According to the latest data compiled by independent analyst firm Canalys, total smart mobile device shipments for Q1 of 2013 reached 308.7 million units.
In the Canalys report, smart mobile devices include notebooks, tablets and smartphones.
Canalys’ worldwide estimates indicate year-on-year growth of 37.4%.
When it comes to OS vendors, Android remains the OS of global choice on 59.5% of all smart mobile devices shipped.
Apple’s strength in the smartphone and tablet PC markets accounts for its 19.3% share, while Microsoft’s 18.1% share reflects its relative strength in the PC market but continued challenger status in the smartphone space, the report reveals.
“Despite its slowing growth, Apple still shipped over 37 million iPhones,” says Pete Cunningham, Canalys Principal Analyst. “But HTC and Samsung have raised the bar with their latest handsets and Apple needs to respond with its next iPhone. The iPhone user interface is now six years old and badly in need of a refresh. Hardware-wise, the biggest dilemma that Apple faces is what it does with the size of the display on the next iPhone. It cannot afford to ignore the trend for larger displays in premium smart phones. We expect an increase on the iPhone 5’s 4″ display but are not anticipating a ‘Phablet’-style iPhone.”
