Apple and Samsung shipped half of the world’s smartphones in Q2 2012

Samsung and Apple together shipped over half of the world’s smartphones last quarter according to IDC. Samsung is expected to have shipped over 50 million smartphones while Apple announced 26 million iPhones in the quarter ending June. All vendors put together shipped almost 154 million smartphones in the quarter compared to 108.3 million smartphones in the year-ago quarter according to the market research outfit. This represents a 42.1 percent increase in smartphone shipments.
“Samsung employs a ‘shotgun’ strategy wherein many models are created that cover a wide range of market segments. Apple, in contrast, offers a small number of high-profile models. While both companies have expanded their geographic presence in pursuit of market share, the two companies will inevitably come into greater conflict as both try to generate additional gains,” said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Apple is currently in its traditional transition quarters when iPhone sales usually dip as buyers expect Apple to launch the next version of the highest-selling smartphone model in the world. Things have been a little difficult this time, however, as rumors about the next iPhone have started gaining steam much earlier than usual. Apple is expected to launch its sixth generation iPhone in late September or early October.
Meanwhile, RIM no longer features in the top five smartphone vendors any more with Nokia coming third, HTC fourth and ZTE fifth. The BlackBerry maker is expected to take further beating in the coming two quarters as its next generation BlackBerry 10 smartphones are not coming before early 2013.
Top Five Smartphone Vendors, Shipments, and Market Share, Q2 2012 (Units in Millions)

Vendor	2Q12 Unit Shipments	2Q12 Market Share	2Q11 Unit Shipments	2Q11 Market Share	Year-over-year Change
Samsung	50.2	32.6%	18.4	17.0%	172.8%
Apple	26.0	16.9%	20.4	18.8%	27.5%
Nokia	10.2	6.6%	16.7	15.4%	-38.9%
HTC	8.8	5.7%	11.6	10.7%	-24.1%
ZTE	8.0	5.2%	2.0	1.8%	300.0%
Others	50.7	32.9%	39.2	36.2%	29.3%
Total	153.9	100.0%	108.3	100.0%	42.1