Apple leapfrogs RIM into world top five makers
Cell phone industry analysts have confirmed that Apple in now one of the top five telephone handset manufacturers, vaulting over the Blackberry into fourth place in world sales figures.
Figures released by both International Data Corp. and Strategy Analytics indicate that Apple has entered the list of the world’s top five cell phone manufacturers in terms of sales. This is the first time that Apple has made the list and it came on their sales of handsets during the third quarter of 2010. Not only did the make the top five list, it grabbed fourth spot, thereby dropping RIM, maker of the Blackberry line of phones, into fifth place. The biggest loser, though, in terms of market share was Nokia. The leader in worldwide cell phone sales dropped 4 percent from the previous year.
Kevin Restivo, an analyst with IDC believes that Apple’s improved placement was due to the introduction of the iPhone into more worldwide markets and their reliance on the smartphone. Restivo says “The entrance of Apple to the top five underscores the increased importance of smartphones to the overall market. Vendors that aren’t developing a strong portfolio of smartphones will be challenged to grow and retain market share in the future.” The analysts also pointed out that if Apple puts the iPhone into the hands of Verizon, it may move up even higher on the list, according to a Bloomberg story.
The only fly in the ointment may be a shortage of some smartphone components in the marketplace. Neil Mawson of Strategy Analytics said “Touchscreens, application processors and cameras are among the components experiencing volatile supply. Many component manufacturers reduced production output during the recession of 2009 and they are struggling, or even unwilling, to restore the capacity in the upturn of 2010.”
It is worth noting that Apple is the only U.S. manufacturer on the list, and that they are on the list by virtue of a single smartphone. In terms of worldwide sales, the market is dominated by non-smartphone sales, though the smartphone is gaining ground every quarter. Still, Apple’s 4 percent of sales is nowhere near the numbers sold by Nokia and Samsung, at 32.4 and 21 percent respectively.
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