Research in Motion’s share of the global smartphone market fell to 8.2 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2011, down from 14 per cent a year earlier, International Data Corp. reported today.
High demand for Apple Inc.’s iPhone 4S boosted overall globalsmartphone sales by 55 per cent in the period, according to IDC figuresreported by Bloomberg News.
Apple’s share of the world’s smartphone market hit 24 per cent in Q4,up from 16 per cent a year earlier. That means Apple has won back thetop spot among smartphone makers from Samsung Electronics Co., whichhad taken over the number one position in Q3 of 2011. Samsung’s marketshare jumped from 9.4 per cent to 23 per cent in Q4 of 2011, IDC said.
HTC Corp. and Nokia both slumped along with RIM. HTC’s share fell from8.5 per cent in Q4 2011 to 6.5 per cent while Nokia’s global sharedropped to 12 per cent – less than half of the 28 per cent share it hada year earlier.