Samsung heads Apple in ANZ mobile phone market

Peter Dinham
Tuesday, 20 December 2011 15:01

IT Industry - Market

Samsung has now overtaken Apple in the Australian and New Zealand mobile phone market, growing its business for a third consecutive quarter, despite an overall dip of 17 percent in the market shipments of smartphones and feature phones.

IDC reports in its ANZ quarterly mobile devices tracker a drop off of 17 percent quarter-on-quarter in the third-quarter this year, with the smartphone market now making up 65 percent of the total Australian mobile phone market.

IDC says that Android has taken over from Apple iOS in the no.1 position, holding 49 percent marketshare, with Apple iOS in second place, holding 36 percent unit share as the market eased in preparation for the new iPhone 4S launched in October 2011.

According to Yee-Kuan Lau, market analyst for IDC ANZ, collective efforts to 'expand brand presence from all Android manufacturers at all price points' will increase consumer choice and drive demand, which, she says, will in turn 'help Android grow to at least 40% market share over the next 3 years.'

'Samsung has climbed to the no.1 position as a result of a strong push for its Galaxy S II,' Lau said. 'HTC, being the no.2 Android vendor in Australia, continues to grow its market presence with its product portfolio expansion in the second half of 2011.'

On the New Zealand feature phone and smartphone markets, IDC reports that the market recorded 55 percent QoQ growth. The smartphone in NZ holds 43 percent of the total Q3 New Zealand mobile phone market, with Samsung overtaking Apple's no. 1 position with a share of 28.5 percent of the smartphone market. Meanwhile, Huawei, in second place, holds 20 percent of New Zealand's Q3 smartphone market followed by Apple with close to 13 percent unit share, IDC reports.

'While Apple's iPhone shipments slowed down in preparation for its new iPhone 4S launch in New Zealand, Samsung led the smartphone market for the first time with some of its flagship models such as Galaxy S II and Galaxy 5 performing very well. Huawei continues to expand its local market presence and contributed to the growth in sub-US$200 smartphones with its U8180 Ideos X1 model sold via Telecom,' Lau says.

According to Lau, there is a gradual shift in demand by cost-conscious consumers to low-cost Android smartphones from feature phones, across the Australian and New Zealand market, 'as more low cost smartphones are becoming available in the market.' 'In Australia for example, the shift in demand from feature phones has helped boost sales in the sub-US$150 segment with low-cost Android smartphones such as Huawei U8180 Ideos X1, especially when 90% of feature phones were priced below US$150.'

'As we are inching closer to year end, 2011 is proving to be an intense OS battle particularly in Australia. IDC expects Android to win by a hair in the Australian smartphones tussle. In New Zealand, Android is expected to widen the gap and maintain the lead in the smartphones' market,' concluded Lau.

IDC also reports that it expects close to 9.5 million smartphones to be shipped to ANZ channels by the end of 2011.