Global handset sales up almost 20 percent in June quarter: IDC

SINGAPORE (AFP) Aug 05, 2003
Global demand for handsets surged nearly 20 percent to more than 118 million units in the second quarter ending June with Nokia retaining its dominance in the market, an independent industry monitor said Tuesday.

Sales totalled 118.3 million units in the June quarter, up 19.2 percent from a year ago, technology research house International Data Corp. (IDC) said in a report.

A weak economic environment, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and prevailing worries over terrorism failed to dent sales, it said.

"Despite continued economic uncertainty worldwide, the threat of SARS and concerns of terrorism, the mobile phone market recorded impressive results this past quarter," said Ross Sealfon, research analyst in IDC's mobile device program.

The world's leading mobile phone maker Nokia maintained its dominance in the June quarter, accounting for 34.6 percent of handsets sold.

Motorola of the US was a distant second with a 13.4 percent market share or 15.8 million units sold, followed by South Korea's Samsung with a 10.1 percent market share.

SPACE.WIRE