(Telecompaper) Google's Android operating system grew its share of the smartphone market to 81.0 percent in the third quarter, equal to 211.6 million phones shipped, according to estimates from IDC. Samsung accounted for just under half the Android shipments. Android increased its share from 74.9 percent a year earlier, while Apple's iOS fell to 12.9 percent from 14.4 over the same period. Microsoft's Windows showed the strongest growth, increasing its share from 2.0 percent in Q3 2012 to 3.6 percent this year. BlackBerry fell over the same period to 1.7 percent from 4.1. IDC attributed the growth in Android and Microsoft to the companies' pricing strategies, offering a full range of devices including for the low end of the mass market. The market researcher estimates the average selling price for a smartphone was down 12.5 percent in the third quarter to USD 317. This comes despite the growing number of large-screen phones, which sell for a notably higher average price of USD 443. IDC estimates that phablets of at least 5 inches already accounted for 21 percent of the smartphone market in Q3. Apple's lack of a large screen device may result in a further erosion of its market share in Q4.