Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Technology Stocks : Ericsson overlook? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Jim Oravetz who wrote (4802)	8/30/2001 2:48:32 AM
From: elmatador	Respond to of 5390

40% of the mobiles phones are sold between Thanks Giving and Xmas. Brace for a drop this coming season. Second quarter curbs halt rise in mobile phone sales By Nicholas George in Stockholm Published: August 29 2001 19:29GMT \| Last Updated: August 29 2001 20:10GMT Sales of mobile phones fell for the first time as operators reduced second quarter handset subsidies and consumers held back from replacement purchases. Global shipments of mobile phones to end-users fell 8.4 per cent to 89.76m units in the three months to June 30 compared with 97.8m units in the same period last year, according to research group Gartner Dataquest. Sales were down on first quarter levels of 96.6m. Gartner said Nokia's market share fell to 34.8 per cent in the second quarter from 35.3 per cent in the previous quarter as the Finnish company's main rivals, Motorola of the US and Ericsson of Sweden, gained ground. Shares in Nokia fell 3.1 per cent in Helsinki to E17.88, their lowest since June 1999. Despite Gartner's figures, Nokia, the world number one handset manufacturer, reiterated its belief that its market share was more than 35 per cent in the second quarter. Motorola, the second largest brand, had a market share of 14.8 per cent compared with 13.2 in the first quarter, with Ericsson, at 8.3 per cent, up from 6.8. Some analysts believe global handset sales have been under pressure in the third quarter and say this could force Nokia to issue a profits warning. Per Lindberg, an analyst at Dresdner Kleinwort Wasserstein, estimated Nokia's market share fell further to about 32 per cent in the second quarter. He said: "This is the first time since the fourth quarter of 1997 that Nokia's market share has decreased and it is a trend that is going to be reinforced during the second half of the year." Nokia, normally the master of timing, failed to get its GPRS (general packet radio service) handset out in the market at a time when other manufactures were establishing themselves in the segment. Ben Wood, a senior analyst at Gartner, said the market in western Europe was affected by the reduction in subsidies operators were prepared to offer on handsets as a way of gaining new customers. It appeared that the "general doom and gloom" hanging over the industry had been reflected in consumer apathy. Analysts have warned that the market in western Europe has reached near-saturation point, but hopes had been pinned on consumers replacing handsets with technically advanced models. Mr Wood said he still expected full year sales in 2001 of about 450m units against last year's level of 400m, with sales spurred in the second half by the arrival of more GPRS handsets.