Seagate fended off a strong challenge by  Western Digital to win the title of Hard Drive maker of the year.

According to iSuppli Seagate shipped 49.9 million HDD units - up 8 per cent from third-quarter levels of 46.3 million. Seagate controlled nearly a third of the market. Revenues rose 14 per cent. Fang Zhang, analyst for storage systems at iSuppli said Seagate had a tenacious hold at the top. Many thought that Western Digital would bypass its primary competitor in the fourth quarter of last year. 

However despite shipping a record 49.5 million HDD units, expanding by 12 per cent Western Digital was unable to dislodge Seagate and had to settle once again for second place, iSuppli expects Seagate to uphold its peak ranking in the first quarter of 2010, with WDC staying at number two.