BlackBerry, Symbian still lead SA smartphone market

[jes]

BlackBerry, Symbian still lead SA smartphone market

Android and iOS have shown more growth than the established smartphone platforms

 

[stricken]

BB adoption is slowing, whilst Android and iOS is speeding up. Symbian is flat. Lets see these stats again in a year. A bet BB growth will be down to most 100k, whilst Android would probably add another 1M.

 

[AlphaJohn]

I wonder how fast BB will fall once BBM for iOS/Android comes out.

Only reason my kid has a BB, is because of BBM and the fact that MTN broke BIS it will not make the transition so bad either.

 

[deweyzeph]

Symbian? I don't know anyone with a phone running Symbian.

 

[fbman]

Symbian? I don't know anyone with a phone running Symbian.

My mother still has a nokia phone running Symbian

 

[AlphaJohn]

Symbian? I don't know anyone with a phone running Symbian.

Might be just the people you hang with? Nokia Asha's still doing well at Vodacom, check out the top-up deals section.

 

[Skerminkel]

Growth:
Blackberry = 4,2%
Symbian = 0%
Android = 150%
iOS = 100%
Windows = #Value

 

[MickZA]

Symbian? I don't know anyone with a phone running Symbian.

Got a Nokia 500 back in Dec, great value for money & is perfect for my needs.

Needless to say I'm not really into smartphones, give me a 24" monitor any day of the week

 

[BeVonk!]

How realistic is it to expect South Africans to buy smartphones? The average South African cannot invest already limited financial resources into data to do non-essential things. It is a small % of South Africans that can afford to be active smartphone users. A much larger % wants smartphones but "want" and "need" are two very different things. Few really NEED a smartphone. That is why BlackBerry has been doing so well locally as it is the perfect fence sitter.

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

For iOS and Android, we should remember that tablets are also counted there.

With that said, I think BlackBerry is making good progress and WP is not doing too bad either (for instance, no one had any figures on it last year, now there are 200,000).

With the hordes of Nokia WP's that are now on the market, I see a lot of the 4million strong current Nokia's converting to WP. Even worse if an even cheaper Nokia WP8 device is released soon. The 520 is selling like hot cakes from what I hear and so are the other lower range models.

First in line for loosing their position to WP in the table is iOS. Probably by the end of the year. Like BlackBerry, SA is one of Nokia WP's strongest markets.

P.S. Most of the 5million BB's are most likely BB7's.

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

How realistic is it to expect South Africans to buy smartphones? The average South African cannot invest already limited financial resources into data to do non-essential things. It is a small % of South Africans that can afford to be active smartphone users. A much larger % wants smartphones but "want" and "need" are two very different things. Few really NEED a smartphone. That is why BlackBerry has been doing so well locally as it is the perfect fence sitter.

If you ask Android, it is a very realistic expectation.

This is the one area that Android will be challenged by Nokia. The other two - iOS and BB10, don't seem like they are gunning for SA's bottom of the barrel. BB7 will continue to sustain BlackBerry on that front. But, for how long is the question.

 

[BeVonk!]

If you ask Android, it is a very realistic expectation.

On the one side: With Android the OS might be free and therefore make cheap smartphones possible but the data ain't cheap so there is no sense in getting a smartphone with all the functionality but not be able to buy data bundles to make use of the smartphone features. Few things more frustrating that sitting without data when using a smartphone.

On the other side: If I honestly evaluate my own cellphone use since I got into smaller tablets it has gone right down to doing the basics only ... making calls and text messaging (WhatsApp, SMS, e-mail). I hardly ever bother with apps on my phone any more. I can't remember when last I even checked for apps for my phone in the app store. This is because I have a tablet (or two). Most people won't have that luxury so one could then argue that those with phones only have to be into apps ... but how long before they realise that the apps don't actually offer a good value proposition considering the data cost implications that many apps bring with them.

So ... those with tablets (especially small ones) don't necessarily need smartphones any more ... and a large % of those who do not own tablets may not be able to afford the data costs associated with smartphones. The feature phone therefore may well have more of a future than one might think at a quick glance.

 

[McCrazieGoalz]

On the one side: With Android the OS might be free and therefore make cheap smartphones possible but the data ain't cheap so there is no sense in getting a smartphone with all the functionality but not be able to buy data bundles to make use of the smartphone features. Few things more frustrating that sitting without data when using a smartphone.

On the other side: If I honestly evaluate my own cellphone use since I got into smaller tablets it has gone right down to doing the basics only ... making calls and text messaging (WhatsApp, SMS, e-mail). I hardly ever bother with apps on my phone any more. I can't remember when last I even checked for apps for my phone in the app store. This is because I have a tablet (or two). Most people won't have that luxury so one could then argue that those with phones only have to be into apps ... but how long before they realise that the apps don't actually offer a good value proposition considering the data cost implications that many apps bring with them.

So ... those with tablets (especially small ones) don't necessarily need smartphones any more ... and a large % of those who do not own tablets may not be able to afford the data costs associated with smartphones. The feature phone therefore may well have more of a future than one might think at a quick glance.

You put forward some very valid, plausible and convincing arguments.

However, often, humans are not the most logical beings especially when considering a very personal and status related item like a smartphone.

Why I feel lowly priced smartphones like Androids will attract people with limited budgets is because the issue of factoring in the data will come after seeing whether or not they can afford to buy the phone in the first instance.

Calculating how much data is used is difficult and a person will convince themself that they will be frugal with the data rather than not buy a 'status upgrading' phone. Whats the use of buying a phone these days if you are not buying a smartphone, especially if you are talking to a younger generation buyer (in SA and other developing nations the population is mostly under 21's, a very aspirational age).

So, Android is definately making in roads.

 

[BeVonk!]

However, often, humans are not the most logical beings especially when considering a very personal and status related item ...

True.

It's like the example I often use in meetings/presentations to emphasise the importance of budgeting for Operating Cost (OPEX) implications:

Most budget for technology roll-outs like a guy who is real desperate to buy that new Golf GTI and if he pushes all his financial resources to the limit he can just make the monthly instalment. So he goes and buys the car, trusting that the rest will fall in place, i.e. the OPEX. But it never does. The insurance then is the cheapest he can get (ignoring all the pitfalls). He hardly drives the car because the fuel is too expensive. He cannot afford to service the car as it should be serviced. If anything goes wrong he is in trouble. And so that Golf GTI becomes a nightmare for its owner ... a monster that keeps him awake at night. All the focus was on CAPEX (Capital Expenditure) and not on OPEX.

This a huge problem in my industry. The CAPEX rains in bucket loads ... but the OPEX is non-existent. So ... the car stays in the garage. I "preach" on this topic all the time but few listens ... they want that new shiny car ... they must have it. OPEX? That will somehow magically just take care of itself.

As you say, people do this with phones also. They will use the cell allowance in their budget to get the most expensive phone that takes all that is in the budget ... and then not have money for data and insurance.

 

[elL0L]

Nobody bought new Nokia, but still no Nokia's were broken.

 

[Polymathic]

the next year we should see BB drop and iOS and Android gain WP8 is a wildcard

 

[Fiza]

Symbian? I don't know anyone with a phone running Symbian.

I use a nokia n8 which is symbian and I love it. have a bb 0780 as well and a galaxy tab2 7" whic i gave to the wife. prefer the nokia over all. if nokia had a great symbiam phone in the league of the note2/s3/s4 I would take it in a heartbeat but unfortunately no such luck so will probably end up taking a note 2 on my upgrade. i think nokia made a HUGE mistake phasing out symbian, it was one of the best operating systems

 

[BeVonk!]

I use a nokia n8 which is symbian and I love it. have a bb 0780 as well and a galaxy tab2 7" whic i gave to the wife. prefer the nokia over all. if nokia had a great symbiam phone in the league of the note2/s3/s4 I would take it in a heartbeat but unfortunately no such luck so will probably end up taking a note 2 on my upgrade. i think nokia made a HUGE mistake phasing out symbian, it was one of the best operating systems

If Nokia went with Android they would already be on Samsung's tail. I will take a Nokia with Android any day. A tradgedy that we have no such option and that Elop fends off any pressure from his Board to make it happen.

 

[oh1one]

Nobody bought new Nokia, but still no Nokia's were broken.

The one thing I miss with Nokia.

I've had my HTC for 5 months and my screen now resembles a spiderweb

 

[BruceA]

If Nokia went with Android they would already be on Samsung's tail. I will take a Nokia with Android any day. A tradgedy that we have no such option and that Elop fends off any pressure from his Board to make it happen.

Agreed, Nokia make great hardware, 2nd only to Apple, and maybe on a par with HTC. I see the success of all WP8 phones linked to the success of Windows 8 in the consumer market, but so far the reaction to W8 has been pretty disappointing.