Apple Leapt to 4th Largest Phone Maker Worldwide

Internet Data Corporation (IDC) reported the third quarter of 2010 of Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker put Apple on fourth largest phone maker in the world with 14.1 million iPhones shipped during the period or 4.1% of the entire market. It’s not only ahead of RIM’s BlackBerry but also long established phone makers like Motorola and Sony Ericsson which are now no longer on the Top five list. This near doubling shipments from Apple is likely due to the release of iPhone 4 in 17 new countries last quarter.

Nokia is still on the first position but the year-over-year shipment growth is less than 2%. It’s slightly because the traditional mobile phone market has been somewhat loosened, as multiple Chinese vendors have gained ground such as Miromax, Nexian and i-Mobile. Therefore Nokia plans to focus on improving it’s smartphone offerings with the Nokia C8 and C7.

Samsung on the second place achieved a new milestone during the third quarter with 70 million unit for the first time in the company’s history. The Samsung Galaxy S i9000 and the bada-based Samsung wave have drived this achievement.

LG Electronics despite the missed targets of the 3Q10 shipment growth still on the third position. While Reasearch In Motion is now on 5th position replaced by Apple. Sony Ericsson for the first time out from the list since 2004.

The worldwide mobile phone market grew 14.6% or 340.5 million units in the third quarter of 2010 compared to 297.1 million units in the third quarter 2009. The smartphone is predicted to dominate the mobile phone market growth to the end of 2014. IDC is expecting the smarphone sub-market to grow 55% year over year.