Chinese manufacturer ZTE has hailed its arrival into the ranks of the top five smartphone manufacturers, following the news that it shipped 8 million smartphones in the second quarter of 2012. This, the ZTE says, makes it the fifth-largest smartphone manufacturer in terms of units shipped. In terms of overall (smartphone and dumbphone) shipments, the company maintained its place as the fourth-largest mobile phone vendor.
ZTE says its worldwide market share was 0.5 percent behind HTC and 1.4 percent behind Nokia, which would place it at a 5.2 percent overall.
Though still relatively unknown in the West, ZTE is a big deal in its native China, where its sales are strongest. Recently the company has renewed its efforts to break into the European and North American market with devices like the ZTE Grand X, which was recently released in the UK. However, it's been dogged in recent months by a fall in its stock price, and an FBI investigation into its dealings with Iran.
Do you own a ZTE Android phone, or are you thinking of picking up something like the Grand X? Let us know what you think in the comments.
