A new report by ChangeWave Research provides yet more evidence of the surge in consumer interest in smartphones; and of Apple’s iPhone in particular. Last week we reported statistics from AdMob stating that smartphones are now edging out feature phones as the device of choice for consumers. In the race for the highly lucrative consumer smartphone market, blackberry devices still hold the lead over iPhone – but ChangeWave’s data shows that the gap is rapidly closing.
We predict that it won’t be long until Apple overtakes RIM as the leader in this hotly contested (and vitally important, in context of the Web’s shift from PC to phones) market.
RIM’s market share is creeping down, while Apple’s surges up. ChangeWave puts RIM at 40% of market share, but Apple is now just 10% points behind at 30%. This was mainly due to the iPhone 3GS release, which saw Apple gain 5% since June. Meanwhile Palm’s fortunes continue to sag – they’re at a dismal 7% according to this report.
39% of the 4,255 people polled by ChangeWave Research said that they own a smartphone. This is an increase of 2% since June and nearly double the level of two years ago. 11.6% now say they plan on buying a smartphone in the next 90 days.
AdMob’s report was particularly bullish on Apple, reporting that iPhone traffic now accounts for nearly half (48%) of all smartphone requests in the United States. The ChangeWave report adds some much-needed context into smartphone statistics, by reporting that RIM – the makers of the blackberry – remains the market leader in terms of number of devices.
More people are undoubtedly using the iPhone to surf the Mobile Web, but more people still own a blackberry device.
Perhaps the most telling statistic in the ChangeWave report, also happens to be the most qualitative. 74% of the iPhone owners that ChangeWave polled reported that they’re “Very Satisfied” with their iPhone. Less than half of RIM device owners said that.
Given what these latest AdMob and ChangeWave reports found, it’s clear that smartphones are poised to hit the mainstream in a big way in 2010 and beyond.
AdMob had reported that of the top 10 mobile phones in the US currently, half are touchscreen, 6 have Wi-Fi capability and 6 have mobile app stores. Apple’s iPhone led the way on all of those fronts. Android, RIM and the likes of Nokia are all putting out similar smartphone devices now.
RIM still holds sway over the workplace, but Apple definitely has the momentum in the consumer market.
Photo credit: Andy Mihail
