[sayam]

According to a recent research report by Gartner, the overall mobile sales decreased this year with a fall of 9.4 percent. The number of sets sold dropped from 294.3 millions in Q1 2008 to 269.1 in Q1 2009. On the other hand, smartphone market share has continued to increase - setting a record of 13.5 percent of overall mobile sales - indicating a clear shift in the market trend.

Apple is the company that has benefitted most from this shift. There's a huge increase in iPhone market share, even more than 100 percent! While Apple controlled just 5.3 percent market share for smartphones in the first quarter 2008, its market share has boomed to an extraordinary 10.8 percent in the first quarter of 2009. With this increase, Apple maintains third place in the smartphone market falling short of Nokia and RIM.

Though most of the companies saw huge declines in sale figures, RIM's share has increased by 6.6 percent which making its market share a total of 19.9 percent. The company that has been hit badly is Nokia, which saw a decline of 3.9 percent leaving its share at 41.2 percent.

According to a Gartner analyst Roberta Cozza, "Much of the smartphone growth during the first quarter of 2009 was driven by touchscreen products, [T]ighter integration with applications and services around music, mobile e-mail, and Internet browsing made the difference at the high end of the market."

Even though Apple might face stiff competition from the upcoming Palm Pre which is scheduled to make its debut on 6th June this year, Apple still stands a great chance to expand the its market share with the expected release of next gen hardware and possibly different models.

[AppleInsider via Gartner]

[NeoNightmareX]

It's because everything that Steve Jobs touches turns to gold. I'm going to be excited to see what happens when the Pre and new iPhone release this summer.

[djdraco]

I can't figure out why I have yet to buy into this market. I need to especially with the up coming release of a new phone.

[keda51]

after the release of the new gen. July I imagine it will skyrocket as sceptics missing "key" features will buy in.

[shabz_de_don]

apple have made far the best startphone but a few lil things missed out in features nevertheless, nokia are extremely crao at making smartphones. there was this news clipping where nokia blamed apples iphone to have made them lose 90% profit, GET IT RIGHT its not apple its your crappyness in making smartpohone!

[djdraco]

dude thats hilarious. blamed their losses on someone else, come on learn to take blame for your own mistakes. didn't we learn that in elementary school?