Image via Syda Productions/Shutterstock
Global smartphone shipments reached 980m last year, and smartphones from one South Korean manufacturer accounted for just over 30pc of the total figure, figures for the full-year 2013 from Juniper Research reveal.
Compared to 2012’s figures, smartphone shipments grew by 39pc in 2013. Singling Samsung out, the Galaxy smartphone-maker saw similar year-on-year growth of 40pc, reaching 300m smartphones shipped – which accounts for about 1 in 3 of all smartphones shipped globally.
Samsung’s continued dominance in the smartphone market comes despite a fall in shipments for the first time in Q4 to 81m, resulting in a dip in its market share. Apple, however, ended the year on a high note, with record iPhone shipments of 51m in Q4 2013, a rise of 51pc on the previous quarter.
Nokia had a year of ups and downs, with overall shipments of Lumia smartphones in 2013 reaching 30m – more than doubling 2012’s figure of 13m. However, Lumia shipments fell in Q4 to 8.2m, dropping from 8.8m in the previous quarter.
LG reported a record quarter in Q4 with smartphone sales exceeding 13m, an increase of more than 50pc year-on-year. However, the price of competing at the top is high, and the Nexus 5 maker’s profit declined year-on-year due to higher marketing expenses and intensified price competition.
Meanwhile, Lenovo, Huawei and ZTE all managed to improve their market share year-on-year, altogether shipping more than 40m smartphones in Q4.
As has oft been cited, Juniper Research’s analysts note that emerging markets are vital for success in the smartphone market as the mature markets reach saturation. This means that markets expected to drive future growth could be new territory for many of the key players, requiring a more localised approach.
Smartphone users image by Syda Productions via Shutterstock
