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Comparative Analysis of Australian Smartphones and Vendors, 3Q2008 - Available Now
DUBLIN, Ireland --(Business Wire)-- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cd1b94/comparative_analys) has announced the addition of the "Comparative Analysis of Australian Smartphones and Vendors, 3Q2008" report to their offering.
This latest research into Australia's smartphone market reveals that the country's annual smartphone shipment has grown by almost 40 times from five years ago and that nearly three in ten mobile phones sold this year will be smartphones.
"2008 has been the year of the smartphone in Australia, with a record 50 models introduced this year alone," said Warren Chaisatien, Research Director. Fuelling this rapid growth have been next-generation devices, like the Apple iPhone, HTC Touch Diamond, and BlackBerry Storm, which feature large touch screens with very few or no buttons, full online and multimedia capabilities, and highly intuitive gesture-based input methods.
Mr Chaisatien observed that in tandem with the rise of next-generation smartphones is the emergence of open-source mobile platforms, such as the new Symbian and Google's Android, which is forcing established vendors like RIM and Microsoft to watch their backs. "As users and carriers move towards off-deck content, the key for established players is to enrich their ecosystems by opening up their platforms while maintaining their unique competitiveness and security."
This Telsyte report's analysis finds a large untapped market opportunity around entry-level, first-time smartphone users, a segment receptive to advertising and location-based services. Smartphones with multi-mode (3G/WiFi) connectivity, mobile PBX and mobile VoIP functionality are found to be attractive to Australian business users, while mobile instant messaging, search, maps and email applications are sought after by consumer smartphone users. This represents good news for consumer marketing groups who are constantly looking for ways to gain consumer attention.
This report provides an authoritative assessment of Australian smartphone market developments and reviews Australia's latest smartphone features and application capabilities. It also discusses the changing landscape of the mobile operating system market, business and consumer preferences for smartphones and their perceptions on the vendors, as well as their preferences for segmented content. It is also an essential guide for organisations planning to mobile their workforce with smartphone technologies.
Executive Summary:
With a record number of smartphones being launched in the first nine months of this year, 2008 is seen as the year of the smartphone in Australia, following the rollouts of HSPA networks, which created excitement and drove much of the country's mobile market developments last year. This fast-growing and highly competitive market has been rejuvenated by the debut of the long-awaited Apple iPhone.
Produced annually as the flagship report in our Vendor Competitive Analysis Series, this study provides a detailed comparative analysis of leading smartphones and vendors in the Australian market. It is an essential guide for organisations planning to mobile their workforce with smartphone technologies.
Key findings from this study include:
- Annual mobile phone shipments in Australia have grown by nearly 60% in the past five years, with this report projecting 10.8 million handsets to be shipped in 2008. Three million smartphones are expected to be shipped in 2008, constituting nearly 30% of this year's total mobile handset shipments.
- Since the inception of the smartphone market in Australia in 2003, over 140 models of smartphones have been introduced, led by Nokia with 81 models, and BlackBerry with 18 models.
- The Apple iPhone has redefined the smartphone market and heightened consumer awareness around next-generation smartphones - a move that has benefited both the vendor and its competitors alike. These next-generation smartphones are characterised by a large touch screen with highly intuitive gesture-based input mechanism and very few or no buttons.
- Smartphone users who make up 9% of Australia's overall mobile phone user base, spend considerably more (20-70%) on mobile services compared to their regular phone user counterparts.
- Telsyte's end user research suggests Australia's largest smartphone vendors by installed base are Finland's Nokia (33%), Canada's BlackBerry (17%), Taiwan's HTC including O2 and dopod (9%), US-based Palm (7%), Korea's Samsung (4%) and Dubai-based iMate (4%).
- Nokia is perceived very well in price competitiveness, ease to use, and reliability, but weak in technology innovation, multimedia, and PC/IT system compatibility.
- BlackBerry scores highly in technology innovation and security in the minds of business users, while being seen as prestigious by consumer users. It is seen as very strong in business offerings and PC/IT system compatibility, but not as a price competitive device.
- Handset features valued by business users include multi-mode connectivity (3G/WiFi) and mobile PBX functionality, while in-demand applications include mobile VoIP, IM, location based services, social networking, and line-of-business applications, led by CRM in particular.
- For consumers, strong adoption trends are seen around mobile IM, search, maps, Internet browsing, wireless email and social networking as well as the concept of fixed-mobile convergence. They also prefer phones with a large touch screen, already a feature of many modern smartphones.
- While the smartphone OS market landscape remains unsettled, open-source platform momentum is building as user and carrier preferences slowly shift towards choice.
- The report finds a large untapped market opportunity for entry-level, first-time smartphone users, a segment that can be effectively subsidised by mobile advertising.
- This report suggests that smartphone vendors differentiate through form factor choice and latest features, covey the right image to the right target audience, and promote the products directly to users.
- They must also work with carriers to offer packages with exclusivity, educate users on usage and future applications, and open up their platforms to grow ecosystem partners while maintaining their unique competitive and secure features.
- Conclusion and recommendations.
CONTENTS:
1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2 INTRODUCTION
3 AUSTRALIAN SMARTPHONE MARKET OVERVIEW
4 REVIEWS OF RECENT PRODUCTS AND END-USER PERCEPTIONS OF LEADING AUSTRALIAN SMARTPHONE VENDORS
5 APPLE'S IPHONE AND GOOGLE'S G1
6 SMARTPHONE OPERATING SYSTEM MARKET DEVELOPMENTS
7 DESIRED MOBILE HANDSET FEATURES AND APPLICATIONS
8 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF FEATURES AND APPLICATION CAPABILITIES OF AUSTRALIA'S LEADING SMARTPHONES, 3Q08
9 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
10 RELATED RESEARCH
**FIGURES AND TABLES ALSO INCLUDED**
Vendors Mentioned:
- Nokia
- Sony Ericsson
- Motorola
- RIM (Blackberry)
- Samsung
- LG
- i-Mate
- HTC
- Palm
- Apple
- Google
Technologies Covered:
- Smartphone
- 3G
- HSDPA
Vendors/Handsets Evaluated:
- Nokia E71
- Samsung Blackjack
- i-Mate Ultimate 9502
- HTC Diamond Touch
- Palm Treo Pro
- Blackberry Bold
- Apple iPhone 3G
For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/cd1b94/comparative_analys
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