Samsung, Apple step up pace in cellphone race

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd is fast catching up with cellphone market frontrunner Nokia and pulling away from third placer LG Electronics, according to International Data Corp., which cited the South Korean company's record first quarter shipment volume.

''LG unit shipments declined on a year-over-year basis for the third straight quarter. The phone shipment drop off was most noticeable in Europe and the CIS countries where shipments on a combined basis declined,'' according to IDC.

''Apple maintained its number 4 spot on IDC's Top 5 list thanks to a record quarter for unit shipments. The company posted the highest growth rate of the worldwide leaders,'' according to the firm. ''ZTE held on to the number 5 slot in the rankings thanks to strong year-over-year growth in countries and regions where it does particularly well, such as China and Latin America.''

The worldwide mobile phone market grew 19.8 percent year-over-year in the first quarter of 2011 (1Q11), according to IDC. Vendors shipped 371.8 million units in 1Q11 compared to 310.5 million units in the first quarter of 2010, the firm reported.

- Mark LaPedus
??EE Times