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Report: Smartphone use soars in Southeast Asia

posted by Alan F. / Apr 30, 2012, 3:40 PM

Report: Smartphone use soars in Southeast Asia

Smartphone use is rising sharply in Southeast Asia

Based on research compiled by GfK Asia, smartphones have taken over the market for mobile handsets in Southeast Asia. The region's use of smartphones has exploded with two out of every three mobile handset users now carrying a smartphone in his back pocket or in her purse. Last year, one in two handset owners in the area was using a smartphone. In areas like Singapore and Malaysia, these devices are employed by 88% of those carrying a mobile phone. Smartphone use continues to grow in the region. In the first quarter of this year, 7.7 million units were purchased at a cost of $2.4 million USD. GfK Asia says that in countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, and Cambodia, growth in smartphone use year over year ranged from 40% to as high as 400%.

Touch only models are becoming a favorite of smartphone users in the area. While making up 47% of smartphone models in use last year, that figure is now up to 71%. Of those smartphones sold in the region during Q1, 35% were equipped with an 8MP camera or higher vs. 12% in 2011's first three months. Certain countries like Cambodia (70%), Singapore (67%) and Malaysia (58%) account for much of the demand for units with mid to high-end camera sensors aboard.

Gerard Tan, Account Director for Digital Technology at GfK Asia, predicted that the stable prices for smartphones in the area, currently $309 USD on average, will help continue to drive the momentum in sales belonging to smartphones in Southeast Asia. Tan says that the country is nowhere near the saturation point and that many people in the area still do not own a mobile phone. He says that this makes the region a great place for smartphone manufacturers to concentrate on.

"In developing Southeast Asia where smartphone penetration is still nowhere near saturation levels, we can be sure that the current sales spurt will carry on for at least the next few years. With much of the populace still not owning a mobile phone, there is no better place for global mobile phone brands to focus their sales and marketing efforts."-Gerard Tan, Account Director for Digital Technology GfK Asia.

source: GfK via DailyMobile

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11 Comments

1. tward291

Posts: 559; Member since: Feb 14, 2012

this is just more welcomed news for oems now lets get windows in every hand

posted on Apr 30, 2012, 4:24 PM 4

2. RobotMan

Posts: 145; Member since: Apr 13, 2012

No, still Android and iphone here that people buying.

posted on Apr 30, 2012, 7:53 PM 0

3. Archan_Pe

Posts: 74; Member since: Apr 08, 2012

LO; yah mostly android but I've seen alot of nokia(s) here in the philippines

posted on Apr 30, 2012, 8:30 PM 4

6. Tips_y

Posts: 31; Member since: Mar 19, 2012

True but mostly Nokia feature phones and some Symbian phones. But recently, Nokia brought into the Philippines their Lumia line in the 800, 710, and 610 Windows Phones. And in late May 2012, they will bring in their flagship Lumia 900. I love Windows Phone so I hope Nokia will be able to sell a lot of their Lumias in the Philippines.

posted on May 01, 2012, 12:23 AM 1

9. Archan_Pe

I think the 610 and 710 WIll be a hit! since there cheap... so yah im expecting huge sale in philippines... :D.. i was planning to buy a new phone soon... but i think im not getting the lumia 900 but the padfone... cause if i get the 900 my friends wont tell me " hey you have a new phone" but they will just tell me "wait did your phone go bigger and got 3 buttons?" xD

posted on May 01, 2012, 10:16 AM 0

11. Tips_y

I want to be different so I bought (from out of the country) my 1st Windows Phone less than 5 months ago. When my friends asked what kind of phone it is, I hand it to them so they can play with it and without fail they say "Wow it's smooth and fast! What is it?" I don't answer, I just take a picture and post it to facebook. And they go "Wow, how did you do that so fast?!!" Then I say, of course it's smooth and fast and easy to use with facebook because it's a Windows Phone! LOL!

posted on May 03, 2012, 4:11 AM 0

4. neutralguy

Posts: 1152; Member since: Apr 30, 2012

That is because windows just started, you can't expect it to boom in only a few months of release with a few handsets compared to much know androids and iphone. But for starter, windows did make a really good job introducing itself. Maybe on 2013 or so, it will be a competitor to androids and iOS.

posted on Apr 30, 2012, 9:02 PM 2

5. XiphiasGladius

Posts: 813; Member since: Aug 21, 2011

Simply because the very competent low end LG, Sony (ericsson) & Samsung Android phones are now as cheap as a Nokia Dumb phone that came out in the same year. And Mid range and High end phones are actually not imposible to buy even at an Unlock status. . .

posted on Apr 30, 2012, 10:11 PM 1

7. thelegend6657 unregistered

In Malaysia either someone is carrying something high end like GS2 or iphone . There are a lot of xperia's here too although HTC is not too far behind