Strategy Analytics: China Overtakes United States as World’s Largest Smartphone Market in Q3 2011

Boston, MA – November 23, 2011 – According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, smartphone shipments reached a record 24 million units in China during the third quarter of 2011. Smartphone shipments reached just 23 million units in the United States. China has overtaken the United States for the first time to become the world’s largest smartphone market by volume.

Linda Sui, Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said, “Smartphone shipments grew 58 percent sequentially to reach a record 23.9 million units in China during Q3 2011. In contrast, smartphone shipments fell 7 percent sequentially to reach 23.3 million units in the United States. China has overtaken the United States for the first time to become the world’s largest smartphone market by volume.”

Tom Kang, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “China’s rapid growth has been driven by an increasing availability of smartphones in retail channels, aggressive subsidizing by operators of high-end models like the Apple iPhone, and an emerging wave of low-cost Android models from local Chinese brands such as ZTE. Nokia currently leads China’s smartphone market with 28 percent share, while HTC heads the United States smartphone market with 24 percent share.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “The United States remains the world’s largest smartphone market by revenue, but China has overtaken the United States in terms of volume. China is now at the forefront of the worldwide mobile computing boom. China has become a large and growing smartphone market that no hardware vendor, component maker or content developer can afford to ignore.”

Exhibit 1: China Smartphone Shipments by Vendor in Q3 2011  [1]

China Smartphone Vendor Shipments (Millions of Units)	Q3 ’11
Nokia	6.8
Samsung	4.2
Others	12.9
Total	23.9
China Smartphone Vendor Marketshare  %	Q3 ’11
Nokia	28.5%
Samsung	17.6%
Others	54.0%
Total	100.0%
China Total Smartphone Growth Quarter-over-Quarter %	57.5%

Exhibit 2: United States Smartphone Shipments by Vendor in Q3 2011  [2]

United States Smartphone Vendor Shipments (Millions of Units)	Q3 ’11
HTC	5.6
Apple	4.8
Others	12.9
Total	23.3
United States Smartphone Vendor Marketshare  %	Q3 ’11
HTC	24.0%
Apple	20.6%
Others	55.4%
Total	100.0%
United States Total Smartphone Growth Quarter-over-Quarter %	-7.4%

The full report, China Overtakes United States as World’s Largest Smartphone Market in Q3 2011, is published by the Strategy Analytics Handset Country Share Tracker (CST) service, details of which can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/7kltu2j.

Despite the huge variety of new smartphones released since the previous two generations of iPhone were first unveiled, Apple’s devices still managed to top the list of best-selling phones in the U.S. last quarter. According to new data released by market research firm The NPD Group on Monday, Apple’s iPhone 4 and iPhone 3GS were the No.1 and 2 top-selling handsets in the U.S. during the third quarter this year. The iPhone 4, available from Verizon Wireless and AT&T during the quarter, was first launched in June 2010 while the iPhone 3GS was released more than two years ago in June 2009, and was sold by only one carrier in the U.S. last quarter. According to NPD’s data, Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G was the No.3 best-selling cell phone in the U.S. during the third quarter, followed by the Motorola DROID 3 and the Samsung Intensity II. The NPD Group’s full press release follows below.

As Smartphone Prices Fall, Retailers Are Leaving Money on the Table, According to The NPD Group

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, November 14, 2011 – According to The NPD Group, a leading market research company, the share of mobile phone handset sales that are smartphones continues to climb. The share of U.S. mobile handset sales that were smartphones reached 59 percent in the third quarter (Q3) of 2011, an increase of 13 percentage points since Q3 of 2010. Based on the latest data from NPD’s monthly Mobile Phone Track service, average selling prices for smartphones have declined for four consecutive quarters, reaching $135 in Q3.

According to NPD’s new Smartphone Track service, prices are falling even though many consumers originally considered paying more. Among U.S. consumers who considered purchasing phones in the $200 to $250 price range, 64 percent ended up purchasing a phone for less than $200. Led by continued steady sales for Apple’s iPhones, the top five best-selling mobile phone handsets in Q3 were as follows:

1. Apple iPhone 4
2. Apple iPhone 3GS
3. HTC EVO 4G
4. Motorola Droid 3
5. Samsung Intensity II

“Even as smartphone prices continue to decline, the accessory attachment rates for smartphones in Q3 was unchanged since last year,” said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD. “This indicates further opportunity for retailers to improve revenue numbers by focusing marketing efforts on selling more accessories.” The top U.S. mobile accessories brands in Q3 were Zagg, Otter Products, Just Wireless, Motorola, and Incase Designs.

Information this press release is from “Mobile Phone Track” and “Smartphone Track,” both of which report on the activities of U.S. consumers, age 18 and older, who reported purchasing a mobile phone or smartphone. NPD does not track corporate/enterprise mobile phone purchases.

Tablet adoption is exploding in the United States and a new study conducted by Pew Research Center shows that 11% of consumers in the U.S. now own tablets just 18 months after Apple redefined the category in March of 2010. According to Pew’s survey of 1,159 tablet owners in the U.S., 77% of them use their tablets daily — about 90 minutes per day on average — and 53% of tablet owners use their slates to read news each day. 67% of owners in the U.S. use their tablets for general web browsing, and other popular activities include sending and receiving email (54%), social networking (39%), gaming (30%), reading books (17%) and watching movies and videos (13%). A massive infographic highlighting key findings from Pew’s study follows below.

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A judge with the United States International Trade Commission has ruled that Apple is not infringing on four of HTC’s patents related to phone dialing and battery power management, Reuters said Monday. HTC originally filed the lawsuit in May of last year when it sought a ban on the import of Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The final ruling in the case will occur in February when the verdict of a full commission is revealed. Apple and HTC have been locked in a number of legal battles. Apple first sued HTC in March and a U.S. ITC judge found HTC guilty of infringing on two of Apple’s patents in July. HTC has said it will appeal that ruling.

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A country that was recently the butt of jokes due to its ongoing reliance on CDMA networks now finds itself a global leader in next-generation cellular technology. According to a new report from Pyramid Research, the United States will account for the largest share of 4G LTE subscriptions in the world this year. Twenty-six carriers around the globe have launched LTE networks thus far according to the GSA, but just three will account for 47% of all LTE connections in 2011: Verizon Wireless, MetroPCS and AT&T. Read on for more.

Pyramid analyst Emily Smith estimates that U.S. carriers will be responsible for 7 million of the 14.9 million LTE subscriptions expected around the world this year. The analyst sees U.S. sales of devices with embedded LTE radios topping 5.4 million units in 2011 to represent 71% of global LTE device sales, and she attributes much of LTE’s success here to Verizon’s rapid deployment. Smith also says the strong demand in the U.S. for mobile broadband will allow Verizon Wireless to recoup its LTE investments more quickly than other carriers around the world.

Smith uses NTT Docomo as a basis for comparison, noting that both carriers launched their LTE networks in December 2010. “Although Verizon’s LTE network will cover 60% of the population by year end, because the operator is pulling in so much revenue, capex only represented 14.7% of revenue over the past four quarters,” Smith wrote on Pyramid’s blog. “By comparison, NTT Docomo will cover a mere 20% of the Japanese population with LTE by March 2012, even though capex represented a larger 15.8% of revenue in the year ending March 2011.”

Comparison of leading operators in the US, Japan, and South Korea

Source: Pyramid Research

Verizon Wireless first launched 4G LTE service in 38 cities on December 5th, 2010. The carrier announced this past Monday that it will offer LTE coverage in a total of 178 U.S. cities by November 17th of this year.

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For the first time, the number of wireless devices connecting to cellular networks in the United States and its territories over the past six months has surpassed the country’s total population. A semi-annual survey conducted by the CTIA found that wireless subscriber connections now total 327.6 million while the population of the U.S. and its territories is now 315.5 million people. This means the wireless penetration rate in the U.S. in now 103.9% according to the CTIA, marking the first time that wireless penetration has surpassed 100% in the U.S. The CTIA also noted that wireless data connections increased 111% compared to its previous semi-annual survey, and wireless service revenue in the U.S. totaled $164.6 billion during the 12-month period ending June 2011, up 6% from the same period in 2010. The association’s full press release follows below.

CTIA-The Wireless Association® Semi-Annual Survey Reveals Historical Wireless Trend

U.S. Wireless Subscriber Connections Surpassed U.S. Population for First Time

Wireless Network Data Traffic Increased 111 percent and Highlights Industry Need for More Spectrum

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — For the first time in history, the semi-annual survey conducted by CTIA-The Wireless Association® shows the number of wireless subscriber connections (327.6 million) has surpassed the population (315.5 million) in the United States and its territories (Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands), which means the wireless penetration rate in the U.S. is 103.9 percent. The survey, released today at CTIA ENTERPRISE & APPLICATIONS™ 2011, tracks U.S. wireless trends including subscribership, usage, revenue and investment from January 2011to June 2011. The survey also showed a 111 percent increase in wireless data traffic. The tremendous increase in data usage, wireless subscriber connections and other metrics from the survey underscore the industry’s need to purchase more spectrum from the federal government to meet the significant demands by consumers and businesses so Americans continue to lead the world with the best wireless products and services.

The January 2011-June 2011 wireless survey results are:

• Wireless subscriber connections: 327.6 million; mid-year 2010: 300.5 million (9 percent increase).
• Wireless network data traffic: 341.2 billion megabytes; mid-year 2010: 161.5 billion megabytes (111 percent increase).
• Average local monthly wireless bill (includes voice and data service): $47.23; mid-year 2010:$47.47 (less than 1 percent decrease).
• Number of active smartphones and wireless-enabled PDAs: 95.8 million; mid-year 2010: 61.2 million (57 percent increase).
• Number of active data-capable devices: 278.3 million; mid-year 2010: 264.5 million (5 percent increase).
• Wireless-enabled tablets, laptops and modems: 15.2 million; mid-year 2010: 12.9 million (17 percent increase).
• Minutes of Use (MOU): 1.148 trillion; mid-year 2010: 1.138 trillion (1 percent increase).
• SMS sent and received: 1.138 trillion; mid-year 2010: 982.9 billion (16 percent increase).
• MMS sent and received: 28.2 billion; mid-year 2010: 32.1 billion.

In order to try to meet the demand for wireless devices and services by consumers and businesses, CTIA’s provider members continued their investments in their networks and infrastructure to improve their customers’ coverage and speeds. From June 2010-June 2011, the annual capital investment increased by 28 percent to $27.5 billion. Since 2001, wireless companies have reported a cumulative total investment of $223 billion. These figures do not include the billions our carrier members paid to the U.S. government for spectrum.

“CTIA’s semi-annual survey proves that Americans love wireless and continue to rely on the most cutting-edge and innovative devices and services in the world. Clearly, we’re using wireless more every day, and the consensus of experts is that demand will continue to skyrocket by more than 50 times within the next five years. These are the reasons why our members need more spectrum,” said Steve Largent, President and CEO of CTIA. “By making underutilized or unused spectrum available for auction, carriers will continue to invest billions of dollars in their infrastructure, generate hundreds of billions of dollars in benefit to our economy and create up to a half a million new jobs while ensuring the U.S. maintains its position as the world’s wireless leader.”

Wireless annual service revenue was $164.6 billion in the 12 months ending June 2011, up 6 percent from the same period in 2010.

To see a summary of the report or to purchase the full report from the CTIA Research eStore, please visit: http://www.ctia.org/advocacy/research/index.cfm/AID/10316.

Sales of video game hardware, software and accessories in the United States continued to slide in August according to new data from NPD Group, again dipping more than 20% compared to the same period last year. Overall industry sales slid 23% to $669.9 million last month from $873.8 million in August 2010. Hardware sales were down 12% from last year to $249.4 million, accessory sales were down just 1% to $134.7 million and software sales plummeted 34% to $264.8 million. ”August 2011 sales saw a decline versus August 2010 in all categories except for portable games hardware,” said NPD analyst Anita Frazier in a statement. “In software, the bulk of the decline can be attributed to the shift of the annual Madden release from August to September (8/30 release falls within NPD’s September 2011 reporting period).” Frazier continued, “Even though year to date performance of the new physical portion of the industry is down 5%, more than half of industry sales in this channel are still to be realized in the back four months of the year.  Given the strong release schedule in the coming months, new physical retail sales could still be flat to slightly up once full year sales are tallied.” Microsoft’s Xbox 360 was the best-selling console for the seventh consecutive month in August with 308,000 units sold. NPD’s top-10 list of video game software title sales in the month of August follows below.

Google’s Android platform gained once again during the three-month period ending in July, increasing it’s share by 1% over second-quarter totals to grab 40% of the U.S. smartphone market. Apple’s iOS stayed flat at 28% and RIM’s BlackBerry OS lost one point from June-quarter figures to fall to 19%. Windows Mobile and Windows Phone combined to take 8% of the market — with Windows Phone responsible for just 1% on its own — and the ghost of smartphone operating systems past is now buried somewhere in the “Other” category. Nielsen also notes that 40% of mobile phone users between May and July of this year owned smartphones, and Android topped iOS in the firm’s survey of which smartphone platform users intend to buy next. From “innovators” to “late adopters,” each consumer group Nielsen polled but one — “early adopters” — found Android to be the most appealing OS for their next purchases. A chart outlining consumers’ next desired smartphone operating system follows below.

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Wireless telcos in the United States are poised to invest as much as $53 billion in 4G wireless network technology and buildouts over the next five years, resulting in as much as $151 billion in gross domestic product growth. A new report from accounting and consulting firm Deloitte suggests that that 4G expansion by U.S. wireless companies could also create as many as 771,000 new jobs between 2012 and 2016. Deloitte sees $25 million as the minimum 4G investment from telecommunications companies over the next five years, resulting from a scenario where companies deploy 4G networks at a moderate pace and transition slowly from 3G to 4G. If Verizon Wireless’ current pace is any indication, this will likely not be the road major carriers will take with 4G rollouts. The firm believes as much as $53 billion will be spent, however, if U.S. carriers take a leadership roll by deploying 4G faster than carriers in other regions. “Investment in such a powerful form of communication contributes to the economic recovery and provides a job-creating engine for the future,” said Phil Asmundson, Deloitte vice chairman and U.S. media and telecommunications sector leader, in a statement. “The key to harnessing the potential benefits of 4G technology lies in America’s market-driven wireless sector, which encourages the emergence of innovative applications that spur productivity and could produce the same surge of innovation and demand we experienced during the 3G era.” Deloitte’s full press release follows below.

Deloitte: U.S. Could See $53 Billion in 4G Network Investments by 2016, Creating 771,000 New Jobs New 4G products and services could drive additional growth

NEW YORK, Aug 22, 2011 — A new Deloitte report states that wireless telecommunications companies in the United States could invest $25 to $53 billion in fourth generation cellular wireless networks (4G) between 2012 and 2016, triggering $73 to $151 billion in gross domestic product growth and creating 371,000 to 771,000 jobs.  Additional growth could occur as high-tech companies create new mobile broadband products and services, further changing the way people live, work and learn.

The Deloitte report, “The Impact of 4G Technology on Commercial Interactions, Economic Growth, and U.S. Competitiveness,” investigates the economic dynamics surrounding 4G technology and explains how the U.S. can maintain the global leadership position in mobile broadband innovation it won during the 3G era.

The $25 billion figure assumes a baseline scenario in which U.S. 4G deployment proceeds at a moderate pace and the transition from 3G to 4G extends to the middle of the decade. Under these conditions, U.S. firms are vulnerable to incursions by foreign competitors capitalizing on aggressive efforts in their home markets to deploy 4G networks and develop 4G-based devices and services.

The $53 billion figure assumes a scenario in which U.S. carriers invest more rapidly in 4G networks and start to produce popular 4G-based offerings before global competitors gain traction. In this scenario, the demand stimulated by new offerings justifies more network investment, setting off a virtuous cycle of investment and market response that positions the U.S. to retain its mobile broadband leadership.

“Investment in such a powerful form of communication contributes to the economic recovery and provides a job-creating engine for the future,” said Phil Asmundson, vice chairman and U.S. media and telecommunications sector leader, Deloitte LLP. “The key to harnessing the potential benefits of 4G technology lies in America’s market-driven wireless sector, which encourages the emergence of innovative applications that spur productivity and could produce the same surge of innovation and demand we experienced during the 3G era.”

Global Competition Should Spur U.S. Innovation and Investment

According to the report, more than 150 carriers in 60 countries are currently committed to 4G deployments and trials. South Korea, Sweden and China are examples of countries moving rapidly to reap the benefits of 4G technology.

Cloud Computing Accelerating 4G Capabilities

Rapid adoption of cloud computing further enables the U.S. to take full advantage of 4G’s potential impact by allowing developers and entrepreneurs to analyze the market’s response to new applications, content, solutions and business models – cheaper and quicker.

“Cloud computing will allow handheld devices to be more compact and efficient while making them tremendously more useful and powerful,” Asmundson said. “Applications, storage and computing power all can largely reside in the cloud, but only if connectivity is robust, reliable and secure. The benefits of 4G and cloud go beyond the telecom sector. Together, 4G and cloud technologies support the kind of entrepreneurial ecosystem that has made the United States a mobile broadband leader.”

The advent of high-performance wireless capacity, coupled with cloud infrastructure and other advances, is proliferating new offerings and capabilities that exceed what has been possible with 3G technology, the report notes. In addition to consumers, a variety of U.S. end-user industries, including nonprofit and government entities, are likely to use devices and services incorporating the capabilities of 4G technology to better serve their customers, patients, clients and students. This includes applications such as augmented reality for businesses, machine-to-machine technology involving the use of sensors and actuators and the development of smart highways.

4G Enabling Marginalized Groups

Deloitte’s report indicates that the deployment of 4G mobile broadband has special implications for certain disadvantaged markets including minority groups, rural communities and localities with limited access to full broadband connectivity, and some small businesses. The report explains how equipping these marginalized groups with 4G access helps move them further into the nation’s economic mainstream, thereby serving the public interest while boosting U.S. competitiveness.

Lessons from the 3G Revolution

Deloitte’s analysis emphasizes that America’s success in 3G was driven by entrepreneurial innovation. When the government auctioned large amounts of spectrum, removed spectrum caps limiting individual carriers’ spectrum holdings and permitted market forces to operate, private enterprise pursued new opportunities and a robust 3G ecosystem was born.

The FCC is moving to expand spectrum supply through a new incentive auction, but the report indicates that it will be difficult to keep pace with projected demand. Accordingly, there is a continuing need to find additional ways to make better use of available spectrum and to unlock additional spectrum.

Android’s lead in the U.S. smartphone market was extended further in the second quarter of 2011 according to leading market research firm The NPD Group. The firm on Monday released its second-quarter Mobile Phone Track report, which shows that Android devices accounted for 52% of smartphones sold in the U.S. last quarter. Apple’s iOS-powered iPhone showed slight gains in the second quarter as well, representing 29% of smartphone sales. RIM’s BlackBerry platform slid in the quarter according to NPD, dropping to an 11% share of the U.S. smartphone market, while Windows Phone 7, Windows Mobile and webOS sales were flat at less than 5% each. NPD also believes that Google’s planned acquisition of Motorola Mobility will not deter its major Android partners, as some have speculated. “Google’s acquisition of Motorola shifts the balance of power in the handset-patent conflict between Google and its operating system competitors,” said Ross Rubin, The NPD Group’s executive director of industry analysis, in a statement. “Android’s momentum has made for a large pie that is attractive to Motorola’s Android rivals, even if they must compete with their operating system developer.” NPD’s full press release follows below.

The NPD Group: As Android Solidifies Lead, Google Acquisition Has Potential to Revitalize Flagging Motorola

Patent-rich handset pioneer’s second quarter share fell to gains by Apple, Samsung and LG.

PORT WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, August TK, 2011 – According to The NPD Group, a leading market research company, Google’s Android operating system (OS) continued to dominate U.S. smartphone market share, accounting for 52 percent of units sold in the second quarter (Q2) of 2011. Like Android, Apple’s iPhone OS (iOS) experienced slight quarterly gain rising to 29 percent in Q2; however, BlackBerry OS share fell to 11 percent, as Windows Phone 7, Windows Mobile, and webOS held steady at less than five percent of the market each.

“Google’s acquisition of Motorola shifts the balance of power in the handset-patent conflict between Google and its operating system competitors,” said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis for NPD. “Android’s momentum has made for a large pie that is attractive to Motorola’s Android rivals, even if they must compete with their operating system developer.”

Motorola’s overall mobile phone market share declined 3 percentage points, from 12 percent in Q2 2010 to 9 percent in Q2 2011. The company’s share of the smartphone market also declined from 15 percent to 12 percent. Motorola’s year-over-year unit share of Android OS sales halved from 44 percent in Q2 of last year to 22 percent in Q2 of 2011, as Samsung and LG both experienced substantial gains.

“Much as it did in the feature phone market in the RAZR era, Motorola is experiencing increased competition from Samsung and LG in the smartphone market,” Rubin said. “Closer ties to the heart of Android can help inspire new paths to differentiation.”

Growing opportunity in prepaid smartphones

Beyond the four largest national carriers, Motorola can also make up ground in the rapidly growing pre-paid smartphone market. Based on the latest information from NPD’s “Mobile Phone Track,” one in five new handsets acquired in Q2 was on a prepaid plan, and carriers offering prepaid mobile phones continued to grow their smartphone portfolios. In Q2 2010 just 8 percent of prepaid phones were smartphones, but in Q2 2011 that number jumped to 22 percent.

“Android is also leading the charge in the rapidly growing prepaid smartphone market,” Rubin said. “This was once a key segment for Motorola that the company has an opportunity to reclaim as prepaid carriers build their smartphone portfolios.”

U.S. video game industry sales were down 26% in July compared to the same period last year according to new data published by The NPD Group. Hardware sales were down 29% year-over-year to $223 million, video game software sales dipped 17% to $336.2 million and sales of video game accessories were down 8% to $127.8 million. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 was the best-selling console in the U.S. for the seventh consecutive month with unit sales of 277,000, though July marked the first time the Xbox saw a year-on-year decline since December 2009. ”There is no getting around the fact that video game sales in the new physical retail channel suffered its lowest month since October 2006,” NPD analyst Anita Frazier said in a statement. “Despite the very rough month, new physical retail sales are down just 4% year-to-date and based on seasonality trends observed over the last 10 years, which have been remarkably stable year-in, year-out, industry sales in this particular channel are poised to land in the flat to -2% range once the total year is completed.” NPD’s top-10 list of video game software title sales in the month of July follows below.

Image source: Kristen Lanae

Nokia plans to exit its low-end feature phone and Symbian smartphone businesses in North America following the launch of its first round of Windows Phones, Journal blog AllThingsD reports. Nokia has historically had a great deal of trouble placing smartphones with carriers here in the U.S., and the Finnish phone maker has subsequently not had much success penetrating the market. Moving forward, however, Nokia is betting the bank on smartphones in North America. ”When we launch Windows Phones we will essentially be out of the Symbian business, the S40 business, etc.,” said Nokia President Chris Weber in an interview with AllThingsD. “It will be Windows Phone and the accessories around that. The reality is if we are not successful with Windows Phone, it doesn’t matter what we do (elsewhere).” Weber continued, “We’ll develop for North America and make the phones globally available and applicable. In fact, evidence of that is that the first Windows Phones that will ship are being done by our group in San Diego.” Nokia is expected to launch its first Windows Phone-powered smartphone later this year.

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Sony’ next-generation portable video game console will not launch in the U.S. until early 2012, Sony Executive Vice President Kazuo Hirai told The Associated Press on Thursday. Sony’s PlayStation Vita will become available later this year in Japan, but it will miss the all-important holiday shopping season here in the U.S. and in Europe as well. Some, such as Daiwa Securities Capital Markets analyst Koki Shiraishi, believe Sony’s sales will take a huge hit as a result. “That’s when you do half your year’s sales,” Shiraishi told the AP. “This is going to prove painful for Sony.” When it finally does launch next year, the PlayStation Vita will start at $249 for a Wi-Fi-only model and a 3G-equipped version will be available for $299.

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4G is a hot topic here on BGR and as such, we’ve likely become more numb than we should when it comes to advertised data speeds. We’re so used to seeing “theoretical limits” that are so far from reality we just chuckle and move along. The wireline broadband industry, however, is a different beast. According to a study recently conducted by the Federal Communications Commission, major broadband Internet service provides in the U.S. deliver data speeds that are generally between 80% and 90% of the speeds they advertise. The Associated Press reports that the FCC’s study measured data speeds delivered to thousands of U.S. broadband subscribers this past March from 13 of the nation’s top ISPs including Time Warner, Comcast, AT&T and Verizon. The three most popular wired broadband technologies were covered by the study — DSL, cable and fiber — and data rates were said to have been close to the advertised speeds during both peak and off-peak times. The AP notes that the FCC’s study didn’t delve into speeds delivered by wireless data services, which is a study we would love to see.

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The launch of Apple’s next-generation iPhone will propel global iPhone sales to 30 million units in the calendar fourth quarter of this year, BTIG Research analyst Walter Piecyk wrote on Wednesday. BTIG had previously estimated that Apple would sell 21.5 million iPhone handsets in the fourth quarter, but in light of Apple having recently reporting sales of 20.34 million units in the fiscal third quarter, the firm’s previous estimate is almost certainly low. Piecyk also believes Apple may sell more than 10 million iPhones in the U.S. alone in the fourth quarter. AT&T, he says, could sell as many as 5 million Apple phones next quarter thanks to the iPhone 5 launch and the possible continuation of a $50 legacy iPhone model. Verizon could sell as many as 4 million iPhones in the fourth quarter, making up 45% of the carrier’s smartphone sales in the quarter; Piecyk thinks Verizon’s continued success with 4G LTE-enabled Android smartphones will drive total smartphone sales to 9 million units in the quarter. Finally, the analyst sees Sprint launching the fifth-generation iPhone this fall, and he estimates sales of 1.5 million units in the fourth quarter.

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