Apple And Samsung Captured 55% Of Smartphone Market, 90% Of Its Profits

Apple and Samsung continue to dominate the global smartphone market, capturing 55 percent of its shipments and over 90 percent of its profits in the first quarter of 2012. Smartphone shipments have been growing 41 percent year-over-year to 144.6 million in the quarter ending in March 2012, but other smartphone OEMs continue to trail far behind the two market leaders.

Apple's 2012 first quarter global iPhone shipments were 35 million units, while Samsung with its huge selection of Android devices shipped 43 million units. In third is Nokia, which shipped 11.9 million units, followed close behind by RIM with 11.1 million units, Sony with 7 million units, Huawei with 6.8 million units, and ZTE with 4.9 million units.

Only Samsung and Sony experienced sequential growth in global shipments from the previous quarter, while Nokia saw a 40 percent drop, bringing it closer to RIM, which saw a 20 percent decline. Analysts see a grim outlook for Nokia this year. The company is set to cut 10,000 jobs and has sold its Vertu division of luxury handsets.

"At this point in the year, Nokia will have to grow its Windows Phone business 5000% in 2012 just to offset its declines in Symbian shipments," said ABI Research senior analyst Michael Morgan.

[via ABI Research]