Gartner: mobile market shrinks ahead of next iPhone
updated 07:29 am EDT, Tue August 14, 2012
New research shows pent up iPhone demand affected total sales
New research by by Gartner indicates that the global smartphone market contracted by 2.3 percent last quarter against the same period last year. Gartner attributed the fall in sales to the highly anticipated launch of the first all-new iPhone design in two years. Also a factor, is the "challenging global environment" which is also expected to effect Apple's third quarter sales ahead of the new iPhone shipping.
Despite anticipation for the next iPhone, Apple still managed to increase its sales iPhone sales (which includes, the iPhone 4S, 4 and 3GS) by 2.3 percent. Samsung doubled Apple's growth for the quarter, boosting its sales by 5.3 percent year-on-year on the back of its successful Galaxy S III launch. However, the bad news continues for Motorola, LG, HTC, Nokia and RIM who all went backwards in the face of the one-two Apple and Samsung punch. For example, Nokia's market share dipped 3 percent year-on-year which resulted in its total handset sales falling steeply, by 14.8 percent.
According to Gartner, the total number of handsets sold for the months of April, May and June across the globe totaled 419 million units. Smartphones continue their rapid take up rates as users dump feature phones for more advanced capabilities. Incredibly, smartphone sales were up 42 percent against the same period last year accounting for 37 percent of all mobile devices sold. Much of this growth was driven by the insatiable Chinese appetite for the latest gadgets.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: 02-14-06
So has Gartner reconciled its data with the facts in Apple-Samsung trial. No error bars yet very small changes being reported 2-5%.