Research firm Canalys reports that global mobile device shipments hit another high in Q4 2004. Among the highlights:
- Overall global shipments of mobile devices up 51% year on year in Q4 2004
- Data-centric devices (handhelds/wireless handhelds) up 5%
- Voice-centric devices (smart phones/feature phones) up 101%
- Nokia ships almost 5 million smart phones in the quarter, remains leader and increases share
- PalmOne smart phone shipments rise 154% on year-ago quarter, but handhelds fall 6%
- RIM and Fujitsu post highest growth – both more than 200% up on Q4 2003
HP saw its shipments increase by only 1%. One highlight though was the new h6340 shipping well in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). The small increase in shipments was attributed to the fact that HP’s new models had made it over into the channel in the previous quarter.
RIM meanwhile is closing the gap on HP pretty quickly (HP has an 8% share, RIM 7.6%). Numbers like 200% growth from Q4 2003 are definitely impressive.
The data-centric devices (PDAs) only recorded a 5% increase – If the overall numbers are as impressive as they are, it’s due to the growth in mobile phones.