MUMBAI: Retaining its position as the leader in the global smartphone market, Samsung shipped around 63.7 million smartphones in Q4 2012, according to a report from research firm International Data Corporation (IDC).

The Korean handset maker had shipped around 36.2mn smartphones in Q4 2011, which has almost doubled in the same period in 2012. The company’s overall market share also stood at 29 per cent, a significant increase from 22.5 per cent in Q4 2011.

Tech giant Apple figured at the second spot with 47.8mn shipments and a market share of 21.8 per cent for this quarter. Though it managed to ship more number of smartphones, its market share dipped from the 23 per cent in the same period in 2011.

A surprise entry figured at number three with China based Huawei witnessing around 10.8mn shipments with a market share of 4.9 per cent. The shipments for Huawei doubled, compared to Q4 2011 when it sold around 5.7mn smartphones at a market share of 3.5 per cent.

Following behind at fourth was Sony with nearly 9.8mn shipments and a market share of 4.5 per cent, witnessing a rise from the 6.3mn smartphones it shipped in Q4 2011 when it had a market share of 3.9 per cent.

Rounding off the top five was ZTE with 9.5mn devices shipped and a market share of 4.3 per cent. In Q4 2011, the company had shipped 6.4mn devices with 4 per cent market share.

IDC mobile phone team research manager Ramon Llamas said, “Both companies (ZTE and Huawei) have grown volumes by focusing on the mass market, but in recent quarters they have turned their attention towards higher-end devices. In addition, both companies have pushed the envelope in terms of industrial design with larger displays and smaller form factors, as well as innovative applications and experiences.”

Notably, top vendors like LG, RIM and Nokia did not make it to the list of the top vendors for Q4 2012.

The overall mobile market grew at 1.9 per cent in the quarter as compared to 2011, with vendors shipping a total of 482.5mn handsets for the quarter. For the full year, the global market for mobile phones grew 1.2 per cent on shipments of more than 1.7bn units.

Smartphone shipments constituted around 219.4mn units in Q4 of 2012, which is 45.5 per cent of all mobile phone shipments, the highest percentage ever. On an annual basis, 712.6mn smartphones were shipped globally in 2012, which was 44.1 per cent more than in 2011.