Apple and Samsung dominate high margin smartphone market

Apple reclaimed its position as the number one smartphone vendor in Q411, displacing Samsung following the launch of the iPhone 4S, according to figures from Strategy Analytics.

Strategy Analytics noted that for the full year 2011, Samsung was the market leader, with a share of 20 per cent – displacing long-term number one Nokia.

Nokia’s smartphone market share halved to 16 per cent from 33 per cent in 2010, due to “a lacklustre touchscreen smartphone portfolio and a limited presence in the huge United States market.”

For the market as a whole, 155 million smartphones were shipped in Q4, compared with 100.7 million in the same period in 2010. For the full year, 488.5 million devices shipped, compared with 299.5 million.

In the handset market as a whole, Nokia retained its number one spot in the fourth quarter, with a market share of 25.5 per cent, down from 30.9 per cent year-on-year. Samsung was in number two position, with a market share of 21.3 per cent, up from 20.2 per cent.

In the fourth quarter, 445 million handsets shipped, up from 400.1 million in the comparable period in 2010. Full year shipments were 1.55 billion, compared with 1.36 billion.