Apple becomes world's number one smartphone maker in Q4

But Samsung claims the top spot for the entire year.

Research firm Strategy Analytics says overall global smartphone shipments rose by 54 per cent across the year to reach a record figure of 155 million devices shipped in Q4 2011.

In October we reported that Samsung had become the world's top smartphone vendor for Q3, which was presumed to have been because customers were waiting for the iPhone 4S.

It turns out that was accurate. Apple has now become the top smartphone maker for the fourth quarter with 24 per cent of the market share, according to the report. Apple's worldwide shipments grew by 128 per cent as it sold 37 million iPhones, its highest number to date.

Neil Mawston, executive director at Strategy Analytics, said: "While Apple took the top spot in smartphones on a quarterly basis, Samsung became the market leader in annual terms for the first time with 20 percent global share during 2011.

"With global smartphone shipments nearing half a billion units in 2011, Samsung is now well positioned alongside Apple in a two-horse race at the forefront of one of the world’s largest and most valuable consumer electronics markets."