Apple continues to gain market share in the smartphone business, at least according to a new study of the market. IDC issued a press release this week that revealed that Apple, currently the number two worldwide seller of smartphones is now getting close to overtaking the current number one seller, Nokia. According to the report there is now "fewer than six million units separating the two companies."
The IDC report said the entire worldwide market for smartphones exploded in the first quarter of 2011 with an increase of 79.7 percent compared to the same period a year ago. Total worldwide unit shipments of smartphones came in at 99.6 million units for the quarter. That's compared to "just" 55.4 million units of smartphones shipped worldwide in the first quarter of 2010. IDC said the increase in shipments was due to "a combination of vendors releasing highly anticipated models, widespread availability of older smartphones at lower prices, and sustained end-user demand."
Nokia remains the number one smartphone maker even as it transitions its phones from using its in-house operating system Symbian, to its much talked about deal with Microsoft's Windows Phone OS. The IDC report predicts that Nokia "may find itself in danger of ceding market share as the competition ramps up smartphone production." Apple, on the other hand, had a record shipment numbers of its iPhone in the first quarter thanks in part to the launch of the Verizon version of the phone. Research in Motion is number three in the smartphone market followed by Samsung and HTC in fourth and fifth place, respectively.
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