<p>In its latest report, research firm IDC revealed Friday that even though robust iPhone 5 sales helped goose Apple's total smartphone sales in its most recent quarter by 6.6 percent over the same quarter last year, it was not enough to keep archrival Samsung from extending its big-footed share of the market.</p><p>Thanks to its smorgasbord of different products, along with inexpensive prices that make Apple's products seem Tiffanyesque by comparison, Samsung's global smartphone market share rose in the first quarter of 2013 from 28.8 percent to 32.7 percent. Apple's share, much like its stumbling stock price over the past year, dropped to 17.3</p><p>A model shows Samsung Electronics Co.'s latest Galaxy S4 smartphones during its unveiling ceremony in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, April 25, 2013. The Galaxy S4 will go on sales in the domestic market on April 26 and in overseas market on the following day. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) (Lee Jin-man)percent, down from 23 percent a year earlier.</p><p>"Clearly the growth for Apple and everyone else is in the emerging markets, while the developed markets where Apple dominates are becoming saturated and growth is clearly slowing," said Laurence Balter, an analyst at Oracle Investment Research. "Its market-share will continue to shrink until Apple gets its head out of the sand and starts putting out improved and unique technology. Otherwise, they're going to continually play catch-up to Samsung, which right now is eating their lunch."</p><p><a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_23117660/apple-loses-more-global-smartphone-market-share-samsung">Keep reading...</a></p><p>Read also:</p><p><a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2013/04/26/samsung_smartphone_sales_rise_to_double_apple_s_market_share.html">Samsung Is Crushing Apple in Smartphone Sales</a> (Slate Magazine (blog))</p><p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/samsung-takes-more-smartphone-market-share-apple-054546147--sector.html">Samsung takes more smartphone market share from Apple</a> (Yahoo! News)</p><p><a href="http://www.zdnet.com/samsung-galaxy-s4-smartphone-evolution-hits-the-wall-7000014523/">Samsung Galaxy S4: Smartphone evolution hits the Wall</a> (ZDNet)</p><p>Explore: <a href="http://news.google.com/news/more?ncl=dJ2CpjLF_1unp-MwRoGblZgdXnk7M&ned=us">845 additional articles.</a></p>