 According to the latest research on smartphone markets from ABI Research, Nokia
has maintained its leadership position with a 56.4% share of the 70.9 million
units shipped in 2006.
LONDON -- Nokia sold 40 million smartphones in 2006, compared to 28.5 million
in 2005. Motorola also had a strong 2006 and occupied the second position with
8.5% market share, driven by the success of its Linux-based devices in China,
most notably the MING. At the same time, Symbian’s strong position in the smartphone
operating system market is under continued and increasing threat.
According to mobile wireless research analyst Shailendra Pandey, “The key in
differentiating smartphone products still lies in the physical design, and the
look and feel of the user interface. The right combination of size, form factor,
operating system, and bundled applications will determine the success of a smartphone.”
In addition to the usual features, consumers are now increasingly seeking smartphones
that have touch screens, MP3 players, Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth, fast processors,
and lots of memory as well as an expansion card slot.
ABI Research’s new report, “Smartphones and the OS Market” found that there is
a growing need to save on software bill of materials as handset ASPs continue
to spiral downwards. This trend has been highlighted by Symbian’s decision to
lower its license fees, and by an increasing interest in Linux. Research director
Stuart Carlaw remarks that, “It is not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’ Linux will
have an impact upon this market. In 2006, Symbian was estimated to have a 73%
share of the smartphone OS market, yet our forecast is that it will to fall to
46% by 2012, due to strong competition coming most notably from Linux, but also
from Windows Mobile.”
Smartphones and the OS Market (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/market_research/Smartphones) investigates the key drivers, barriers, and latest trends influencing the market
for smartphones, identifying the high-level business and technology issues and
critical considerations for addressing the smartphone market. It is a component
of the company’s Mobile Devices Research Service (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Mobile_Devices_Research_S ervice), which includes other Research Reports, Research Briefs, Market Data,
Online Databases, ABI Insights, and analyst inquiry support. (Due to its length,
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Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research maintains global
operations supporting annual research programs, intelligence services and market
reports in broadband and multimedia, RFID & contactless, M2M, wireless connectivity,
mobile wireless, transportation, and emerging technologies. For information visit
www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500. |
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