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The smartphone story is changing.

Global smartphone shipments topped 300m handsets for the second consecutive quarter in the 2014 third quarter, according to market research firm IDC.

Smartphone makers shipped a total of 327.6 m handsets between July and September, representing a healthy 25 percent increase over last year's September quarter. But growth is no longer being driven by developed markets like the US and Europe.

The latest figures confirm that it is the emerging markets that are now the fastest growing – and most hotly contested – markets for smartphones.

Perhaps even more importantly, the latest figures also underscore the accelerating fragmentation of the Android market with Samsung, the Android market leader, under growing pressure from lower cost Chinese manufacturers like Lenovo, Huawei and ZTE which now dominate emerging market sales.

Infographic: Samsung Loses Ground as Smartphone Competition Heats Up | Statista

While Apple managed to hold onto most of its iOS market share, the numbers highlight the risk for any enterprise business strategy that is too closely linked to one particular vendor. (Take note IBM and Apple.)

Apple itself benefited from the launch of its two new and larger handsets, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, during the quarter, although sales may have been somewhat held back by the mixed reviews both devices have received.

The iPhone 6 launch also added to the pressure on Samsung which was the only vendor among the Top 5 that suffered a decline in shipments compared to last year's third quarter.


                    You will find more statistics at Statista