Apple managed to outsell Samsung in the U.S., by shifting one million units more than the Korean Manufacturer during Q4.
Figures from research analyst firm Strategy Analytics shows that Apple shipped almost 18 million iPhones, giving them a record 34 percent share of the market. In comparison, Apple shipped 12.8 million units in Q4 2011, which gave them a 25 percent share of the market.
Key to the success of Apple in the last quarter, says Strategy Analytics, is the ecosystem of iPhone and App Store, as well as generous subsidies from the network operators of the iPhone 5, aligned with a strong marketing campaign.
Samsung has been a long term number one in the U.S. Market, holding that position since 2008. During the fourth quarter Samsung shipped 16.8 million units, and will be pinning hopes on the successor to the Galaxy S3 to help them retain the number one position.
In a distant third place came LG, shipping 4.7 million units, which gave them a 9 percent share of the market.
Samsung still remain the overall number one manufacturer in numbers of mobile phones sold during the whole of 2012, shipping 53 million units compared to Apple's 43.7 million. Overall the market grew by 4 percent compared to 2011, buoyed by strong Christmas sales, reversing the first three quarters of weak sales which saw the market contract by 16 percent.