IDC Q3 2011 phone share sees Apple in top ranks

Apple gained enough market share to stay one of the top cellphone makers in the world, IDC said Friday. While not as strong as the spring, the iPhone still gained share from year to year and, at 17.07 million, was in fifth place among all cellphones at 4.3 percent. It was helped partly by Nokia's continued fall, which while still keeping it on top lowered it to 27.1 percent, at 106.6 million phones.

The fastest risers were those thriving on Android sales in southeast Asia. Samsung's smartphone push helped it gain almost two points to hit 22.3 percent, or 87.8 million phones, and get within striking distance of Nokia. ZTE's emphasis on China and low-cost phones like the Skate saw it grow the fastest, overtaking Apple to reach 4.9 percent.

Among the top five, the steepest drop was from LG, whose ongoing trouble took it down from 8.1 percent a year ago to 5.4 percent, enough that Apple and ZTE could both pass by in the fall.

Share is expected to be very different this season. The wait for the iPhone 4S was one of the largest factors in the summer and could see Apple pull ahead. RIM, not counted in the top five, was waiting most of the summer for its BlackBerry 7 devices, such as the Bold 9900. Android has comparatively few halo devices for the fall, although the Samsung Galaxy Nexus, Motorola Droid RAZR, and variants on the HTC Raider like Verizon's upcoming Rezound are all likely to keep sales up.

By Electronista Staff

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