"We expect Apple to rebound sharply and regain share in the upcoming fourth quarter of 2013 due to high demand for its new iPhone 5S model," Mawston said.

While Samsung and Apple took the top two spots, in a surprising twist, the Chinese Smartphone maker Huawei took the third spot recording the largest shipment growth in the third quarter by shipping 12.7 million units, up 67 percent from a year ago. Trailing at fourth and fifth spot are LG and Lenovo.

"Huawei captured 5 percent market share and became the world's third largest smartphone vendor," Strategy Analytics senior analyst Woody Oh said in a statement. "Huawei remains very strong at home in China, but its position is less robust in other major markets like the US and Europe. Huawei will need to expand aggressively in the American and European markets if it wants to seriously challenge the big two of Samsung and Apple next year."

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