Article source: Canalys
Canalys highlights importance of understanding local app store and channel trends
Canalys released its detailed smart phone shipment estimates by country for Q1 2012. Total shipments worldwide grew 45% year on year to 146 million units, but significant country and regional differences were apparent. Shipments in the US rose just 5% year-on-year, in marked contrast to the 81% growth seen across the Asia Pacific region. Shipments in China doubled and overtook those in the US for the first time. In Q1, China represented 22% of global smart phone shipments, while the US accounted for 16%. A year earlier these figures were the other way around. Of the top 10 countries for smart phones, half are now in the Asia Pacific region.
