42 Million Mobile Phones Sold in the US in 2Q08

(Business News & Technology News, 18 Aug 2008)

Mobile phone shipments in the United States defied the economic gloom and grew 5 percent annually to reach 42 million units in the second quarter of 2008. Motorola had a strong quarter and maintained its number one position in the region.

"Despite economic fears and a tightening on consumer-spend, mobile phone shipments in the United States reached 41.9 million units during 2Q08, up 5.3 percent from 39.8 million in 2Q07. Attractive bundling schemes from operators and a number of new handset launches from vendors kept replacement rates at a healthy level," says Bonny Joy, Analyst at Strategy Analytics.

Neil Mawston, Director at Strategy Analytics, adds, "Motorola had a good quarter and retained its number one position in the United States, with a 25.8 percent marketshare. Motorola's strong distribution network and deep carrier-relationships proved crucial in maintaining share in both GSM and CDMA markets. Motorola is not yet out of the woods, but these are encouraging, early signs of stabilization."

Other findings from Strategy Analytics' report:
- Blackberry achieved double-digit marketshare in the United States for the first time. The Canadian firm is seeing huge success with its balanced portfolio of consumer and enterprise handsets;

- LG returned to second position in the U.S. for the first time in almost two years, due partly to solid gains in the WCDMA market at AT&T.

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