According to internal data from Microsoft, HTC’s once enviable position as prime player in the Windows Mobile segment has shifted, with non-touchscreen models declining to below 30-percent market share.  Competition by Motorola and Samsung is blamed for the change, with Motorola leading the pack by a small margin.

However touchscreen-based smartphones are still more likely to bear the HTC logo, with over 50-percent sold being their models.  Palm follows behind at quite a distance, with a market share just over 10-percent.

The news follows reports by Opinion Research Corporation that 21-percent of smartphones (excluding Blackberry and iPhone models) were returned after the holiday season, making the cellphones the most-returned item. 

“The inability to understand the product setup process was cited as the primary reason consumers returned their Smartphone” Kevin Wood, VP and Senior Technology Analyst, Opinion Research Corporation