“Phone
users want computers in their pockets. The days where phones are used primarily
to make phone calls and send text messages are quickly fading away”
IDC analyst Kevin
Restivo as on the statistics published that indicate smartphone shipments for
the first time had outpaced Feature phones
Despite
the fact that the majority of the US and Developed World market is in love with
smartphones as noted in the Nielsen Stats in the article “Feature
phones are tops in countries where the smartphone networks still need time to
expand”, says Nielsen, published February
25, 2013 9:46 AM PST by Lance Whitney, CNET News, the
rest of the world is yet to truly fall in love with smartphones, at least not
yet.
The
numbers posited by analyst IDC tell a rather compelling story that is about to
happen in the Second Quarter of 2013 as stated in the article “Smartphones
to outsell Feature phones in 2013 for first time”,
published March 4, 2013 7:44 AM PST by Marguerite Reardon, CNET News.
They
indicate the inevitable has happened: Smartphones have finally overtaken Feature
phones globally in terms of units shipped as noted in the article “Smartphones
outpace Feature phones for first time ever”, published,
April 26, 2013 5:29 AM PDT by Jonathan Skillings, CNET News.
The
reason? Cheaper Smartphones, mostly Google Android smartphones and more
Developing World Countries planning to or actively deploying 4G Networks.
The
Stats tell a better Tale:
1.
418.6 million mobile phones, inclusive
of both smartphones and Feature phones were shipped worldwide
2.
216.2 million smartphones were shipped
worldwide
3.
202.4 million Feature phones were
shipped worldwide
In
terms of percentage, the Shipments for the First Quarter of 2013 shell down as
thus:
1.
51.6% of the Global mobile phones
shipments was smartphones
2.
48.4% of the Global mobile phones
shipments was Feature phones
Here
are the IDC Stats in pictorial form:
Suddenly
my Nokia flashlight phone seems really,
really old.
This
desire to break into the Developing World Markets that are still dominated by Feature
phones is main reason why so many smartphone makers are going Open Source as
noted in my blog
article entitled “MWC
2013 reveals Firefox OS & Tizen OS launching Second & Third Quarter
2013 respectively - Samsung's Despicable Me 2 & Mozilla practices The ABC's
of Death”.
Samsung’s
Tizen OS, Mozilla Foundation’s Firefox OS and Canonical’s Ubuntu OS are now on
the Radar as we’re now coming up to the end of April, the start of the Second
Quarter of 2013. A move up from earlier Fourth Quarter of 2013 Launch projections
as noted in my blog
article entitled “Samsung's
Tizen OS, Mozilla Foundation's Firefox OS and Canonical's Ubuntu OS to launch
by Fourth Quarter of 2013 - David Guetta's Titanium Pacific RIM Robots to
Battle Google Android”.
So
too may be Apple, which at this point no longer has a choice but to actually
make a cheaper version of their Apple iPhone to go after the untapped
Developing World Markets as prognosticated in my blog
article entitled “Apple and
the Cloud Phone - Cheaper by the Dozen and Up in the Air” and my Geezam blog article entitled “Towards a cheaper Apple iPhone – Batteries Not
Included”.
Analyst
ABI Research indicates that the Market for lower cost smartphones, defined as
being below US$200, is projected to grow as surmised in “Apple,
Samsung's next critical play: Affordable smartphones”,
published April 29, 2013 4:00 AM PDT by Shara Tibken, CNET News.
According
to ABI Research in 2012:
1.
25% of smartphones cost less than US$200
2.
27% of smartphones cost more than US$400
In
2013, ABI Research projects:
1.
29% of smartphones cost less than US$200
2.
27% of smartphones cost more than US$400
By
2017, ABI Research projects:
1.
42% of smartphones cost less than US$200
2.
23% of smartphones cost more than US$400
Already
Telecom Provider Digicel may be
ahead of the curve; the DL600 come in at a low US$100 in a bid to hold on to
and build its smartphone market as noted in my blog
article entitled “Digicel to
launch the DL600 Smartphone by Mid-May 2013 starting below US$100 - Alcatel One
Touch running Firefox OS marketed like The Incredible Burt”.
It
may also explain why Telecom Provider Digicel
avoided a splashy launch for the Blackberry Z10 as noted in my blog article
entitled “Telecom Provider LIME and Digicel to
start selling the Blackberry Z10 on Tuesday April 23 2013 - No long lines as
the Recession drags us into Oblivion”, despite finally being a true smartphone, as the retail price of, JA$98,
243.75 is priced way beyond the pockets of us mere mortals
in Jamaica!
Still
their Brand is strong; sources online have informed me that the stores are sold
out their original orders less than a week after launch and are restocking. So demand’s
for the smartphone is strong, despite its hefty pricetag that’ll leave many
with sticker shock.
So
in summary, the smartphone makers, to tap into the Developing World Mobile
market, where Feature phones are still king representing the 48.6%, need to
make more Iron
Man 3 (2013) smartphones that are below US$200 in
price.
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