James Delahunty
23 Nov 2011 6:20
Falling prices and drop in U.S. shipments push China to top spot.
Shipments of smartphones in China reached a new record of 23.9 million units in the third quarter, compared to 23.3 million in the United States which saw a 7 percent drop during the period.
The devices are becoming cheaper and more widely available in the giant emerging economy.
Compared to the second quarter, smartphone shipments in China rose 58 percent. Nokia Oyj leads the Chinese market with a 28 percent share of shipments during the quarter. It is followed by Samsung Electronics at 18 percent.
Wireless carriers in China have ramped up the amount of smartphones on offer, particularly devices running the Android operating system. Carriers also offer subsidies on iPhones.