil, Russia, India and China. Canalys, however, remained skeptical of the company's current situation. "The problem for Nokia is that demand for its Symbian-based smart phones has dissipated very rapidly, particularly in operator-led markets, such as Western Europe, where it's been strong in the past," said Canalys Principal Analyst Pete Cunningham. "It badly needs the first of its Windows Phone devices to launch as soon as possible to arrest a decline and, hopefully, silence its critics," Cunningham continued.