As Smartphone Sales Grow, Samsung Surpasses Apple as Top Dog Manufacturer
As Samsung reported their third quarter earnings, one thing was apparent: smartphone sales are on the rise. So much so, that analysts are now handing Samsung the rank of top dog in the global smartphone market. While Samsung didn’t give the entire picture, analyst Jae Lee of Daiwa Securities estimated the company to have sold 28 million smartphones. This equates to over 10 million handsets more than Apple at 17 million.
But a few caveats need be applied before popping the champagne cork. Apple had been narrowly winning as of the second quarter with sales of 20 million iPhones. The number dropped off as consumers opted to wait for the announcement of a new model rather than buy the current generation. Apple also generated all of their sales with one device, which is impressive considering Samsung’s total accounts for dozens of smartphone models. But Samsung’s spike in sales is also a testament to the company’s innovative and desirable products, particularly the Galaxy S II which has been coming to more and more markets.
With the announcement of the iPhone 4S we get the feeling Q4 will see the tides turn in Apple’s favor once again, but for now Samsung sits atop the mountain. We imagine the legal department over at Apple headquarters will be working overtime in an effort to slow sales of Samsung devices.
[via The Guardian]