Telecom Lead Asia: Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S4 will enable the company to extend its mobile handset market share lead over Nokia to 11 percent in 2013 compared with 2012, according to IHS.
Reuters report says Samsung Galaxy S4 will add pressure on Apple than Nokia. It reported that Samsung’s newest, feature-packed Galaxy S4 may put pressure on Apple to accelerate its pace of smartphone design and venture into cheaper devices. The latest Galaxy out-does the iPhone in most technical aspects.
Apple’s iPhone shipments in Q4 were driven by successes in China, where shipments more than doubled, as well as the U.S., where 6.2 million iPhones were activated on Verizon alone.
However, mobile industry are cagey about the success of Galaxy S4 which will be priced at around Rs 43,999 in India. “Who will buy a smartphone at this price,” said an analyst.
Nokia is building cost effective Lumia range of smartphones for masses — one big area Samsung can further focus on.
IHS says Samsung accounted for 29 percent of global mobile handset shipments in 2012.
| ndor |
4Q12 Unit Shipments |
4Q12 Market Share |
4Q11 Unit Shipments |
4Q11 Market Share |
Year-over-Year Change |
| 1. Samsung |
63.7 |
29.0% |
36.2 |
22.5% |
76.0% |
| 2. Apple |
47.8 |
21.8% |
37.0 |
23.0% |
29.2% |
| 3. Huawei |
10.8 |
4.9% |
5.7 |
3.5% |
89.5% |
| 4. Sony |
9.8 |
4.5% |
6.3 |
3.9% |
55.6% |
| 5. ZTE |
9.5 |
4.3% |
6.4 |
4.0% |
48.4% |
| Others |
77.8 |
35.5% |
69.2 |
43.1% |
12.4% |
| Total |
219.4 |
100.0% |
160.8 |
100.0% |
36.4% |
According to IDC, Nokia is the second largest mobile phone vendor globally — based on shipments — with 19.3 percent in 2012 against Samsung’s 23.4 percent.
Ian Fogg, director for mobile and telecommunications research at IHS, said: “Making extensive use of Samsung’s technological prowess, the S4 can monitor events in users’ lives—and then react accordingly. From health features to an eye-, gesture- and voice-controlled user interface; to automotive, entertainment and financial characteristics, Samsung has designed the S4 to pervade and enhance every aspect of users’ lives.
IHS says combined with a massive worldwide rollout through almost every operator, the lifestyle focus of the S4 will help drive Samsung’s market share sharply in 2013.
Starting at the end of April, the S4 will be sold by 327 operators and 155 countries.
In Q4 2012, Samsung set a new record for the number of smartphones shipped in a single quarter and in a single year. Its Android smartphones, particularly the Galaxy-branded Android family, combined with sustained demand for its mid-range and entry-level models to account for the remarkable shipment volumes.
IDC says 2013 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for the company as its Tizen smartphone strategy takes shape. Samsung will continue to rely on Android as its primary operating system, however, as the move to Tizen will not likely take place overnight.
