Global smartphone shipments reached 375 million units in the third quarter of 2016, with Android operating system capturing a record 88% global market share, according to the latest research from Strategy Analytics.

Global smartphone shipments grew 6% on year in the third quarter of 2016, the industry's fastest growth rate for a year. Modest smartphone growth is being supported by emerging markets with relatively low smartphone penetration across Asia and Africa Middle East, particularly countries such as India and South Africa, Strategy Analytics said.

Android's gain came at the expense of every major rival platform. Apple iOS lost ground to Android and dipped to 12% worldwide in the third quarter due to a lackluster performance in China and Africa. BlackBerry and Microsoft Windows Phone have all but disappeared due to strategic shifts, while Tizen and other emerging platforms softened as a result of limited product portfolios and modest developer support.