iPhone fever struck the world in 2011. Apple’s popular handset broke all records in the fourth quarter. The festive season saw both Apple’s iPhone and Google’s Android handset manufacturers emerge winners. Both Google’s Android powered handsets and Apple’s iPhone shared a major portion of the market share in 2011.

Manufacturers of smartphones shipped an astonishing 157.8 million units in the fourth quarter 2011 as compared to 102 million units during the same period in the prior year. Apple held 23.5 percent of the share in the smartphone segment and Samsung were placed second with a 22.8 percent share.

Many analysts and industry experts firmly believe that 2012 is going to be a battle between Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android platforms. Apple and Google’s android platforms will constantly take on each other with their line of products. Analysts point out that Nokia’s ambitions with Windows smartphones will be a futile battle.