The term ‘smart phone’ was once used by Ericsson in 1997 to describe its GS 88. However, once Blackberry entered the market, it reigned as the only player for a very long time. But now we see the likes of Apple, Nokia, Samsung and HTC quickly entering the market and fighting over the market share. But there is only one entity that has a say in all this and wields the ultimate power: the consumer. So here is a list of the top 10 smart phones that have successfully been able to steal the fought-over attention of the public.

1. HTC

This Taiwan-based company has a market share of 5.8% and sales reaching over 52 million in 2013. Its phones currently run on the Android platform and the product line includes the HTC One and the Nexus One.

2. BlackBerry

Blackberry was once considered the phone of the elite, attributed to its high selling price. Its consumer was considered to be a hi-fi corporate personality who always needed instant connection. But Blackberry had to re-think its strategy after the entry of formidable competitors such as Apple and Samsung. It recently launched its very own OS by the name of Blackberry 10 used by the BlackBerry Z10. Even though the phone has only been launched in selective countries, it has already received millions of orders.

3. Microsoft

Even though Microsoft has a market share of less than 3%, its phones such as the Windows Phone 8 are competitors to be reckoned with.

4. Nokia

Nokia was considered the emperor of all mobile phone but was left behind since the advent of smart phones. However Nokia followed suit and now it has a market share of 6.8% with more than 61 million phones being sold in 2013.

5. Huawei

This Chinese phone company has a market share of 6.3% and sales of over 57 million. It is the largest telecommunication equipment maker in the world

6. LG

LG has a market share of 4% and sales of more than 36 million. This South Korean company has all its phones run on the Android platform.

7. ZTE

ZTE has a market share of 4% and sales of approximately 36.5 million. The company is based in China and like LG, has its phones run on Android.

8. Sony

Sony’s market share is 4.2% and its sales are more than 38 million. The company is based in Japan and has its phones run on Android.

9. Samsung

Samsung holds the highest market share of more than 32%, which has grown from 22% in 2012. Its phones are considered alternatives to the iPhone and it is the largest selling Smartphone company in the world.

10. Apple

Apple introduced its first smart phone in 1997 and since then has been releasing different and advanced versions of the same of ever since. The iPhone revolutionized the way we use phones today, with the introduction of quick responsive touch screens, ‘pinching’ zoom-ins, and incredible aesthetics. The success was huge and still is, with a whopping 5 million iPhone 5s being sold in just 3 days!