Study Puts 2002 Cell-Phone Sales at 423 Million

Samsung leapfrogged competitors to the No. 3 spot last year, with sales rocketing 47.6% to 41.6 million units. A strong portfolio of handsets across all major technology standards helped the company secure a 9.8% market share last year.

Sony Ericsson, which went through its first full year as a joint venture, saw sales drop 14.3% to 23.1 million units. Its 2002 market share fell to 5.5% from 6.7%. Despite strong sales of its popular T68 and T68i phones, with color screens, it was not enough to offset a weaker product portfolio.

The company is hoping that its recently launched lineup of new handsets will help it improve its situation. It is aiming to reclaim between 7% to 10% of the market this year.