Holds tiny number of actual phones sold

Apple took home 47 percent of the cellphone industry's operating profits during the third quarter of 2010, a Canaccord Genuity analysis notes. The figure is vastly disproportionate to the company's actual marketshare, measured at 3.9 percent. If considered together, a combined force of Apple, RIM and HTC accounted for 71 percent of profits.

IDC figures recently revealed that Apple is now the fourth largest phone maker in the world. In contrast, Canaccord observes that Droid phones have only just returned Motorola to profitability, and that it along with other phone makers like LG and Sony Ericsson are still working to bring in a greater mix of smartphones. LG posted a significant operating loss during Q3.

Quarterly estimates based on the top eight OEMs point to cellphone sales growing 14.5 percent year-over-year to 362 million. A forecast for the whole of 2010 has been increased from 1.43 billion to 1.44 billion. 2011 predictions, meanwhile, have been adjusted from 1.6 to 1.63 billion.

By Electronista Staff