Apple and Samsung are the top Smartphone vendors by shipments in Q4 2011 according to a report by Research Firm IDC (International Data Corporation). The worldwide smartphone market grew 54.7% year over year in Q4 2011. Shipment volumes reached 491.4 million units in 2011 that is up by 61.3% compared to 304.7 million units in 2010.
Apple climbed to top spot in Q4 2011 with the launch of its iPhone 4S worldwide. It recorded best ever shipment record for a single quarter with 37 million smartphone shipments. Samsung is right behind Apple with 36 million shipments and it also broke the 30 million market in a single quarter for the first time. Nokia still holds the 3rd spot for the past 3 quarters with 19 million shipments in Q4 2011 that down 30.6% year over year.
While looking at the smartphone shipments for the whole 2011, Samsung is the overall smartphone market leader with 94 million in shipments that is 310.5% more than 2010. Apple has also seen tremendous growth with 93.2 million shipments in 2011 compared to 47.5 million in 2010. Nokia moves to 3rd spot with 77.3 million shipments that is 22.8% less than 2010. RIM holds the 4th spot that has seen 4.7% increase in shipments compared to 2010, while HTC has seen 100.5% increase in shipments holding the same 5th spot as 2010.