Shipments of converged mobile phones reached an all time high in the second quarter of 2006, according to data released on Wednesday.

Market research firm IDC stated total shipments of converged mobile devices reached a record 19.3 million units for the quarter, marking a 1.9 percent quarterly increase, and a 42.1 percent yearly increase.

That quarterly shipments are reaching the 20 million unit mark in a single quarter is a significant milestone, said Ramon Llamas, research analyst for IDC's Mobile Markets team. As recently as two years ago, it would have taken an entire year to ship that kind of volume. Since then, the converged mobile device, or smartphone, has evolved in terms of functionality and appeal.

The firm defines converged phones as any electronic phone that utilizes a high-level operating system, such as the Palm Treo and Blackberry phones. Development of new applications are driving the sales, IDC said.

Of the vendors, Nokia was able to retain its places as the dominant converged mobile phone leader, taking 46.9 percent of the market. Motorola and Research in Motion came in second and third, respectively.

Electronics Smartphone Blackberry