Motorola retains No 2 position in handset sales

Mobile handset major Motorola has retained its second position - world-wide as well as in India - as it expanded its global market share to 22 per cent in the second quarter of the year, the company said while announcing its quarterly results.

The company posted a record 46 per cent increase in sales at $7,140 million and a 62 per cent rise in operating earnings at $799 million - an all-time high for the company both in terms of volume and earnings.

Motorola said it had achieved an eight percentage point increase in sales over the second quarter in 2005, across all high growth markets in west Asia, India, South East Asia and Africa.

The second quarter earnings were boosted mainly from rising sales in China and India, say analyasts.

Motorola has launched a number of low-cost handsets in India and other emerging markets in a bid to expand their market share. The company also increased its brand strength and market share in the Americas and retained the second position with a growing brand image in Europe, Asia and the emerging high-growth markets. Motorola also expanded its market share in China to more than 20 per cent from around 11 per cent the year-ago quarter.