Q1 10 3G handsets shipments hit 30.30 crore

ABI Research VP for forecasting, Jake Saunders has disclosed that worldwide handset shipments for Q1 hit 30.30 crore (303 million), up 19 per cent y-on-y. "This bodes well for 2010 as a whole: shipments could well reach 130 crore (1.3 billion). It is also notable that 3G handset shipments eclipsed 2G handset shipments."

Strongest handset shipment growth was seen in the Middle East and Africa (20 per cent y-on-y) followed by the Americas, particularly the United States (11 per cent). Europe, on the other hand, is languishing with single-digit growth.

Nokia's market-share stood at 34 per cent. New smart phones such as the N8 are helping the manufacturer to shore up its handset portfolio, as its loss of traction in the smart phone sector hit sales hard. In response, revamped efforts with Symbian ^3 and ^4, are intended to help Nokia regain momentum. Nokia is counting on smart phones expanding into the mid-tier and low tier segments where it believes it has strength.

Samsung had a strong quarter, securing 21 per cent. Over the past year, Samsung has been cultivating deeper relationships with the United States and European carriers which helped the firm grow its shipments 40.2 per cent y-on-y.

LG's market-share, 8.9 per cent, has suffered from a weak smart phone portfolio in the North American market. LG has been traditionally strong in the enhanced phone sector, and has been giving a number of its older enhanced phones a smart phone twist. For example, its Chocolate phone has gone widescreen. Shipments grew 20 per cent y-on-y.

Q1 handset vendor market share

Motorola is benefiting from its initial success (2.8 per cent) with the Droid and it keen to back it up with new products such as the Quench but the market is overtaking it. Motorola is hoping the strong social networking theme to its smart phone line-up will help it to curry favour with the youth and prosumer market.

Q1 proved to a strong quarter for Apple (2.9 per cent) devices shipped, which is up 130 per cent y-on-y: a remarkable feat. iPhone OS release 4, which brings multi-tasking and in-app advertising capabilities should help to maintain momentum, but Apple should diversify its line-up.

For more statistics and forecasts, click here.