This is according to market researcher IDC, which said that smartphone shipments grew to 52 per cent of the total mobile phone shipments during the second quarter of 2011.
IDC observed that this represents a rise of 48 per cent year over year to 21.8 million units.
In contrast, though, the total Western European mobile phone market fell by three per cent year over year to 42.2 million units.
According to Francisco Jeronimo, European mobile devices research manager at IDC, a number of factors were responsible for the drop.
"Operators," he explained, "focused on clearing inventories for the introduction of the new devices expected in the third quarter, such as the iPhone5 from Apple and Windows Phones from HTC and other players."
Meanwhile, James Holland, editor at electricpig.co.uk, a gadget news website that aims to deliver the latest on technology and gadgets, claimed earlier this week that the new iPhone 5 will influence "every other manufacturer for at least the next 12 months".
Posted by Andre Dixon
