The number of consumers planning to purchase smartphones has increased dramatically in the past year, reveals the latest Change Wave smartphone survey. It shows 16.4% of respondents plan on buying a smartphone in the next 90 days.
According to the survey, there has been a global explosion in the demand for smartphones. Overall, buying plans were much higher than they were a year ago, following the release of the iPhone 3GS.
With 4 028 participants globally, the survey took a closer look at consumer demand for the new Apple iPhone 4 as well as the HTC Droid Incredible, along with the impact these and other offerings are having on the rest of the smartphone arena.
The report says during the second half of 2010, there were winners and losers among the smartphone vendors.
As the competition among smartphone manufacturers hots up, the survey indicates Apple and HTC were the major gainers in market share as they surpassed the sales made by Research In Motion (RIM) and Motorola.
“In terms of current share, Apple (34%) is up one point since our March survey to an all-time high while RIM (34%) has taken another hit - dropping four-points in the past 90 days,” the report states.
The report adds the new Apple iPhone 4 was the major driver in the growth of smartphone demand, with more than 52% of the respondents planning to purchase the gadget in the next 90 days - a 21-point leap over the previous survey.
HTC showed a huge improvement with a 19% surge - registering a seven-point jump in terms of future buying plans, reveals the survey. On the other hand, Motorola, on 9%, has declined seven points since the previous survey.
The report concludes by noting that the iPhone 4 and the iOS 4 have brought about a huge spike in demand for Apple. In addition, HTC has grabbed the lead in Android OS phones based upon the huge momentum of its Droid Incredible and that of other HTC Android models, including the new EVO 4G.
Despite the recession pinning down the economy, the South African smartphone market is also experiencing robust growth, as major network providers Vodacom and MTN plan to unveil the Apple iPhone 4 sometime in September.
Arthur Goldstuck, MD of World Wide Worx, says the smartphone industry in SA will certainly continue growing as business users find the broadband capabilities useful. Goldstuck says: “In a smartphone, we are literally seeing the foundations being laid for the company of the future.”
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