Apple passes Nokia to become biggest smartphone producer by volume

According to Financial Times, Apple has passed Nokia to become the biggest smartphone producer by volume on the planet. It took both Apple's recent 20 million iPhone surge, and Nokia's just as recent decline for the two to switch position, but that it happened only 4 years after Apple entered the market is impressive none the less.

Apple was already the biggest smartphone maker by revenue and profits, but the April-June period marked the first time it had surpassed Nokia in volume.

Nokia recently began a painful transition away from the "burning platform" of Symbian [towards Microsoft's Windows Phone, similar to the one Palm (now HP) took towards webOS and RIM is taking towards QNX.

Apple, meanwhile, is full speed ahead on iOS, with iOS 5 set for release this fall, and most likely iPhone 5 to go with it.

[Financial Times]

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.