Market research firm IDC on Thursday released its smartphone market share numbers for the first quarter of 2011 and Apple is doing quite well.

[ad#Google Adsense 300×250 in story]According to the report, Apple only follows Nokia in worldwide shipments. Apple’s shipments grew from 8.7 million in 2010 to 18.7 million in 2011, an increase of 114.4 percent year-over-year.

“Apple reached a new record shipment volume in a single quarter, and inched closer to market leader Nokia with fewer than six million units separating the two companies,” wrote IDC in its report. “The company posted market-beating year-over-year growth and recorded triple-digit growth in two key markets: the United States, with the release of its CDMA-enabled iPhone, and Greater China. Additionally, the company enlisted South Korean Telecom and Saudi Telecom as carrier providers of the iPhone.

Apple’s market share grew from 15.7 percent to 18.7 percent in the last year.