ABI Research, the International Data Corporation, Juniper Research and Strategy Analytics have all published their estimates for mobile phone sales in 2012. Although some manufacturers release shipment or sales figures as part of their quarterly results, others - such as Samsung - don’t provide a detailed breakdown.

The full statement from IDC is below.

Mobile manufacturer ZTE has published preliminary annual results for 2012, revealing that it expects a loss of between 2.5 billion and 2.9 billion Chinese Yuan (£253 to £294 million).

Last year it made a 2.06 billion Yuan profit.

Although ABI Research has calculated that total mobile phone shipments fell to 387.3 million units in the past quarter, the International Data Corporation has just published figures showing an increase. It says the worldwide mobile phone market grew 2.4% year-on-year in Q3 2012 to 444.5 million mobile phones.

When it comes to smartphones, it reckons 179.7 million units were shipped in the quarter; a 45.3% increase on Q3 2011.

The number of smartphones shipped worldwide increased by 32.8% year-on-year to 155.5 million in the third quarter, according to new figures from ABI Research. However, total mobile handset shipments fell by 1.9% to 387.3 million units.

40.2% of all mobile phone shipments in Q3 2012 were smartphones, up from 39.3% in the previous quarter.

Mark Bridge writes:

Can you trust a Chinese company to build a telecoms network?  Apparently not, according to the US House of Representatives. The “Investigative Report on the U.S. National Security Issues Posed by Chinese Telecommunications Companies Huawei and ZTE” wasn’t at all impressed with the two companies, although most of the complaints appeared to be about a lack of cooperation rather than hard evidence. I wonder if any mysterious agents are planning to visit the new Huawei UK HQ before next year’s official opening?