Apple phones outsell Samsung in the U.S. in the fourth quarter

Bolstered by sales of its iPhone 5, Apple sold more mobile phones in the U.S. in the fourth quarter than any other maker, including its rival Samsung.

It marks the first time since 2008 that Samsung was not the top phone seller in a quarter.

Still, Samsung retained its crown for all of 2012, selling 53 million devices. Apple was second with 43.7 million phones sold.

For the fourth quarter, Apple sold 17.7 million units, or 34% of the phones sold in the quarter, according to a report released Friday morning by Strategy Analytics. That was up from 12.8 million devices sold in the year-earlier period.

Samsung was next with 16.8 million phones, or 32% of all phones sold in the quarter. Total sales represented an increase for Samsung, which sold 13.5 million phones a year earlier.

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“This was a good performance from Samsung, as its market share (of phones sold in the fourth quarter) rose 5 points from 27% a year earlier, but it was not enough to hold off a surging Apple,� the report says.

Samsung “will surely be keen to recapture that title in 2013 by launching improved new models such as the rumored Galaxy S4,� the report says.

Third place in the U.S. was LG, which sold 6.9 million phones, 9% of all phones sold during the fourth quarter.

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