Phablets popularity increasing
According to research firm IDC, phablets popularity is increasing: the 261.1 million smartphones sold in the third quarter of 2013, 21 percent would be a phablet.
It should be noted that IDC calls all devices with 5-inch (or larger) a ‘phablet’. So it also includes good selling top models like the Samsung Galaxy S4 (5-inch) and the LG G2 (5.2-inch). Especially the layout of the Galaxy S4 in the phablet category, which (not not only in the third quarter) already sold total 40 million, somewhat distorts the figures. In addition, IDC attributes the popularity of phablets to the plummeting prices of these devices: these were dropped within a year with 22.8 percent (including through the introduction of cheaper models like the 6.1-inch Huawei Ascend Mate and 6.3 inch Samsung Galaxy Mega).
Top Four Operating Systems, Shipments, and Market Share, Q3 2013 (Units in Millions)
|
Operating System |
3Q13 Shipment Volumes |
3Q13 Market Share |
3Q12 Shipment Volumes |
3Q12 Market Share |
Year-Over-Year Change |
| Android |
211.6 |
81.0% |
139.9 |
74.9% |
51.3% |
| iOS |
33.8 |
12.9% |
26.9 |
14.4% |
25.6% |
| Windows Phone |
9.5 |
3.6% |
3.7 |
2.0% |
156.0% |
| BlackBerry |
4.5 |
1.7% |
7.7 |
4.1% |
-41.6% |
| Others |
1.7 |
0.6% |
8.4 |
4.5% |
-80.1% |
| Total |
261.1 |
100.0% |
186.7 |
100.0% |
39.9% |
IDC also reports that Android with a market share of 80 percent was predominant in the smartphone market in the third quarter of 2013. IOS is second with 12.9 percent, followed by Windows Phone with 3.6 percent. IDC expects the arrival of the first Windows Phone phablets (the Nokia Lumia 1520 and Lumia 1320) will ensure the further growth of Windows Phones during the fourth quarter.
Source: IDC
