Samsung leads smartphone market with 20% share in 2011

By Telecom Lead Team: Global smartphone shipments grew 54 percent to reach 155
million units in Q4 2011. Apple reclaimed top position as the world’s number
one smartphone vendor during the quarter.

While Apple took the top spot in
smartphones on a quarterly basis, Samsung became the market leader in annual
terms for the first time with 20 percent global share during 2011.

With smartphone shipments nearing
half a billion units in 2011, Samsung is well positioned alongside Apple in a
two-horse race at the forefront of one of the world’s largest and most valuable
consumer electronics markets.

Nokia’s smartphone market share
halved from 33 percent in 2010 to 16 percent in 2011. A lackluster touchscreen
smartphone portfolio and a limited presence in the United States market caused
Nokia’s shrinkage last year.

Nokia’s partnership with Microsoft
will be very much in focus during 2012, and the industry will be watching
closely to see how swiftly the two companies can expand in the high-value 4G
LTE market that is rapidly emerging across the United States, Japan and
elsewhere.

editor@telecomlead.com