Nokia (NOK) may be last when it comes to smartphone sales, but at least it can brag about one incredible accomplishment Monday.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Nokia shipped 10.9 million Lumia devices in the first three quarters of its release. That is more than double the 5.4 million iPhones that Apple (AAPL) shipped during the device's first three quarters in 2007. Nokia's shipments are more than seven times that of Samsung, which shipped only 1.5 million units during its initial quarters as an Android device manufacturer.

This is huge for Nokia. Not only has the company come a long way this year, but it might actually survive. With unique, cutting-edge technology that no other smartphone manufacturer can offer, Nokia is in a much better position than Motorola, HTC, and Research In Motion (RIMM).

That said, The Wall Street Journal's Rolfe Winkler pointed out that the aforementioned comparison between Nokia, Apple and Samsung is not entirely fair. For one thing, the Lumia devices are currently available in roughly 50 countries. When Apple launched the iPhone, it was only available in the United States. At the same time, an exclusive deal with AT&T (T) prevented Sprint Nextel (S) and Verizon (VZ) subscribers from buying the device. Samsung also began its Android invasion with a limited release in just one country: Germany.

Nokia is both helped and hurt by today's smartphone market, which is large enough to enable the company to enjoy a much wider launch than Apple and Samsung had several years ago. Apple and Samsung are the major players responsible for the boom in the smartphone industry. They have made it very difficult for their competitors to successfully launch new products in the marketplace.

Nokia definitely has something to brag about Monday morning, but Apple is still in a better position.

More from Benzinga

• Sony and Warner to be Shut Out of Universal Sale
  
• Research In Motion & Apple Win Kodak Case
  
• Currency Crushes McDonald's Q2 Results