Samsung again ships more smartphones than Apple in Q2

South Korean technology giant Samsung Electronics increased its share of the global smartphone market by shipping more than 50 million of the devices in the second quarter, widening its lead over its arch rival Apple, according to market research firms.

Research firms IDC and Strategy Analytics said in their latest reports that Samsung increased its global smartphone market in the second quarter compared with the previous quarter, while Apple's market share declined in the same period.

Samsung extended its lead over Apple during the second quarter by launching its flagship Galaxy S III smartphone, while consumers held back buying Apple's iPhone ahead of the expected release of the next model later this year, said Massachusetts-based research firm IDC.

Samsung, already the world's largest smartphone maker, topped the 50-million unit mark and reached a new quarterly smartphone shipment record in a single quarter, while Apple said that it sold 26 million iPhones.

According to London-based Strategy Analytics estimates, Samsung shipped 50.5 million units, and increased its market share from 30.6 per cent in the first quarter to 34.6 in the second quarter ended June, while Apple's  market share dropped from 24.1 per cent to 17.8 per cent in the same period.

While IDC estimates that Samsung's shipped 50.2 million units in the second quarter, and increased its market share from 29.1 per cent in the first quarter to 32.6 per cent in the second quarter.