Global handset shipments fall 4 percent in Q3 2009, but return to growth expected in Q4

BOSTON, USA: According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global mobile handset shipments fell 4 percent year-over-year, to reach 291 million units in Q3 2009.

The rate of decline was slower than the previous quarter, as the market edged toward recovery. We forecast the handset industry to return to positive growth in the fourth quarter of 2009, signaling an end to the recession.

Bonny Joy, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics said: “Global mobile handset shipments fell to 291 million units during Q3 2009, down 4 percent from 304 million units in Q3 2008. The four-percent shrinkage was a noticeable improvement on the average decline of 11 percent recorded during the previous three quarters between Q4 2008 and Q2 2009. The handset market is edging toward recovery.”

Neil Mawston, Director at Strategy Analytics, added: “We forecast 300 million handsets to be shipped worldwide in Q4 2009, growing 3 percent from 294 million units in Q4 2008. We believe that this will be the first time the industry has returned to positive growth since Q3 2008, signaling an end to the handset recession after four quarters of decline. Consumers and handset vendors are gradually regaining a little confidence.”

Other findings from Strategy Analytics’ Q3 2009 Global Handset Market Share Update report include:

* Samsung shipped 60.2 million handsets worldwide and captured a record 21 percent market share in Q3 2009. Samsung now sits alongside Nokia and Motorola as the only three vendors to have passed the 20 percent threshold during the past decade;

* LG Electronics shipped 31.6 million handsets worldwide during Q3 2009, for 11 percent market share. The South Korean vendors Samsung and LG captured almost one-third of the entire global handset market between them. Attractive touchscreen handset portfolios and a growing retail presence have been the keys to the companies’ success;

Apple shipped a healthy 7.4 million iPhones worldwide in Q3 2009, for a record 2.5 percent market share. Apple is expanding its distribution networks into all major regions worldwide and this is driving its volume growth.

Global Mobile Handset Shipments and Marketshare – Top 5 VendorsSource: Strategy Analytics