The IDC's [3] data always makes for an interesting measure of how much smartphones are taking over the world, and the latest report [4] is no different. While the worldwide mobile phone market grew by nearly 2% for the last quarter of 2012 over 2011's figure, 45.5% of all shipments were smartphones--the highest share yet seen.

In fact smartphone shipments for the quarter were up over 36% on 2011. And IDC notes that 545 million smartphones were sold during 2012--10% more than in 2011 and equating to one and three-quarter phones for every citizen of the U.S. But in bad news for companies that make their money [5] mainly in the non-smartphone market, the IDC's data shows the global market for all phones was actually very slightly contracting.

No surprises, though, in the IDC's league table of smartphone vendors--with Samsung [6] still at the top, with a 29% market share in the last quarter of 2012, and Apple in second place with 22%.

Do your phone buying plans for 2012 include finally embracing the smartphone revolution? Tell us more in the comments!

[Image: Flickr user clanlife [7]]