According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global handset shipments grew 13 percent annually to reach 327 million units in the third quarter of 2010. Apple was a star performer, as it jumped into the top five handset rankings for the first time.

Alex Spektor, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said, “Global handset shipments grew 13 percent annually to reach 327 million units in Q3 2010. Apple was a star performer during the quarter, as it captured a record 4 percent marketshare, overtook RIM and Sony Ericsson and closed the gap on LG. Apple jumped into our top five rankings for the first time.”

Neil Mawston, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “It was a mixed quarter for the world’s major handset vendors. Some brands outperformed, such as Apple, while others underperformed, such as LG and Nokia. LG lost ground due to a weak smartphone portfolio, while Nokia suffered component shortages that constrained its low-end handset volumes by an estimated several million units.”

Other findings from the research include:

• Samsung shipped 71.4 million handsets worldwide during Q3 2010, rising a slightly above-average 19% from 60.2 million units a year earlier. Samsung’s global marketshare reached 22% in Q3 2010. Samsung continues to edge ahead of LG (9%) and it is just 12 points behind Nokia (34%), the closest it has ever been;
• There is a long tail of second-tier players emerging who are knocking on the doors of the top five players. ZTE, Sony Ericsson, Motorola, Huawei and Alcatel are all shipping volumes that are within touching distance of the leading group.

Global Handset Vendor Shipments and Market Share in Q3 2010