Global Cellphone Sales Forecast to Slip

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Markets in Eastern Europe were battered in the third quarter, though emerging markets in Africa continued to show healthy growth.

Finland-based Nokia Corp. kept its top spot, selling 118 million handsets to grab a global market share of 38.2%, but the mobile-phone giant felt the slowdown in replacement sales in mature markets and was also hit by weaker emerging-market sales.

South Korean handset maker Samsung Electronics Co. maintained its No. 2 spot, selling 52.9 million phones for a third-quarter market share of 17.1%.
[Poised for Slowdown chart]

Sony Ericsson, the joint venture between Japan's Sony Corp. and Sweden's Telefon AB L.M. Ericsson, sold 24.8 million phones for a market share of 8.1%. The company continued to suffer from the weakness in the high-end markets and the slowdown in Europe, while U.S.- based Motorola Inc. sold 24.6 million devices, estimated Gartner, causing its market share to drop sharply to 8% in the third quarter from 13% in the year-earlier period.

LG Electronics Inc. had a 7.8% market share in the quarter, strengthening its position fromup from 7% a year earlier. Ms. Milanesi said the company is in a good position for the fourth quarter as its prices are more suited to the economic climate.

Business is greatly affected by the present global economic recession.

P.S. Almost all countries are experiencing the downturn.