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Nokia losing smartphone homeground to Apple, potentially even more

| May 8, 2011 | 49 Replies
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Following up on our recent IDC related articles, here is another one. One that is somewhat troubling to read for Nokia fans.

Nokia lost it’s number one position as smartphone vendor in Europe, traditionally one of the strongest markets for Nokia. What do the figures say then? Let’s start with some history and the numbers from Q4 2010

Vendor 4Q10 Unit Shipments 4Q10 Market Share 4Q09 Unit Shipments 4Q09 Market Share 4Q10/4Q09 Change
1. Nokia 7.0 27% 5.9 46% 19%
2. Apple 5.2 20% 3.1 24% 66%
3. Research in Motion 3.8 15% 2.3 18% 67%
4. HTC 3.2 13% 0.8 6% 284%
5. Sony Ericsson 2.2 9% 0.1 1% 3,121%
Others 4.2 16% 0.6 5% 561%
Total 25.6 100% 12.8 100% 99%

Nokia is still fairly comfortable on top in this table, yet there is already a serious decline visible from a year earlier. In 2009 Nokia was shipping nearly half of all smartphones sold in Europe, in 2010 however they were already down to 27% of all shipped units.

On to the present time then, Q1 2011. Did Nokia do better?

Vendor 1Q11
Unit Shipments		 1Q11
Market Share		 1Q10
Unit Shipments		 1Q10
Market Share		 1Q11/1Q10
Change
1. Apple 4.4 20.8% 3.0 24.6% 49%
2. Nokia 4.2 19.6% 4.9 40.6% -15%
3. Research in Motion 3.5 16.5% 2.4 19.6% 48%
4. HTC 3.5 16.5% 0.9 7.8% 271%
5. Samsung 2.6 12.1% 0.3 2.5% 744%
Others 3.0 14.5% 0.6 4.9% 414%
Total 21.2 100% 12.1 100% 76%

With the total amount about 4 million lower this quarter due to the holiday season Nokia logically didn’t ship the same amount as a quarter before. But what is more concerning is Nokia’s position; number 2? Nokia has been bested in 2011 by Apple, a company that’s playing a one horse game even.

Just looking at the available numbers will make a Nokia fan cry (myself included)

  • Q4 2009:46%
  • Q1 2010: 40.6%
  • Q4 2010: 27%
  • Q1 2011: 19.6% (and lost no. 1 position)

Their market share has effectively been halved in about a year and a half!! Aside from losing their top position they also have to worry about about RIM and even more about HTC overtaking them in the coming quarters, pushing Nokia potentially down to the 4th position.

Inevitably comments will flood in that Symbian is still strong, selling very well around the world. While it is still selling a good number of units, the western market is where the big margin’s and thus profits can be made. In this market desireability is also created for the rest of the world. If Nokia loses that, it can potentially lose far more than just the western market.

Source: IDC 2010 numbers
Source: IDC 2011 numbers

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Category: Nokia

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