Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Thursday, 07 February 2008 04:50
Opinion and Analysis
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Canalys estimates that Apple took 28% share of the fast growing US converged device market in Q4 2007, behind RIM’s 41%, but a long way ahead of third placed Palm on 9%. This was also enough to put Apple ahead of all Windows Mobile device vendors combined, whose share was 21% in the quarter according to Canalys figures.
In EMEA, where the iPhone officially launched part way through the quarter in only three countries, Apple took fifth spot behind Nokia, RIM, HTC and Motorola, but ahead of several established smart phone providers such as Sony Ericsson, Samsung and Palm.
For the full year 2007, as in 2006, the Asia Pacific region was the biggest in volume terms for converged device shipments. Apple has of course not yet launched the iPhone in the region, and many vendors who are successful in other parts of the world, such as RIM and Palm, have also made relatively little impact there so far.
Nokia continues to lead in the region, with more than 50% share in converged devices, ahead of Japanese smart phone vendors Sharp and Fujitsu. Motorola, despite enjoying fourth place, has seen its Linux-based smart phone shipments in the region fall 28% from their high in 2006.
“The mobile Linux opportunity remains just that – an opportunity,” said Rachel Lashford, manager of Canalys in APAC, “Total Linux-based phone shipments in 2007 were almost flat on 2006. There is still too much fragmentation and not enough momentum for any single open standard around which the energy of developers, manufacturers and operators can coalesce.”
Nokia’s recent announcement of its intention to acquire Trolltech will no doubt have raised questions among some of Trolltech’s mobile phone producing partners about their Linux implementation strategy going forward.
Meanwhile Google’s Android initiative, like others before it, remains an idea yet to turn into viable commercial products widely accepted by both mobile network operators and the mass market. Although off to a slow start, Canalys expects Linux will account for a significant proportion of mobile phone shipments within the next few years.
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