Despite Google’s decision to withhold Pixel shipment numbers, IDC has released its own estimates reflecting the device’s “tiny” presence in the smartphone market.

Disclosed to investors, Google advised Pixel phone shipments doubled in 2017 – a claim substantiated by IDC.

IDC’s Research Director, Francisco Jeronimo, reports Google shipped 3.9 million units in 2017, remarking it is “still a tiny portion of the 1.5 billion market size”.

With Pixel phones not available in many global countries, it’s not unlikely Google is working on a longer-term strategy.

However, IDC’s recent numbers reveal Google still has some way to go, before it reaches market leader status.