While Apple trailed Nokia in 2010 smartphone volume, Apple dominated the market in revenue, and took 29 percent share of the market value. The top 3 players - Apple, Nokia and RIM - generated 64 percent of the revenue in the smartphone market, as reported by Strategy Analytics.

Apple had just 16 percent of smartphone market volume in 2010. However, in terms of revenue Apple claimed 29 percent share. Nokia followed with 20 percent and RIM with 15 percent value share. Samsung ended up being the champion of Google Android smartphones in 2010, taking 9 percent of smartphone market revenue and surpassing HTC.

According to Martin Bradley, Associate Director at Strategy Analytics, the dominance of the top 3-Apple, Nokia and RIM-actually weakened in the fourth quarter, as the combined value share of these three players fell from 72 percent to 61 percent.

“The Android-based handset market, which will grow considerably in 2011, is still dominated by vendors like Samsung and HTC. However, Chinese vendors, like ZTE and Huawei, also have a presence, particularly in lower price tiers,” he said, cellular-news reported.