Worldwide mobile phone sales totalled 269.1 million units in the first quarter, down 8.6% from a year ago, according to new data from Gartner. But smartphone sales of 36.4 million units rose 12.7%.

Here’s a look at the top five mobile phone companies by units:

• Nokia: 97.4 million units, 36.2% share, down from 115.2 million and 39.1% share.
• Samsung: 51.4 million units, 19.1% share, vs. 42.4 million units, 14.4% share.
• LG: 26.5 million units, 9.9% share, vs. 23.6 million units, 8% share.
• Motorola: 16.6 million units, 6.2% share, vs. 29.9 million units, 10.2% share.
• Sony Ericsson: 14.5 million units, 5.4% share, vs. 22.1 million units, 7.5% share.

Takeaways: Motorola and Sony Ericsson remain in big trouble, Nokia is smaller but still the leader, and Samsung is rapidly gaining share.

In smartphones, the picture is a little different:

• Nokia: 15 million units, 41.2% share, vs. 14.6 million units, 45.1% share.
• Research In Motion: 7.2 million units, 19.9% share, vs. 4.3 million units, 13.3% share.
• Apple: 3.9 million units, 10.8% share, vs. 1.7 million units, 5.3% share.
• HTC: 2 million units, 5.4% share, vs. 1.3 million units, 4% share.
• Fujitsu: 1.4 million units, 3.8% share, vs. 1.3 million units, 4.1% share.

Takeaways: Apple and RIMM are growing rapidly, but Nokia still dominates.