Strategy Analytics: Global Smartphone Shipment Growth Slows to 32 Percent in Q2 2012

BOSTON--()--According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments grew 32 percent annually to reach 146 million units in the second quarter of 2012. This was the smartphone industry’s slowest growth rate for almost three years. Samsung and Apple together captured over half the global market.

Alex Spektor, Associate Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “Global smartphone shipments grew 32 percent annually to reach 146.1 million units in Q2 2012. This was the smartphone industry’s slowest growth rate since the third quarter of 2009. A volatile global economy, maturing penetration of smartphones among contract mobile subscribers, and some Apple fans holding off purchases in anticipation of a new iPhone 5 model later this year were among the main causes of the slowdown.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Samsung shipped 50.5 million smartphones worldwide and captured a record 35 percent marketshare in the second quarter of 2012. This was the largest number of units ever shipped by a smartphone vendor in a single quarter. Samsung has been able to deliver hit models in most major price segments, from the high-end Galaxy Note phablet to the mass-market Galaxy Y. Apple grew a modest 28 percent annually and shipped 26.0 million smartphones worldwide for 18 percent marketshare, broadly flat compared with 18 percent recorded a year earlier. We believe Apple’s lackluster performance was driven by some Apple fans and operators holding off iPhone purchases in anticipation of a rumored new iPhone 5 model around September or October this year.”

Neil Shah, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, added, “Samsung and Apple combined now account for over half of all smartphones shipped worldwide, up from around one-third a year ago. Volumes have polarized around those two brands. The growth of Samsung and Apple has come partly at the expense of Nokia, whose global smartphone marketshare has halved from 15 percent to 7 percent over the past year. This is Nokia’s lowest marketshare level in the smartphone category for a decade. Nokia is seeing reasonable growth in its new Microsoft Lumia portfolio, but it is not yet offsetting the sharp decline in its aging Symbian platform.”

         

Exhibit 1: Global Smartphone Vendor Shipments and Market Share in Q2 2012 1

                     
Global Smartphone Vendor Shipments (Millions of Units)       Q2 '11       Q2 '12  
Samsung       20.2       50.5
Apple 20.3 26.0
Nokia 16.7 10.2
Others       53.3       59.4  
Total       110.5       146.1  
                   
Global Smartphone Vendor Marketshare %       Q2 '11       Q2 '12  
Samsung 18.3% 34.6%
Apple 18.4% 17.8%
Nokia 15.1% 7.0%
Others       48.2%       40.7%  
Total       100.0%       100.0%  
 
Total Growth Year-over-Year % 77.1% 32.2%
____________________________

 

1 Numbers are rounded.

 

The full report, Global Smartphone Shipment Growth Slows to 32 Percent in Q2 2012, is published by the Strategy Analytics Wireless Smartphone Strategies (WSS) service, details of which can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/c5mpusx.

About Strategy Analytics:

Strategy Analytics is a global, independent research and consulting firm. The company is headquartered in Boston, USA, with offices in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, India and China. Visit www.strategyanalytics.com for more information.

Contacts

Strategy Analytics
Americas:
Alex Spektor, +1 617-614-0726 / ASpektor@strategyanalytics.com
Neil Shah, +1 617-614-0727 / NShah@strategyanalytics.com
or
EMEA:
Neil Mawston, +44 1908 423 628 / NMawston@strategyanalytics.com

Release Summary

Global smartphone shipments grew 32 percent annually to reach 146 million units in the second quarter of 2012. This was the smartphone industry’s slowest growth rate for almost three years.

Contacts

Strategy Analytics
Americas:
Alex Spektor, +1 617-614-0726 / ASpektor@strategyanalytics.com
Neil Shah, +1 617-614-0727 / NShah@strategyanalytics.com
or
EMEA:
Neil Mawston, +44 1908 423 628 / NMawston@strategyanalytics.com