Despite the global meltdown and a period of extreme financial uncertainties, Apple iPhone has registered a 245% sales growth in the year 2008. T
his is of course a very encouraging trend for all smartphone manufacturers. While Nokia still maintains the number 1 slot when it comes to smartphones with 43.7 percent market share, Apple iPhone has steadily managed to achieve the third position at 8 percent.
iPhone Sales Growth – On a promising note
Apple iPhone sales for the year 2008, which began on a promising note in the first quarter, suffer significant dip in sales during the fourth quarter. However, the worldwide demand for Apple iPhones can be sealed by acknowledging 3rd position in worldwide smartphone market and 245 percent growth, which is of course a commendable feat considering the adverse market conditions in the recent times.
In spite of Nokia’s dominance in the world of smartphones with almost 44 percent share, the sales rate have exceptionally deteriorated to 16.8% year to year in the third quarter. Similar are the consequences face by HTC and Samsung, which in spite of showing growth in smartphone market share the previous year, were nowhere in comparison to Apple iPhone’s growth and sales graph of 245%.
Industry sources believe that Apple iPhone in spite of the huge succes in promoting sale growth has to meet with a slowdown and subsequent losses in the last quarter especially in December 2008. This can be attributed to the absence of any new iPhone in the market during that period, to attract sales.
The sales graph dipped from 4.72 million in Q3 to 4.08 million in Q4. However, there was no less of enthusiasm in the iPhone Camp as all as it is all set to explore new horizons with new handsets and softwares like the iPhone 3.
Apple iPhones revives the smartphone market – The year ahead
It is undoubtedly clear that Apple has played a significant role in reviving the smartphone market. A recent research report from Gartner has confirmed the paradigm shift in the year 2008. Although, apprehension is high regarding a shrinking of the mobile market in 2009, there is a growing anticipation on the expansion of the smartphone market with Gartner predicting a growth of 28 percent while Informa Telecoms and Media predicting about 35.3% growth.
On further analysis of Apple’s success and the growing iPhones sale in 2008 at the rate of an astounding 245 percent, the success of the iPhone over smartphone giants like Nokia can be attributed to its absence from the yet to offer "iPhone-style" touchphone market. This is perhaps the reason why Nokia in spite of having an almost 44 percent market in fact lost 5.7% of the smartphone market, and 10% of its overall market share.
According to Gartner’s report, new products offering persuasive device experiences and touch interfaces are responsible for driving smartphone sales in 2008. This is perhaps one of the reasons why Apple iPhone in spite of registering a slowdown in sale in the Q4 due to dipping December sales still managed to gather more than 111% year to year; courtesy its Q3 sales.
0 comments