Nokia currently rules the roost when it comes to worldwide smartphone sales. But is Apple in a position to displace it? That's the conclusions drawn by Generator Research, which claims in a new research report that Apple has the business ingredients, and most importantly, the product strategy it needs to become the leader in the space.

While currently "embryonic," Apple's smartphone efforts could push Nokia out from the top spot in the worldwide smartphone shipments, Generator said. According to the research firm, the Apple iPhone accounted for about 5 percent of all smartphone devices shipped globally during the third quarter of 2008, compared to 40 percent for Nokia's smartphones.

But according to the report, released this week, Apple will begin shipping a range of mobile devices, giving it the upper hand by 2013 -- while Nokia's share will have declined to about 20 percent.

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