Smartphones hit second-highest quarter record

Global smartphone shipments reached their second highest level ever for a single quarter in the third quarter of 2015, IDC announced Wednesday.

Total shipments in the third quarter reached 355.2 million, up 6.8% from 332.6 million in the third quarter of 2014, IDC said.

The highest quarter ever was the fourth quarter of 2014, which hit 377.6 million units shipped, IDC analyst Ramon Llamas said. "It's interesting we haven't topped that volume yet this year," he said. "Usually the previous year's holiday volume is topped by the third quarter, but we haven't gotten there yet."

The latest numbers were actually slightly lower than what IDC had previously forecast, mainly because of lower-than-expected iPhone shipments and Android smartphone flagship models that were priced above the consumer sweet spot, IDC said.

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