Apple iPhone loses market share

According to new research from analyst group IDC, it looks like the iPhone has taken a hit in market share. The company found that for the first quarter, the iPhone saw its share of the US smartphone market nibbled away by the likes of RIM and Palm, AP reports.

The iPhone’s market share now stands at just over 19 percent of all smartphones, down from around 26 percent in the previous quarter. Meanwhile, RIM’s BlackBerry saw its market share jump in comparison, going from 35.1 percent of all smartphones in the fourth quarter of last year to 44.5 percent in the first quarter of this year and Palm saw its share grow from 7.9 percent to 13.4 percent of smart device sales.

Why has Apple hit a bump? Suggestions have included a post-Christmas shopping slump, new models from both Palm and RIM hitting the market and shoppers waiting for the 3G iPhone to surface. Chances are it’s a bit more prosaic than that: Apple’s range at the moment is just a single device and most people who wanted one went out to buy it in the first few months after release. Wait for the June refresh, and chances are those numbers will pick up again.