According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global mobile handset shipments grew a disappointing 5% year-over-year, to reach 303 million units in Q3 2008. A marked slowdown in sales to emerging markets caused the industry’s weakest growth rate since 2002.
Bonny Joy, Analyst at Strategy Analytics said in a statement, “Global handset shipments rose 5 percent annually, to 303 million units during Q3 2008. This was the industry’s weakest growth rate since Q4 2002. After a buoyant first half of the year, demand has slowed suddenly in emerging markets due to weaker consumer sentiment and concerns about the economic outlook.”
Neil Mawston, Director at Strategy Analytics, added in the press release, “Four of the top 6 handset vendors registered global annual growth rates of 5 percent or less in Q3 2008. Nokia, Samsung and LG all reported sluggish sales in major developing regions such as China, India, Russia and South America. As expected, developed markets remained flat, but emerging markets slowed unexpectedly and this dragged down the overall growth rate.”
Other findings from Strategy Analytics’ Q3 2008 Global Handset Market Share Update report include:
• Apple’s global handset shipments surged an impressive 516 percent annually, to reach 6.9 million units in Q3 2008. Apple overtook RIM to become the world’s sixth largest vendor
• Motorola shipped a lower-than-expected 25.4 million handsets in Q3 2008. Sony Ericsson overtook Motorola to become the world’s third largest handset vendor for the first time since Sony Ericsson was formed in 2001.
Global Mobile Handset Shipments and Marketshare – Top 6 Vendors:
Source: Strategy Analytics
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Fred Mertz” for the heads up.]
“Measured by revenues, Apple has become the world’s third-largest mobile phone supplier. I know this sounds crazy, but it’s true — as measured in revenues, not units, Apple has become the third largest mobile phone supplier. Let’s look at the ranking — Nokia is clearly number one at 12.7 billion; Samsung number two at 5.9 billion; Apple is number three at 4.6 billion; Sony Ericsson, number four at 4.2; LG, number five at 3.4 billion; Motorola, number six at 3.2; and RIM number seven at 2.1. Pretty amazing.” – Apple CEO Steve Jobs, October 21, 2008
Now, for grins, let’s hear what Gary Krakow of TheStreet.com said on June 04, 2008: