Canalys have released their Q4 2011 and full 2011 estimates, and the above and below tables give the summaries.

Notable Highlights

Besides the obvious, here are some other notable points from the Canalys report:

1. Total annual global shipments of smartphones exceeded those of client PCs (including pads) for the first time
2. Samsung shipped 3.8 million Bada OS smartphones
3. Nokia shipped 1.2 million Windows Phone smartphones
4. Nokia shipped only 0.6 million MeeGo smartphones, so the N9 didn’t sell as much as some hoped

Nobody is paying Bada OS much attention, but Samsung is making great progress with it. 3.8 million Bada OS smartphones is no joke. It is doing significantly better than Windows Phone at the moment, though that may change as Nokia increases Windows Phone shipments this year.

Most importantly is the fact that smartphones have finally overtaken the PC. Do click the source link below to access the full report.

Source

As I have said before, Samsung have a winner in the Galaxy range of smartphones, and the Galaxy S II has just reinforced that position by selling 10 million units in 5 months.

Its predecessor, the Galaxy S, sold the same number in about seven months. Impressive stats, really. Here’s a toast to the Galaxy S II.

Source

In choosing to buy a mobile phone or mobile computer (as I choose to call smartphones these days), a Manufacturers Warranty should be a very important consideration.

The manufacturer’s warranty is your insurance that if something should good wrong with the device you purchased (usually within 12 months) the manufacturer will carry out any repairs needed, and where the device is beyond repair, a replacement will be issued.

Note that the warranty is only valid if the said fault is not as a result your carelessness or abuse. The warranty covers non-damages only.

Contrary to what some consumers would like to do, a manufacturer’s warranty is a guarantee from the manufacturer to you. It is not a guarantee from the retailer.

For example, if you purchase a phone from an i-Cell store, usually the i-Cell warranty specifies that you can fall back on i-Cell should the phone develop a fault. But if you purchase a Nokia phone with a manufacturer’s warranty from ABC Stores, should the phone develop a fault, you turn to Nokia; not ABC.

Please be sure to read your warranty terms, so you know exactly what to do should you need to fall back on it someday. Of course, at the point of purchase be sure to confirm that your purchase has an official warranty covering it.

There is no point venting at the retailer if the warranty terms do not specify that the retailer is a support channel. While as a consumer you may be aggrieved, your grievance is being channeled in the wrong direction if you do not follow the guidelines of the warranty. The retailer did good selling you a device covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. Now take up your case with the manufacturer or their appointed agents.

For information purposes, i-Cell provides warranty service on devices from Nokia, Sony Ericssson, HTC, Samsung and Motorola. Nokia also has its own care centres on ground. But be sure to check the warranty cards and pamphlets included in your sales package for details.

Recommended Reading

• The Manufacturer Presence and Support Factor