Apple hits US phone sales milestone

The launch of the iPhone 5 and the declining popularity of non-smartphones made The apple company the greatest owner of mobile phones in the US over the christmas season - for the first time, according to analysis company Technique Statistics.

The company estimates that The apple company shipped 17.7 thousand iPhones of all kinds to US buyers in the October to December period, meaning it accounted for one in three new mobile phones.

South Korea's New samsung was close behind, shipping 16.8 thousand mobile phones, including non-smartphones. New samsung has been the largest owner of mobile phones to the US market since 2008, Technique Statistics said.

Worldwide, New samsung is still the greatest phone vendor, according to another analysis company, IDC.

Apple is number three, with 9.9% of the market.