A new study shows the mobile-phone industry grew 21.2 percent year-over-year in the third quarter, with most of the world’s major phone makers seeing increased gains.
The new study from research firm IDC, which comes after similar results from research firm Strategy Analytics, shows Nokia maintaining its lead with 35 percent of the market, although the company slipped slightly from the previous quarter. Motorola Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and Siemens all increased share and shipments, while LG Electronics managed to score the No. 5 slot from Sony Ericsson by just 0.3 percent.
IDC said color-screen phones and devices with integrated cameras helped drive the market, but that a number of Asian manufacturers look to threaten the industry’s top dogs.
In a separate study, Allied Business Intelligence shows the market for advanced mobile phones is helping to drive the market for applications processors, the chips that drive much of the functions of advanced handsets. ABI research shows 66 percent of handset shipments announced in the third quarter were for enhanced handsets, up from 56 percent in the second quarter. ABI said the market for applications processors will grow to $1.8 billion in 2008.
