Samsung is world’s ‘top mobile brand’ for 2012 – IHS iSuppli

Samsung has displaced Nokia to become the world’s top mobile brand in 2012, according to new analysis from market intelligence firm IHS iSuppli. It will be the first time in 14 years that Nokia won’t be topping the list.

According to IHS iSuppli’s Preliminary Semiconductor Forecast for Q4 2012, Samsung is expected to account for 29pc of global mobile phone shipments this year, up from 24pc in 2011. Meanwhile, Nokia’s global share for 2012 is set to drop to 24pc, down from 30pc in 2011.

IHS iSuppli expects that Apple will come in at No 3 on the list, with a 10pc share of global sales, up from 7pc in 2011.

According to IHS iSuppli, it will be the first time since 1998 that Nokia won’t be taking the lead for overall mobile phone shipments during a calendar year.

Wayne Lam, senior analyst for wireless communications at IHS, said smartphones represent the fastest-growing segment of the mobile phone market and will account for nearly half of all wireless handset shipments for all of 2012.

IHS anticipates that global smartphone shipments are set to rise by 35.5pc this year. It predicts that Samsung will post the best performance among the top 5 smartphone brands in 2012, with its smartphone shipments rising to 28pc, up from 20pc in 2011.

The market intelligence firm has placed Apple in second place, accounting for a 20pc share of global smartphone shipments, up from 19pc in 2011.

IHS iSuppli’s Preliminary Forecast of Top 5 Smartphone Handset OEMs in 2012 (ranking by global unit shipments)

In November, Strategy Analytics ranked the Samsung Galaxy S III as the world’s best-selling smartphone, overtaking Apple’s iPhone 4S.