Having established itself as the coming force in western territories, Pyramid Research's latest report concludes it's emerging markets that will offer smartphones the greatest opportunity for expansion over the next five years.
By 2015, the firm claims, smartphone sales will hit 982 million, accounting for 53 percent of the mobile market.
That's a compound annual growth rate of 29 percent down on the 47 percent rate enjoyed between 2006 and 2010.
Operating profit
Nonetheless, smartphones will continue to set the agenda, and Pyramid concludes that it's software, rather than hardware, that will determine which ecosystem consumers decide to buy into.
"The OS is one of the most important differentiating factors within the smartphone segment, given its central role in the handset usability experience," said the report's author, Luís Portela.
"Industry players are focusing on mobile data as the main revenue growth source for the future. In addition to network and service investments being made to pursue this opportunity, data services need user-friendly terminals and interfaces to engage customers."
Pyramid thinking
It's Pyramid's aim, therefore, to determine the relative strengths and weaknesses of the platforms currently on offer, enabling developers to decide which OS to support.
"The fastest growing operating systems are Google's Android and Apple's iOS, being the second and third respectively in terms of smartphone market share in 2010," added Portela.
Pyramid observes that Symbian remains the market leader, but notes its fall from grace will be hastened by Nokia's adoption of Windows Phone an OS that itself will become a major player.
"The OS ecosystem war will consolidate the application opportunity in the four biggest platforms - Android, Windows Phone, iOS and BlackBerry OS."
The report can be downloaded in full for $3,495 from Pyramid Research's website.
Data & Research
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font.
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