Apple named world’s 4th biggest mobile vendor

Apple has overtaken RIM to become the world’s fourth biggest mobile phone vendor, according to IDC’s Q3 handset shipment rankings.

The top three places remain unchanged. Nokia is in first place with a 32.4 per cent market share (110.4 million units), followed by Samsung (21 per cent share, 71.4 million units) and LG (8.3 per cent share, 28.4 million units).

Apple’s 14.1 million handsets shipped in Q3 gives it 4.1 per cent of the global market, compared to RIM’s 12.4 million units (3.6 per cent market share). Sony Ericsson has fallen out of the top five for the first time since 2004, with 10.4 million phones shipped in Q3.