Microsoft Leads Software Market Share in 2012, IBM Second

Data access, analysis and delivery, collaborative applications, CRM applications, security software, and system and network management software have all grown by the 6 percent to 7 percent, about double the rate for enterprise software as a whole in 2012  year over year. The results come from market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC)'s most recent Worldwide Semiannual Software Tracker. Which companies were leading the market share and revenue in 2012? We'll reveal the answer.

IDC said the worldwide software market grew 3.6 percent year over year reaching a total market size of $342 billion, just above last year's forecast of 3.4 percent.

"The global software market, comprised of a multi-layered collection of technologies and solutions, is growing more slowly in this period of economic uncertainty," said Henry D. Morris, senior vice president for worldwide software, services, and executive advisory research in a prepared statement. "Yet there is strong growth in selective areas."

Applications, application development and deployment (AD&D), and systems infrastructure software make up the total software market in IDC's software taxonomy. The AD&D segment comprised 24 percent of total software revenues and was the fastest growing market with a 4.6 percent year-over-year growth rate. Applications added to 49 percent of total software revenue, year-over-year growth for 2012 was 3.3 percent. System infrastructure software made up 27 percent of total software revenue and grew 3.3 percent year over year in 2012.

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) led the pack in revenues and market share in 2012, as IBM (NYSE: IBM) took the runner-up spot, falling far behind Microsoft in revenues and market share. Oracle (NASDAQ: ORC) fell into third place, while SAP (NYSE: SAP) took fourth.