Global Smart Phone Sales Top Feature Phones for First Time

In the first quarter of 2013, global sales of smart phones outpaced feature phones for the first time, according to International Data Corp.

In the worldwide smart phone market, suppliers shipped 216.2 million units in the first quarter of 2013, representing 51.6 percent of the total phone shipments the quarter.

In fact, some might say smart phones now are simply a device that should be tracked with other computing devices. "Phone users want computers in their pockets,” said Kevin Restivo, IDC senior research analyst.

The days where phones are used primarily to make phone calls and send text messages are quickly fading away," he said. "As a result, the balance of smart phone power has shifted to phone makers that are most dependent on smart phones."

Top Five Total Mobile Phone Vendors, Shipments, and Market Share, 2013 Q1 (Units in Millions)

Vendor	Shipments	Market Share	1Q12 Shipments	1Q12 Share	Change
Samsung	115.0	27.5%	93.6	23.3%	22.9%
Nokia	61.9	14.8%	82.7	20.6%	-25.1%
Apple	37.4	8.9%	35.1	8.7%	6.6%
LG	15.4	3.7%	13.7	3.4%	12.4%
ZTE	13.5	3.2%	16.2	4.0%	-16.5%
Others	175.4	41.9%	161.1	40.0%	8.9%
Total	418.6	100.0%	402.4	100.0%	4.0%