The latest data from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech shows that, in the 12 weeks ending 7 August 2011, Android holds a 47.1% share of the GB smartphone market, followed by BlackBerry (21.5%) and Apple (20.8%).
Smartphones made up 68.5% of sales over the 12 weeks, meaning that 41% of the GB population now own a smartphone.
Dominic Sunnebo, global consumer insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, comments:
“While smartphones are quickly becoming the norm there are still new sales opportunities for manufacturers that innovate in terms of design. Smartphone design is in danger of becoming too standardised, with 90% of smartphones now using a Candybar shape, compared with only 54% in 2009, and 62% including a touchscreen function. With a lack of design differentiation, big name brands have to work harder to convince consumers to choose their products over another’s.
“With increasing competition in the market manufacturers need to find ways to stand out. One such way would be to target the over 45s. Our research shows that this market is a key area for growth, with 17 million people aged 45+ in Britain who still don’t own a smartphone, but these consumers want different things from their phone. For example, 27% of over-45’s chose their current handset for its ease of use, compared with only 12% of under-45s. Similarly, late converters gravitate towards physical keyboards and slider phones. If manufacturers can develop smartphones that attract this audience we are likely to see the market grow even further.”
The over-45s present a sales opportunity for the networks too. Once consumers over the age of 45 adopt a smartphone they are quick to take advantage of its functions. 67% of 55-64 year olds surf the mobile web, while 43% use mobile maps.
Dominic continues:
“We are also now seeing that the type of software on a phone is influencing what handset a person buys. This has provided key opportunities for previously little-known manufacturers such as HTC and ZTE, who use popular operating systems. For example, 25% of consumers who purchased a ZTE smartphone claimed they did so because of the Android operating system.”
About Kantar Worldpanel ComTech’s Smartphone OS market share data
Kantar Worldpanel ComTech’s smartphone OS market share data provides the media and businesses with access to the most up to date sales market share figures for the major smartphone OS.
This information is based on the research extracted from the Kantar Worldpanel ComTech global consumer panel. ComTech is the largest continuous research consumer mobile phone tracking panel of its kind in the world, conducting over 1 million interviews per year in Europe alone. ComTech tracks mobile phone behaviour, including purchasing of phones, mobile phone bills/airtime, source of purchase and phone usage and delivers beyond market share tracking to understand drivers of share changes, market dynamics through consumer insight - the data included in this release is excluding enterprise sales
About Kantar Worldpanel
For further information, please visit us at www.kantarworldpanel.com
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About Kantar
For further information, please visit us at www.kantar.com
5 September 2011
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