Apple Vs Samsung: Strategy Analytics Says Apple Overtakes Samsung for Honor of Largest US Mobile Phone Vendor

Apple Vs Samsung: Anybody who keeps a close eye on the mobile phone market is well aware that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Samsung are fighting it out for top honors.

According to a recent report by market research firm Strategy Analytics, it appears that Apple is currently the top dog.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Press Info

Here is what the company had to say on its official blog:

“According to our Wireless Device Strategies (WDS) service, mobile phone shipments grew 4 percent annually to reach 52 million units in the United States during the fourth quarter of 2012. Apple became the number one mobile phone vendor for the first time ever, capturing a record 34 percent market share.”

Not only is Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) at the top, this is the first time they have ever held down this spot.

All in all, the report says that mobile phone shipments increased by 4 percent from “50.2 million units in Q4 2011 to 52.0 million in the United States in Q4 2012.”

The report believes that the growth was driven in large part by demand among consumers for 4G smartphones.

Although this is good news, it is important to note that shipments declined overall in 2012. Here is a follow-up from the same report:

“However, despite a solid fourth-quarter performance, the US mobile phone market had previously contracted 16 percent for the first three quarters of 2012 due to economic uncertainty and tighter carrier upgrade policies. As a result, US mobile phone shipments fell 11 percent from 186.8 million units in 2011 to 166.9 million in 2012.”

For more information on where Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) stands in the grand scheme of things, here is a closer look: