Mobile shipments slowing, Nokia still leads

20-04-2007

by Emmet Ryan

Nokia increased its share of the global mobile handset market in the first quarter of 2007 but growth in the industry has slowed considerably.

A total of 252 million handsets were shipped worldwide in the quarter, up 12 percent on the same period in 2006 according to a new report from analysts Strategy Analytics.

This was the first quarter in almost two years that year-on-year growth has been below the 20 percent mark. The analysts said the slower progress was a result of a build up of inventory in the fourth quarter of 2006 with Motorola accounting for much of the stockpile.

The study found that Nokia is the market leader with a 36 percent global share, up from 33 percent for the same period last year. This is the highest share the Finnish manufacturer has held since Strategy Analytics began tracking the market. Nokia's gain came largely at the expense of Motorola. With a total of 45 million handsets sold, Motorola saw its share of the market drop to 18 percent, down from 22 percent a year ago.

Third placed Samsung had record sales in the quarters with 35 million handsets shipped worldwide giving it a 13 percent share of the market, the firm's highest for two years. Sony Ericsson is in fourth with a 9 percent share, having shipped 22 million units.