Samsung is expected to continue to lead the smartphone market, while Apple will peak and then remain flat, according to a report by ABI Research.
“Barring an unlikely collapse of its business”, Samsung will retain its lead in the smartphone market this year, with even Apple forced to chase the South Korean company when it comes to “technology, software, and device leadership in 2013 through the foreseeable future,” according to ABI Research senior analyst Michael Morgan.
ABI said that Samsung has grown its share of the global smartphone market from 8% to more than 30% in 2012. Samsung has leaned very heavily on Google’s Android OS thus far — Android currently accounts for 90% of its smartphone shipments.
“With the successful launch of the iPhone 5 and competing LTE handsets from other leading OEMs, LTE handsets will be found in the hands of many consumers who do not even have access to LTE networks,” ABI Research senior practice director Jeff Orr said in a statement.