Samsung Ends Nokia’s 14-Year Run as Biggest Handset Maker

Bloomberg: In the first quarter, Samsung passed Nokia to become the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer. The Korean company shipped 93.5 million handsets during the period, a 36 percent increase over 2011’s total. Finnish Nokia came in at number two with 82.7 million handsets shipped. Before this year, Nokia held the title of world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer since 1998.

“Last year Samsung became No. 1 in Europe while Nokia retained the No. 1 position in most emerging markets,” noted Strategy Analytics analyst Tom Kang. “In the first quarter, we expect Samsung took a lot of market share from Nokia in Asia. China and India were the two biggest markets where Samsung gained.” He predicted, “Samsung will probably still be No. 1 in the second quarter, but the full year will be a close call because the third and fourth quarters are traditionally Nokia’s best.”