Global cell phone sales drop for first time in three years.

Worldwide mobile phone sales slipped 1.7% to 1.75B units in 2012, the first decline since 2009, as demand for feature phones fell. "Tough economic conditions, shifting consumer preferences, and intense market competition weakened the worldwide mobile phone market," Gartner says. However, Q4 smartphone sales jumped 38.3% to 207.7M, with Samsung (SSNLF.PK) and Apple (AAPL) increasing their market share to 52% from 46.4% in Q3. Samsung was also the top overall vendor of handsets