Other than the iPhone 5 flop, and other than overtaking Samsung. According to data from the "Strategy Analytics" study, it is on the contrary precisely thanks to the excellent performance of the latest Apple-branded smartphone that the Cupertino-based company achieved the counter-overtaking of its Korean rivals in the last quarter of 2012.
According to the data published today, in fact, it seems that the iPhone 5, initially criticized for the disappointing results (and the main cause of the collapse of the Apple stock on Wall Street from September onwards), has actually conquered a smartphone market share of 42,7%, significantly better than the 28,7% achieved by Samsung.
To be precise, the latest model with the bitten apple logo has sold 27,4 million mobile phones, against 11,6 million Galaxy, while in the previous quarter – thanks in particular to the Galaxy S3 model – the Korean company had overtaken Apple for the first time in worldwide sales.
On the podium, again according to "Strategy Analytics" and again examining the final quarter of 2012, is LG Electronics, which by focusing on LTE-4G technology has climbed five positions reaching 3,2% of the market. In fourth and fifth position are the Taiwanese Htc with 2,9% and the Japanese Sony with 2,8%.
The challenge for 2013 has therefore been launched, and according to the same analysts of "Strategy Analytics" it should be Samsung to take back the scepter, even going as far as doubling - in the forecasts - Apple's performance: With the release of the Galaxy S4, announced for March 14th, Koreans expect to sell over 320 million smartphones in the calendar year, reaching almost 40% of the global market, while Cupertino would remain firm at 19% with "just" 159 million. The definitive explosion of Huawei is also expected in the current year, which according to estimates could undermine the podium of LG around 5% of the market.
