[April 28, 2011]

Strategy Analytics: Apple Overtakes ZTE for 4th Position in Global Handset Shipments in Q1 2011

According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global handset shipments grew 17 percent annually to reach 350 million units in the first quarter of 2011. Apple (News - Alert) captured fourth place in global handset shipments, rising from sixth position a year earlier and leapfrogging rival ZTE.

Alex Spektor, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics (News - Alert), said, "Global handset shipments grew 17 percent annually to reach 350 million units in Q1 2011. Apple was a star performer during the quarter, as it shipped a record 18.6 million handsets, captured fourth place in global shipments and overtook rival ZTE (News - Alert)."

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 and ZTE, while others underperformed, such as LG and Nokia (News - Alert). LG lost ground due to sluggish feature phone volumes, while Nokia continued to struggle in 3G smartphones and the important United States market."

Other findings from the research include:

• Samsung (News - Alert) shipped 68.9 million handsets worldwide during the first quarter of 2011, rising a relatively sluggish 7% from 64.3 million units a year earlier. Its global handset marketshare has dipped from 22% to 20% over the past year, due to rising competition in 2G and 3G touchphone markets;
• Global handset shipments grew 17% annually and reached 350 million units in Q1 2011, driven by surging smartphones in mature regions and popular multi-SIM models in emerging markets. This year will be the first year ever when every quarter will exceed 300 million units.

Exhibit 1: Global Handset Vendor Shipments and Market Share in Q1 2011

The full report, Apple Overtakes ZTE for 4th Position in Global Handset Shipments in Q1 2011, is published by the Strategy Analytics Wireless Device Strategies (WDS) service, details of which can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/5u722uu.

About Strategy Analytics:

Strategy Analytics is a global, independent research and consulting firm. The company is headquartered in Boston, USA, with offices in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and China. Visit www.strategyanalytics.com for more information.

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