Samsung dominates Q4 device shipments

IDC and Strategy Analytics announced their assessments of the mobile device market in the last quarter of 2012, which were broadly in agreement – although some differences were evident.

Samsung was the number one vendor during the period, with shipments of around 110 million devices, with the companies also in accord concerning Nokia in second place and Apple in third – although these two companies publish shipment numbers, making life a lot easier.

ZTE comes fourth in both charts, which is as far as Strategy Analytics’ freely-published breakdown goes. IDC, however, gives Huawei fifth place, having overtaken LG Electronics – and meaning that two Chinese device makers are now present in the global top five.

IDC analyst Ramon Llamas described the strength of the Chinese players as a “significant shift for the global market”.

“Both companies have grown volumes by focusing on the mass market, but in recent quarters they have turned their attention toward higher-end devices. In addition, both companies have pushed the envelope in terms of industrial design with larger displays and smaller form factors, as well as innovative applications and experiences,” Llamas continued.

The biggest difference between the two comes down to the overall size of the market: IDC said 482.5 million units in the quarter, while Strategy Analytics said 450.9 million. The bulk of the additional shipments can be found in the “others” category.

This highlights the challenge of measuring the size of the global phone market. While the biggest vendors tend to be fairly upfront about their numbers (although Samsung is notably quiet), measuring shipments in markets such as India and China, which feature a number of local vendors and distribution channels, is an altogether different proposition.

Q4 2012 worldwide device shipments