According to market analysts IDC, European smartphone shipments have fallen 4.2 percent in Q1-- the first drop in some years. The weakness in the marketplace is affecting all manufacturers, but Apple was particularly hard-hit, losing five percent of its share -- mostly to Sony and Samsung, both of whom saw shipments rise by comparison. It is worth noting that shipments do not directly equal sales, but fewer shipments do indicate a drop in demand -- which for Apple is to be expected with the iPhone 5S expected to arrive later this summer.
