One of the major concerns for cell-phone makers has been China, which is in the midst of an inventory overhang in the area. "Inventories of finished mobile phones in China that flared up in the summer still must be burned off, depressing production of new mobile phones," according to iSuppli.

Worldwide mobile-phone shipments totaled 170 million units in the third quarter, up from 168.5 million in the second, according to iSuppli.

iSuppli is forecasting a flat fourth quarter for the mobile-phone market. Mobile-phone shipments will amount to 167 million units in the fourth quarter, down 1.8 percent from the third quarter, iSuppli predicts.

Nokia's mobile-phone shipments in the third quarter rose to 51.4 million units, up 13.2 percent from 45.4 million in the second quarter. The company's share of all mobile-phone shipments worldwide rose to 30.2 percent in the third quarter, compared to 26.9 percent in the second quarter, according to the firm.

Nokia increased its market-share lead over number-two player Motorola to 16.5 percentage points, up from 12.6 percentage points in the second quarter.

"The perennial number-one supplier, Nokia, continued to use pricing to gain back market share that had been taken away by suppliers of higher-end phones," according to iSuppli. "Nokia's average selling price (ASP) for its mobile phones declined 5 percent from the second quarter to $105.2."

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