November 10th, 2008
NPD: iPhone top dog in declining consumer handset market
Apple’s iPhone 3G was the top selling handset in the third quarter, but consumers are generally curbing their gadget lust in a weak 
economy.
According to research firm NPD, the iPhone 3G has topped Motrola’s RAZR as the most purchased handset among consumers. NPD doesn’t track corporate and enterprise sales.
NPD’s data (statement) reveals more bad news for Motorola, which is losing share at a rapid clip.
Also see: Motorola: Handset unit spin-off delayed; No Android ’til next Christmas; Layoffs on tap
Meanwhile, handset sales are declining. NPD said U.S. handset sales fell 15 percent from a year ago to 32 million units. Handset revenue fell 10 percent.
In a nutshell, consumers that are hooked on mobile Internet use will upgrade. Consumers that are fine with voice service see little reason to upgrade to a smarter phone.
The top handset models in the third quarter were:
- iPhone 3G
- Motorola RAZR V3
- RIM Blackberry Curve
- LG Rumor
- LG enV2
Larry Dignan is Editor in Chief of ZDNet and Editorial Director of ZDNet sister site TechRepublic. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
For daily updates, follow Larry on Twitter.
Subscribe to Between the Lines via Email alerts or RSS.
