The Western European Mobile phone market grew 3.2% year-on-year and reached 58.7 million units in fourth quarter of 2010, according to a new research from IDC.
Smartphone shipments grew by 99.4% year-over-year to 25.6 million units, and represented 44% of total shipments in the fourth quarter.
For the fourth quarter of 2010, feature phones shipments decreased 24.8% year-on-year to 33.1 million units.
IDC said that during the fourth quarter 2010, smartphones were the main competitive products for most operators in Europe in the sales season, and their marketing budgets were invested to promote and sell these devices.
Android devices from HTC, Sony Ericsson, and Samsung along with the iPhone4 from Apple were the most advertised devices in the quarter.
Android sales grew 1,580% year-on-year to 7.9 million units from 470 thousand units a year ago and the iOS increased 66% in 4Q10 compared to 4Q09 as more operators launched the iPhone4.
The new Windows Phone 7 from Microsoft grew 18% year-on-year and 100% sequentially.
However, the growth was limited by the soft launch in most countries (English version only) and the lack of local languages.
Nokia topped the mobile phone vendors list in Q410 with 19.6 million unit shipments and 33% market share, Samsung and Apple registered 15.6 million unit shipments and 5.2 million unit shipments, respectively.
IDC Europe mobile devices research manager Francisco Jeronimo said the Western European mobile phone market will be dominated by smartphones, and Android will be the king of the hill.
"Android surged from 4% to 31% market share in less than a year to become the market leader in 4Q10 and the fastest growing operating system ever," Jeronimo said.
IDC estimates at that Android will grow at a 37% compound annual growth rate between 2010 and 2015 in Western Europe, overtaking the overall market growth in the period and that of its direct competitor, the iOS from Apple.
