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Published: Thursday September 13, 2012 MYT 3:42:00 PM
Updated: Thursday September 13, 2012 MYT 8:08:05 PM

IDC: Smartphones’ share of mobile phone markets to hit 35%


KUALA LUMPUR: Smartphones are expected to increase their market share in Malaysia's mobile phone shipments in 2012, expanding to 35% from 30% last year, and expected to increase further as prices continue to decline.

According to IDC's Asia/Pacific Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker issued on Thursday, smartphones's share of the market was forecast to exceed 50% by 2014.

IDC attributed the increase in smartphones due to the increasing popularity of Android handsets and decline in the prices of entry-level smartphones.

IDC Asia/Pacific's associate market analysts for mobile phone and research, Ryan Lai said in a segment previously dominated by Apple's iPhone, the second quarter of 2012 saw the iOS device dethroned as the king of high-end smartphones (more than RM1,500) for the first time since Q2, 2010 by Samsung's Galaxy S III.

"The feat is even more significant considering that the Galaxy S III only arrived in the later part of Q2, 2012. However, Apple is set to rebound in the fourth quarter of 2012 when it releases its new iPhone in Malaysia," he said.

As for HTC, within the smartphones segment, its flagship model the One X was third behind the iPhone.

Overall, the high-end smartphone segment grew 33% in Q2, 2012 on-year and IDC expects the trend to continue into 2013.

Lai said there was a change in market dynamics as "a growing number of Malaysian consumers now view Android smartphones to be as prestigious as the iPhone".

"Further growth in this segment will no longer be solely dependent on Apple, but will include Android vendors, mainly Samsung, HTC and Sony," he added.

Lai said falling prices of entry-level smartphones were eroding shipments of feature phones, particularly those priced above RM200.

In the first half of 2012, 24% of smartphones shipments in Malaysia were priced below RM600, up from 14% in 2011.

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