Apple's iPhone Mini Can Stop Samsung, Says Analyst

Samsung is poised to extend its lead over Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) in 2013. Neil Mawston, the executive director at Strategy Analytics, told Reuters that his firm expects Samsung to "slightly extend its lead over Apple this year because of its larger multitier product portfolio." "Samsung plays in more segments and this should enable it to capture more volume than Apple (assuming Apple does not launch an iPhone Mini this year)," he added. Mawston does not believe that Apple will launch the illusive iPhone Mini this year. This is primarily due to sales of the iPhone 5, which have been high enough to sustain Apple until the iPhone 6 or iPhone 5S is released. Even without a smaller iPhone on the 2013 schedule, Strategy Analytics believes that Apple will raise its global market share from 20 to 21 percent. During the holidays, Apple temporarily became the number-one smartphone manufacturer i...