Apple Surpasses BlackBerry and Microsoft to Become No. 2 Smartphone Provider

Apple has beat out RIM (manufacturer of the BlackBerry), Microsoft and Palm to become the second-largest provider of smartphones in the world.

According to Canalys, about 39.9 million smartphones were shipped around the world in the third quarter, an increase of 28 per cent compared to the second quarter. Smartphones have also increased their market share to 13 per cent of all cell phones. Among the smartphones, Apple has sold 6.9 million handsets and has captured 17.3 per cent of the smartphone market. BlackBerry’s sales are not disappointing either, with 6.1 million and 15.3 per cent market share. RIM will soon launch the BlackBerry Bold in the U.S., and the iPhone-like, BlackBerry Storm. These two smartphones could help RIM surpass Apple, but for now Apple is in the second position behind Symbian smartphones with 46.6 per cent of the smartphone market. Windows Mobile has 13.5 per cent market share, despite being in the industry for nearly a decade. Senior Canalys analyst Pete Cunningham wrote in a press statement:

"It was expected that Apple would figure among the smartphone leaders this quarter, with that huge initial new product shipment, it was just a question of how high up it would be -- and this is impressive."

Apple will face a lot of competition from RIM, Nokia and HTC’s Android phones. But Apple could increase its share as well by cutting the price to $99 for its iPhone. Competition is always good for consumers who now have plenty of smartphone choices.