Samsung is top 2012 phone brand, ousting Nokia: Study

WASHINGTON - Agence France-Presse

A man talks on his phone in front of a Samsung mobile shop in Seoul. Samsung has overtaken Nokia as the top mobile phone brand for 2012. AFP photo

Samsung has overtaken Nokia as the top mobile phone brand for 2012 and has opened up a decisive lead over Apple in the smart phone market, a research firm said Dec. 18.

 This will mark the first time in 14 years that Finnish-based Nokia will not sit atop the global mobile phone business on an annual basis, according to IHS iSuppli.

Samsung is expected to account for 29 percent of worldwide cell phone shipments, up from 24 percent in 2011, according to the IHS, which said Nokia’s share dropped to 24 percent from 30 percent.

This will mark the first time the South Korean electronics giant will occupy the top on a yearly basis, IHS said. Samsung has also extended its lead over Apple as the top maker of smart phones worldwide, the survey said.

Samsung will have 28 percent of the market, up from 20 percent in 2011, while Apple’s share will rise in 2012 to 20 percent from 19 percent. “The competitive reality of the cell phone market in 2012 was ‘live by the smart phone; die by the smart phone,’” said Wayne Lam, senior analyst at IHS.

“Smart phones represent the fastest-growing segment of the cell phone market and will account for nearly half of all wireless handset shipments for all of 2012.