Global Handset Sales Up Nearly 20% In June Quarter

By Agence France-Presse Global demand for handsets surged nearly 20% to 118.3 million units in the second quarter ending June 2003, with Nokia Corp. retaining its dominance in the market, according to an independent industry monitor. Sales were up 19.2% from a year ago, technology research firm International Data Corp. (IDC), Framingham, Mass., said in a report. "Despite continued economic uncertainty worldwide, the threat of SARS [severe acute respiratory syndrome] and concerns of terrorism, the mobile phone market recorded impressive results this past quarter," said Ross Sealfon, research analyst in IDC's mobile device program. Mobile phone maker Nokia maintained its dominance in the June quarter, accounting for 34.6% of handsets sold, IDC said. Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2003