Global smartphone shipments pass the 1 billion mark for the first time – IDC

Smartphone vendors shipped over 1 billion smartphones in 2013, according to the most recent figures from market research firm IDC. This marks the first time that the worldwide sale of smartphones has topped this number, more than doubling the shipment total met just two years previously.

According to the report, the likes of Samsung, Apple, Nokia and everyone else involved shipped 1,004.2 million devices in 2013. This doesn’t equate to devices sold but still, having more that a billion devices in circulation in the course of a single year is an impressive feat in itself. 2012 saw 725.3 million units shipped while 2011 had a mere 494.4 million smartphones making the rounds.

IDC Research Manager Ramon Llamas said “The sheer volume and strong growth attest to the smartphone’s continued popularity in 2013. Total smartphone shipments reached 494.4 million units worldwide in 2011, and doubling that volume in just two years demonstrates strong end-user demand and vendor strategies to highlight smartphones.”

Samsung was the leading vendor for 2013, accounting for nearly a third of all smartphones shipped and doubling the shipments by their nearest competitor Apple. Huawei, LG and Lenovo took up the next three slots respectively while Microsoft, Nokia and BlackBerry were all relegated to the ‘Others’ category by the IDC.

Source: IDC via BBC