Nokia Assumes Top Position in 3G Handsets

Strategy Analytics released market share figures that claimed 9 million 3G handsets were shipped globally in Q2 2005 with Nokia taking the top spot with a 17 percent market share. According to analyst Chris Ambrosio:

At 17 percent, Nokia's 3G market share is almost half its overall global total of 33 percent. WCDMA (3G) technology, which accounted for just 5 per cent of total handset sales during Q2 2005, remains a market in the early stages of development, but it is worrying for a cluster of aspiring Asian vendors that Nokia has already become best in class. Early market-leaders NEC and LG have been overtaken by Nokia and they have significant work to do to match up in the next battle for WCDMA phones priced below US$200 wholesale, which will present significant mass-market opportunities in 2006 to 2010.

Analyst Neil Mawston added, "Step by step, Nokia is regaining ground in high-end device segments that it has lost to Motorola, Samsung, LG and others over the last couple of years."

The other key finding was that even though Motorola was gaining share due to the success of the Razr V3, it "is on the back foot in 3G (WCDMA)" and "urgently needs design improvements in this segment."