Mobile phone market grows by 1.9 per cent, smartphones by 36.4 per cent in fourth quarter

The global mobile phone market grew by 1.9 per cent to 482.5 million units in the fourth quarter of 2012, compared to 473.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, according to International Data Corporation (IDC), a market research, analysis and advisory firm specialising in information technology, telecommunications and consumer.
Shipments for the full year rose to more than 1.7 billion units. Smartphone shipments rose by 36.4 per cent to 219.4 million units in the fourth quarter, accounting for a record 45.5 per cent of all mobile phones. For the full year, smartphone shipments rose by 44.1 per cent to 712.6 million units, it reported. 

Samsung ranked first for mobile phones and smartphones in the fourth quarter, shipping 111.2 million mobile phones for a 23 per cent market share and 63.7 million smartphones for a 29 per cent market share. Nokia was the second biggest vendor of mobile phones at 86.3 million units for a 17.9 per cent market share, but did not place in the top five for smartphones.
Apple was third for mobile phones, shipping 47.8 million units for a 9.9 per cent share, and second for smartphones, selling 47.8 million units for a 21.8 per cent share.

ZTE ranked fourth for mobile phones, selling 17.6 million units for a 3.6 per cent share, and fifth for smartphones with 9.5 million units for a 4.3 per cent share. Huawei ranked fifth in mobile phones with 15.8 million shipped for a 3.3 per cent share and third for smartphones with 10.8 million units and a 4.9 per cent share. Sony did not rank in the top five mobile phone vendors, but was fourth in smartphones, with 9.8 million units shipped for a 4.5 per cent share.

IDC sees ample opportunities for challengers in the smartphone market to gain market share rapidly, especially in emerging markets, with lower-cost devices. Huawei and HTC have taken advantage of this space, but are now turning their attention towards higher-end devices.