Smartphone Sales Set for Explosion

ABI Research found through a study that the market share of smartphones will shoot up from 10% in 2007 to an overwhelming 31% in 2013, a third of the market.

ABI Research found from a new study named "Smartphone and OS (Operating System) Markets" that the share of smartphones in total handset sales will shoot up from nearly 10% in 2007 to touch a whopping 31% in 2013, triggered by the iPhone rage, according to the ABI Research publication on March 20, 2008.

This meteoric rise in smartphone sales is accounted to numerous complex factors. Wireless carriers are on an aggressive drive to increase their data revenues through hi-end services. Besides, there is a general tendency to push smartphone-grade operating systems into middle level devices.

The iPhone rage is another reason that has triggered huge sales for smartphones. New features that seem certain to flourish and become industry standards for enhanced user experience include touch-pads, touchscreens, accelerometers with shock and tilt sensing features, and haptics with tactile feedback.

Smartphones usually refer to a mobile handset powered by special computer-grade functionalities, which were previously not associated with mobile phones. Apart from the basic facility of ordinary voice telephony, a smartphone supports numerous high-end features like wireless e-mail, Web browsing, Internet, Intercom, fax, etc.

Stuart Carlaw, Vice President at ABI Research, said that smart operating systems are increasingly being optimized for running on low performance processors. This strategic move is aimed at increasing data revenues because taking this technology to mid-range devices will increase the subscriber base, according to the statement published by Cellular-news on March 20, 2008.

ABI Research found in its study that the market leader in smartphone sales currently is Nokia, standing at 52%, while RIM (Research In Motion) and Samsung took the second and third position respectively.

Newly arrived vendors into the smartphone market are also widening the reach of this segment. Market analysis company Strategy Analytics considers that Personal Computer (PC) manufacturer Dell is very likely to set foot in the mobile phone industry by rolling out a range of smartphones.

However, ABI Research considers that booming smartphone usage has to be coupled by stiffer market competition because the Linux platform's coalescing framework and the robust presence of Windows Mobile will pressurize the competitors to find new ways.