According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, the top 5 Smartphone vendors in the third quarter of 2012 (3Q12) were Samsung, Apple, RIM, ZTE, and HTC. Nokia has been in the top 5 since 2004 when the tracker started, but was just replaced by RIM.

Nokia’s exit from the top 5 was caused by the rise of Samsung and Apple globally and high-growth vendors like Huawei in China, where Nokia was the dominant player as recently as the third quarter of 2011. RIM’s shipments and market share declined year-on-year but Nokia had a greater decline.

“The company’s transition away from Symbian-powered smartphones to ones shipped with Windows Phone has left ample opportunity for rivals to steal share away from Nokia over the past 18 months,” said Kevin Restivo, senior research analyst with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.

We’re looking forward to next quarter’s report because the Nokia Lumia 920 and Lumia 820 will be available. Do you think the new Lumia devices will bring Nokia back to the top 5?