Downturn hurts Apple’s iPhone sales

WEAKENING economies and falling prices of rival smartphones are hurting sales of Apple iPhones across Europe, data from research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech shows.

The October roll-out of Apple’s iPhone 4S boosted its position in Britain and the US, but the new phones failed to excite interest in Europe, where Apple’s share of the fast-growing smartphone market slipped.

The smartphone industry is dominated by Google, which has stormed the market with its free Android platform.