Samsung overtakes Apple as top smartphone vendor

Global smartphone shipments grew 44 percent annually to reach a record 117 million units in the third quarter of 2011. During this period Samsung shipped 28 million smart phones and become the world’s largest smartphone vendor by volume - obtaining a 24 percent market share. “Samsung’s rise has been driven by a blend of elegant hardware designs, popular Android services, memorable sub-brands and extensive global distribution. Samsung has demonstrated that it is possible, at least in the short term, to differentiate and grow by using the Android ecosystem," said Alex Spektor, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics. Apple spent just one quarter in the top spot with a market share of 15 percent. © Strategy Analytics