Smartphone boom eases handset sales pain -Gartner

from Reuters:

>>Smartphone boom eases handset sales pain -Gartner

* Handset sales down 6 pct yr/yr in Q2, vs 9 pct fall in Q1

* Research firm says phone demand stabilising

* Smartphone sales grew 27 pct year-on-year in Q2

* Nokia Q2 smartphone market share 45 pct, vs 41.2 pct in Q1

HELSINKI, Aug 12 (Reuters) - Global cellphone sales continued to fall in April-June, but at a slower pace than in the previous three months as falling prices boosted demand for advanced smartphones, research firm Gartner said on Wednesday.

NOKIA, APPLE WIN SMARTPHONE SHARE

Bucking the slowdown in the wider market, smartphone sales grew 27 percent year-on-year in the quarter, boosted by cheaply priced phones like Nokia's first touch-screen model, the 5800, which make advanced functions available at a 200-300 euro price range.

Gartner said top handset maker Nokia (NOK1V.HE) increased its smartphone market share -- a major issue for investors -- to 45 percent, boosted by demand for its cheaper models after its flagship high-end N97 smartphone met with little enthusiasm.

Nokia shipped just 500,000 N97s in June, compared to Apple's iPhone 3G S, which sold 1 million units in its first weekend in the same month, Gartner said.