Shipments of converged mobile devices, or smartphones, grew by 67.8 per cent year over year in the first quarter of 2006, according to new data from analyst firm IDC, reaching a total of 18.9 million units.

Nokia remained by far the largest vendor, although its market share slipped from 48.4 per cent to 43.2 per cent.

Panasonic and NEC registered shares of 10 per cent and 9.5 per cent respectively. Research In Motion ranked fourth with 7.7 per cent, the IDC data showed.

The BlackBerry maker is showing the highest growth rate at 85.7 per cent, outpacing its more consumer-oriented competitors.

Nokia is making strong inroads into the enterprise market with its N-Series line, while its E-Series phones cater towards the consumer segment.

New products that better target specific market segments, as well as increased competition, will drive further growth in the smartphone market, the analyst firm concluded.