SEOUL, KOREA - Samsung Electronics sold 213 million units of smartphones across the world last year, ranking No. 1 in the global smartphone market. The figure is higher than the combined sales number for No. 2 and No. 3 suppliers Apple and Nokia.
According to market research firm Strategy Analytics, Samsung Electronics sold 213 million smartphones worldwide in 2012, breaking the 30-percent market share mark for the first time in its history. In the fourth quarter alone, Samsung Electronics sold 63 million phone devices.
Strategy Analytics noted that Samsung Electronics’ annual smartphone sales is higher than the previous record set by Nokia in 2010 when it sold 100 million smartphones. Samsung Electronics enjoyed continuous popularity throughout the entire spectrum of its product lineups ranging from high-end models such as the Galaxy Note 2 to low-end models such as the Galaxy Y.
Apple was positioned at No. 2 with annual sales of 135.8 million units, including 47.8 million for the fourth quarter. Nokia sold 35 million units, ranking No. 3.
Samsung Electronics and Apple had a combined market share of 49.8 percent in the global smartphone market last year. Nokia, which had a share of 15.8 percent in 2011, saw its share plunge to 5 percent last year.
enews@hankyung.com
*Article provided by The Korea Economic Daily
http://english.hankyung.com/news/apps/news.viewpopup=0&nid=&c1=03&nkey=201301280753121
