According to the market research firm -- which looked at "converged devices" including both smartphones and wireless handhelds such as RIM's Blackberry -- Apple moved 2.3 million iPhones worldwide during Q4 2007, giving it 6.5 percent share. This is despite the fact that the iPhone only began sales outside the U.S. midway through the quarter. The iPhone was released in the U.K., France and Germany in November, about five months after it launched in the U.S.

Both the iPhone and Windows Mobile are a long way from being top dog, however. In the U.S., that title goes to RIM, whose product had 42 percent market share, according to Canalys. This trounced Apple at 27 percent, Windows Mobile at 21 percent, and Palm at a distant nine percent.

Worldwide, Symbian was the clear leader, with 65 percent market share, compared to Microsoft's 12 percent, RIM's 11 percent, Apple's seven percent, and Linux's five percent.

Canalys analyst Rachel Lashford said, "Total Linux-based phone shipments in 2007 were almost flat on 2006. There is still too much fragmentation and not enough momentum." But, the report added, Linux will account for a "significant proportion of mobile phone shipments within the next few years."


Worldwide converged device market
Source: Canalys
(Click to enlarge)

During Q4 2007, more than 35.5 million converged devices were sold, as detailed in the chart above. This comprised a 72 percent gain over Q4 2006, making this one of the fastest-growing segments of the technology industry. Shipments for the year overall were up 60 percent, for a total of 115 million, Canalys says.

As for Apple, Canalys analyst Pete Cunningham said, "it has sent a wakeup call to the market leaders. What it must demonstrate now is that it can build a sustainable business in the converged device space, expanding its coverage and product portfolio."

Further information

Rather than being extracted from a single report, the numbers above apparently are part of Canalys' ongoing "Smart Mobile Device Analysis Worldwide" service. More information is available from the company's website, here.

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