(via cnet)

Over the next four years, the annual growth of the hot Smartphone market may slow down, but analysts at IDC are betting on certain key players that will continue to drive sales and gain market share; Blackberry, Apple, Windows Mobile, Symbian, and Android.

According to IDC’s new “Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Android will conquer second place by 2014, with a 25% market share, exhibiting a 16.3% climb.  Although analysts remain confident that no one vendor will be dominate, Android will bask in the fastest growth. Nokia’s Symbian, on the other hand, will remain king with a 32.9% market share, though forecasted to lose a handful of customers to Android.

Blackberry will continue claiming second place, while Apple’s iOS will lose nearly 15% of its market share by 2014, ending up with an 11% share.  There are high hopes for Windows Phone platform, which will help reclaim lost market share, rounding out the top five mobile OSes.  Research analyst, Kevin Restivo said, “IDC believes the market will comfortably support up to five OS players over the next five years.”  He went on to say, “Shorter replacement cycles and an ample feature phone to Smartphone upgrade opportunity means the Smartphone OS market will remain fragmented but healthy for the foreseeable future.”

IDC is predicting that high consumer demand in the near term will drive the market share to grow 55.4% this year, over that of 2009 (10% higher than IDC’s previous forecast last quarter).  The research firm estimates an overall growth of 14% this year, rebounding from last year’s market decline of 2.8%.