Strategy Analytics: Samsung and Apple Capture 55 Percent of Global Smartphone Shipments in Q1 2012

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments grew 41 percent annually to reach 145 million units in the first quarter of 2012. Samsung and Apple together captured more than half of global smartphone shipments for the first time ever.

Alex Spektor, Associate Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “Global smartphone shipments grew 41 percent annually to reach 145.3 million units in Q1 2012. Samsung overtook Apple to become the world’s largest smartphone vendor by volume with a record 31 percent market share. Samsung’s global smartphone shipments rose 253 percent annually to 44.5 million units, as demand surged for its popular Galaxy models such as the Note, S2 and Y.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Apple shipped 35.1 million smartphones worldwide and captured 24 percent marketshare, as volumes strengthened in key countries such as China, United States and Japan. Samsung and Apple combined now account for more than half of global smartphone shipments for the first time ever. Samsung and Apple are outcompeting most of their major rivals and the smartphone market is at risk of becoming a two-horse race.”

Tom Kang, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Nokia maintained its position as the world’s third largest smartphone player, but its global share fell from 23 percent in Q1 2011 to just 8 percent in Q1 2012. This is Nokia’s lowest marketshare level in the smartphone category since 2002. Nokia’s new Microsoft Lumia portfolio has recently gotten off to an encouraging start in the critical United States market, but shipments there are not yet large enough to offset the firm’s tumbling Symbian volumes in the rest of the world.”

Exhibit 1: Global Smartphone Vendor Shipments and Market Share in Q1 2012 ^1
	Global Smartphone Vendor Shipments (Millions of Units)	Q1'11	Q1 '12
	Samsung	12.6	44.5
	Apple	18.6	35.1
	Nokia	24.2	11.9
	Others	47.6	53.8
	Total	103.0	145.3
	Global Smartphone Vendor Marketshare %	Q1'11	Q1 '12
	Samsung	12.2%	30.6%
	Apple	18.1%	24.1%
	Nokia	23.5%	8.2%
	Others	46.2%	37.1%
	Total	100.0%	100.0%
	Total Growth Year-over-Year %	86.0%	41.1%
	Samsung & Apple Global Smartphone Marketshare Combined	30.3%	54.8%
^1 Numbers are rounded.

The full report, Samsung and Apple Capture 55 Percent of Global Smartphone Shipments in Q1 2012, is published by the Strategy Analytics Wireless Smartphone Strategies (WSS) service, details of which can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/c5mpusx.

About Strategy Analytics:

Strategy Analytics is a global, independent research and consulting firm. The company is headquartered in Boston, USA, with offices in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and China. Visit www.strategyanalytics.com for more information.