After a strong first quarter, the Western European handset market slipped in the second quarter, caused by a weaker economic environment and the new product launches expected in the third quarter, according to IDC. The research firm found that total handset shipments dropped 1.9 per cent year-over-year in the second quarter to 42.1 million units, according to IDC's European Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. However, Samsung achieved its highest market share, accounting for 41 per cent of total shipments, helped along by the introduction of its flagship Galaxy S III, though Nokia regained its leadership in the feature phone segment. Release
