Huawei and Sony Mobile Communications each moved up a spot from the fourth quarter of 2012 to the first quarter of 2013 in ABI Research's global ranking of the 12 largest handset makers by volume. According to ABI analyst Michal Morgan, Huawei saw a nice sales boost in the first quarter from its key Asia-Pacific market despite Samsung's increasing presence in the region. Meantime, Sony Mobile is gaining thanks to the success of its flagship Xperia Z smartphone, but the company needs to raise its presence in the North American market, Morgan noted. Though most research firms only list the market's top five handset makers, ABI lists a full top 12 (and the firm is providing shipment numbers for all of the vendors listed). ABI provides sales data as well as insight into the companies' strategy and competitive position in the market. Special report
