Huawei says smartphone shipments up five-fold in 2011

HONG KONG Feb 10 (Reuters) - Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, the world's No.2 telecommunications equipment maker, said on Friday that it shipped 20 million smartphones globally in 2011, a fivefold increase, as it takes on the likes of Apple Inc and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd .

Huawei, the world's No.6 mobile phone maker according to IDC, recorded sales of $6.8 billion at its consumer business last year, which includes devices such as mobile phones and tablet PCs. That was more than 40 percent higher than the $4.8 billion posred in 2010.

After bringing to market the feature-filled IDEOS, Vision and Honor smartphone handsets, Huawei launched the Ascend, which it says is the slimmest smartphone in the market.