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The future appears bleak for phonemakers other than Samsung and Apple, as the two top smartphone makers grabbed more than 50 percent of the market – and growth in the overall mobile phone market dropped to a creaky 1 percent in Q2 2012, according to figures from market research firm IDC.
IDC estimates vendors shipped 406 million mobile phones in 2Q12, compared to 401.8 million units in the second quarter of 2011.
Samsung and Apple have more than doubled their combined market share over the past two years, creating more distance between the duo and their competition. “Samsung and Apple have quickly become the global smartphone heavyweights, though both employ somewhat different approaches to the market,” said Kevin Restivo, IDC senior research analyst.
“Samsung employs a ‘shotgun’ strategy wherein many models are created that cover a wide range of market segments. Apple, in contrast, offers a small number of high-profile models.”
Market share gains will be harder to generate, however, if the worldwide smartphone market grows at rates similar to the 42.1 percent year-over-year rate at which the smartphone – as opposed to overall mobile – market increased in Q2 12.
This was the lowest growth rate since the fourth quarter of 2009, IDC says. Vendors shipped 153.9 million smartphones in 2Q12 compared to 108.3 million units in 2Q11. The 42.1 percent year-over-year growth was one percentage point lower than IDC’s forecast of 43.1 percent for the quarter.
And, as noted above, the overall mobile market could manage only one percent growth, suggesting grim times ahead for all but the market leaders.
In the smartphone arena Apple posted a sequential decline – not unusual as iPhone shipment volume is highest in the first two quarters after its release. A long way behind, Nokia’s smartphone business under went another quarter of transition with demand for Symbian and Meego units well down. Lumia sales remained steady.
HTC rebounded from its struggles in the two previous quarters to reclaim the number 4 spot in the smartphone vendor rankings. Its relatively strong performance in the Asia/Pacific region allowed it to climb back up the ranks.
