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Apple and Samsung have been in a constant battle for the top sales spot in the US smartphone market. In Q4 2012 Apple managed... Apple Claims 34% Marketshare In Q4, Surpasses Samsung

Apple and Samsung have been in a constant battle for the top sales spot in the US smartphone market. In Q4 2012 Apple managed to jump past Samsung, claiming a 34 percent market share.

Apple is estimated to have sold 17.7 million units in the quarter. Samsung in the meantime took a 32.3 percent market share with 16.8 million smartphones sold.

Trailing far behind in third place was LG Electronics with 4.7 million units and a nine percent share.

Apple Claims 34% Marketshare In Q4, Surpasses Samsung

While Apple claimed the Q4 victory, Samsung still won 2012 with a 31.8 percent market share to Apple’s 26.2 percent share. LG also fared better over the full year with a 12.3 percent marketshare.

Tracked by Strategy Analytics the firm found that the iPhone 5 fueled holiday sales for Apple.

While Apple toppled Samsung for the first time since 2008, Samsung still increased its marketshare by 5 percent year-over-year.

LG may be in third place but the company is making a large push in 2013, launching the LG Optimus G 4G LTE and a new Google Nexus smartphone that is expected to be announced in the next several months.

In the meantime SA researchers note that the US mobile phone market grew by four percent in Q4 to 52 million units.

Growth is Q4 2012 was an important drive for US mobile manufacturers who witnessed a 16 percent contraction in the mobile market in the first three quarters of 2012. Mobile phone sales fell from 186.8 million units in 2011 to just 166.9 million sales in 2012.

As mobile carriers continue to make mobile upgrades harder for customers, sales could continue to suffer. In the meantime Samsung, LG, Apple and other providers continue to examine new technologies that can once again reel in a new customer base.

Do you think Smartphone sales will regain their luster or have buyers cooled to the idea of constantly buying new upgrades for their mobile devices?

Apple vs Samsung Q4

[Images via jailbreaknation & NPR]