The latest smartphone sales data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech released on Wednesday said that Apple regained the lead of smartphone sales in the U.S. market by garnering 48.1 per cent of total sales due to the release of iPhone 5.

However, Android smartphones continued to dominate global sales. Although iPhone sales gained in four of five major European markets, Android sales accounted for 73.9 per cent in Germany and 81.7 per cent in Spain.

The seesawing figures are indicators of the tough market share battle smartphone makers will face in 2013 as more smartphones are rolled out.

As 2012 ends, smartphones continue to flood tech stores worldwide, online shops, and tech Web sites. Different brands have grown popular and gained superior rankings in tech and business while some models are now rising snd making names of their own.

Powerful smartphones have technologies possibly similar to one another or competing with each other. Technologies inside these devices represent the brand and model line up which defines how efficient, safe, and powerful are thee handsets.

The leading smartphone makers are Apple, Blackberry, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, Sony, and Samsung, which are among those cited in this YouTube video as the Best Smartphones of 2012.

The Apple iPhone

It first debut in June 29, 2007 and stands out from other mobile devices as a smartphone with its intellectual capability. The latest version of the iPhone is the sixth generation iPhone 5.

Features of iPhone

  • Sleek and unique design used for every iPhone versions. The relation between the first one till the latest are close and shows progress of innovation.
  • Retina Display which can only be found in iPhone. It is defined as a high pixel density that the human eye is unable to notice pixelation at a typical viewing distance.
  • Siri, which is an intelligent personal assistant and knowledge navigator spin-out from the SRI International Artificial Intelligence Center.
  • iOS Exclusive Applications such as FaceTime, iCloud, and AirPlay.
  • Safari Browser

BlackBerry OS by Research In Motion

It is a mobile operating system developed by Research in Motion (RIM) for all BlackBerry line up with systems for multitasking and specialised input devices such as trackwheel and trackpad adopted by RIM. It is best known for its native support for corporate email and synchronisation with Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino. The first device with BlackBerry OS was released in January 1999 called Pager BlackBerry 850.

Features of BlackBerry OS

  • High security for most operations including file encryption, wireless connectivity, email spamming, and email attachments.
  • Built-in Wi-Fi calling capability
  • BlackBerry Tag which uses Near Field Communication allowing certain features between BBM smartphones such as friend invitation to BBM, contact info exchange, app sharing from BlackBerry App World, and file sharing including music, and videos.
  • BlackBerry Messenger and BlackBerry Browser
  • Augmented Reality which allows checking of nearby BBM friends.

HTC Smartphones

HTC is a company from Taiwan manufacturing smartphones and tablets computers running Windows Mobile, Windows Phone OS, and Android OS. In April 14, 2010, HTC has started accessing for a possible operating system to compete with Android, iOS, and Windows.

Main features of HTC smartphones

  • Lightweight and slim designs with body casing made from premium materials and screens protected by Corning Gorilla Glass
  • The unique user interface from other Android units called HTC Sense
  • Exclusive Beats Audio sound enhancement
  • Tough battery life in ratio with powerful processors

LG Handsets

LG focuses on mobile communications, home entertainment, and energy solutions. Its Optimus line up smartphone are famous worldwide among LG- released mobile devices.

Features of LG smartphones

  • Multitasking using transparency by Qslide Function
  • Live Zooming during playback of a recorded video
  • Cheese shutter for "say cheese" during image captures
  • Zerogap Touch technology
  • Optimus UI as display interface

Motorola Mobility Units

Motorola is a telecommunications equipment corporation now owned by Google famous for very thin flip phones called RAZR during the analog cell phone era. The latest Motorola units are a combination of Android OS and RAZR technology.

Main features of Motorola smartphones

  • Very long battery life using SMARTACTIONS app
  • RAZR design adapted from the analog predecessors which are light and thin
  • Combined premium materials of KEVLAR fibers, Corning Gorilla Glass, and Water Splash guard for maximum protection and durability

Nokia Smartphones

Nokia mobile devices are considered very user-friendly and have diverse model units during the analog age. Microsoft and Nokia had partnered to manufacture Windows Phone OS smartphones from Nokia, and its flagship is the Lumia line up.

Features of the latest Lumia 920

  • PureView technology with Carl Zeiss lens captures blur-free videos even if the camera is shaking or in low light
  • PureMotion HD+ display: brightest, fastest, and most sensitive touchscreen
  • Wireless charging

Sony Mobile Phones

Formerly known as Sony Ericsson, this mobile phone manufacturer is famous for the large line up of Xperia smartphones.

Features of the flagship Xperia smartphones

  • High end Xperia have very high camera megapixels with fast capture in HD
  • BRAVIA engine used in Sony televisions applied in Xperia smartphones
  • XLOUD enhancement engine
  • Playstation certified
  • WhiteMagic technology for color enhancement and outdoor light balancer
  • Exmor image sensor for image capture

Samsung Mobile Phones

Samsung smartphones are the main contributors to the Android OS population in the market that compete against Apple iPhones, other Androids, and Windows Phones. Galaxy S smartphones are the flagship units from this South Korean tech firm with two currently dominant, Galaxy S3 and Galaxy Note 2.

Features of Galaxy S line up

  • Currently classified as both mid-range and high end-range devices, the Galaxy S i9000 and Galaxy S3 i9300, respectively, make the Galaxy S line up available for entry-level users
  • Always uses Super AMOLED technology
  • Upgrades open to the latest Android version from official sourced and custom rom developers
  • TouchWiz UI
  • Very versatile compared to other Androids in rooting, application downloads, and rom modifications.
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