Smartphone industry to grow 55 percent globally in 2011
Europe, Middle East and Africa ship 67 percent of the Android™ devices worldwide
2011-09-04 - 10:31
GMT
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Mobilk- Based on IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, the global smartphone industry is expected to grow 55 percent by the end of 2011 as more consumers embrace the new technology. According to the report, smartphone vendors will ship a total of 472 million smartphones in 2011 compared to approximately 305 million units shipped in 2010.
The underlying cause of the dramatic rise of smartphone users worldwide is the advanced operating systems that support the users’ demand of better integrated, multi-tasking, fast, intuitive and seamless experience. One particular operating system that is swiftly rising in the popularity ranking within the smartphone market is the Android™ OS. Based on the recent report published by Canalys, 48 percent of the current smartphone market is dominated by the Android™ OS. According to the report, in the second quarter of 2011, manufacturers shipped 51.9 million Android™ units. Europe, the Middle East and Africa contributed 67 percent of the total shipments with 35 million units, closely behind Asia Pacific that shipped 39.8 million units. Samsung was the largest Android™ device vendor and the number two vendor overall in the worldwide market, with shipments of its devices at 17.0 million units, according to the report.
In the second quarter financial earnings announced recently by Samsung, it recorded an increase in their year-on-year operating profit by 43 percent primarily due to strong demand for their Android™ smartphone, GALAXY S II and other mobile devices. The GALAXY S II, the successor to the equally popular GALAXY S smartphone that was launched 2010, boasts faster and more powerful user experience with a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor and the latest version of the world’s fastest-growing mobile operating system, Android™ 2.3 Gingerbread. GALAXY S II’s processor delivers fast web browsing, multi-tasking comparable to a PC-like environment with supreme graphics quality and a receptive 3D user interface.
With this phone, Samsung introduced two new key features - Kies Air and Samsung Hubs. Kies Air is an application that allows consumers to manage their smartphone content efficiently. Users can manage the data on their smartphone from their PC via local WiFi connections, download photos taken on the built-in camera, listen to music, check missed calls and send messages in the web browser on their PC. The Samsung Hubs allows users to access features such as Social Hub Premium, the Readers Hub, the Game Hub and the Music Hub. This feature delivers a rich and wide variety of information, entertainment, access to social networks, games and more. To support the professional lives of its users, Samsung collaborated with industry leaders to offer the most relevant enterprise solutions to the Samsung GALAXY S II that pays special attention to data and network security. These solutions include enhanced conferencing and connectivity services from Cisco, the most comprehensive mobile implementation of Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and secure remote device management from Sybase.
The GALAXY S II, widely-considered by industry analysts as the best Android™ smartphone currently in the market is showing no signs of slowing down. The GALAXY S II was launched in the end of second quarter in the Gulf region and is expected to increase Samsung’s market share in the Gulf by 10 percent by the fourth quarter of 2011. According to Ashraf Fawakherji, General Manager of Samsung Gulf Electronics Telecommunication Group, Samsung Gulf Electronics aims to increase their smartphone shipments in the region by 30 percent in the second half of the year as the demand for smartphones continues to rise. The high demand for smartphones in the region is largely at the back of a well-supported technology infrastructure in addition to the Gulf residents becoming increasingly tech savvy.
Smartphones such as the GALAXY S II, allow users to stay updated on their professional lives, news and enjoy entertainment on the go. With IDC forecasting total shipments of smartphones to touch one billion by 2015, an annual average growth of 20.6 percent, smartphones usage will continue to grow more prominent globally as consumers embrace the new technology.