In a quarterly report, research firm IDC finds that Samsung has sold the bulk of “connected devices” in the third quarter of 2012, but Apple’s products have netted the most cash.
The results are somewhat unsurprising given Apple’s position as a high-margin producer in the global marketplace, but the study went on to reveal interesting trends in the global computing landscape, noting that the overall “smart connected device market” gained 27.1 percent year-over-year. IDC found that the “collective view of PCs, tablets, and smartphones” reached a record 303.6 million shipments worth around $140.4 billion dollars for the three month period ending in September.
IDC says shipments of connected devices should hit 362 million units worth $169.2 billion in the fourth quarter with the seasonal bump from holiday sales of tablets and smartphones. Sales of the devices are expected to grow 55.8% and 39.5% year-to-year, respectively.
Samsung’s sales grew a VERY respectable 97.5% from 2011. leading the market with 21.8% of all shipments. Apple trailed with 15% of the shipments, but did see an average selling price of $744 across all device categories. Samsung managed a $434 average selling price across its product lines
“The battle between Samsung and Apple at the top of the smart connected device space is stronger than ever,” said Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers Program Manager Ryan Reith.. “Both vendors compete at the top of the tablet and smartphone markets. However, the difference in their collective ASPs is a telling sign of different market approaches. The fact that Apple’s ASP is $310 higher than Samsung’s with just over 20 million fewer shipments in the quarter speaks volumes about the premium product line that Apple sells.”
