Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

New Products

Will the iPhone Change the Smartphone Market?

Estimates of iPhone shipment volumes in the first weekend they were available have ranged from 140 thousand units to 500 thousand units depending upon who was asked. Meanwhile, ABI Research forecasts that the smartphone market segment will grow from 218 million units in 2007 to 426 million units in 2012.

Now that we have a little distance from the launch, it’s time to ask: “Will the iPhone change the smartphone market?”

According to Stuart Carlaw, wireless research director at ABI Research, the answer is a qualified “yes.”

“The iPhone will not revolutionize the smartphone market,” he says, “but it is a significant evolutionary step forward. As was pointed out once its specifications were made public, the iPhone is not cutting-edge telecommunications. Where it is radical – in its user-interface and functionality – it will certainly change forever the way handset manufacturers think about their design philosophies. And from the commercial point of view, it is significant in the way it assembles its offerings in a completely integrated, brand-heavy package.”

Certain technologies critical to the interface are likely to receive greater attention as a result of the iPhone, particularly touch-screens, which will become more sensitive, and accelerometers, which the iPhone uses to orient its displays and active/deactivate controls depending on how the handset is held.

Carlaw adds that, “The iPhone’s effect on the market will be similar to that of Motorola’s RAZR It will spawn a number of look-and-feel-alikes and will be seen as a benchmark for future design. One thing for certain is that the product is not intended to be an enterprise device, so its impact will be most keenly felt in the high-tier feature phone market and in the emerging prosumer market segment.

ABI Research’s latest smartphone report, “Smartphones and the OS Market” (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/market_research/Smartphones), identifies the key drivers, barriers and the latest trends influencing the market for smartphones. It assesses the high-level business and technology issues for the smartphone market, and recommends steps that handset vendors, OS vendors, and mobile operators can take to increase smartphone adoption. It forms part of the firm’s Mobile Devices Research Service (http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Mobile_Devices_Research_Service).

Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research maintains global operations supporting annual research programs, intelligence services and market reports in broadband and multimedia, RFID & contactless, M2M, wireless connectivity, mobile wireless, transportation, and emerging technologies. For information visit http://www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Latest Products

LG QNED evo 92 (QNED92A) Lifestyle Image

HDTV 4K & 8K TV

LG's QNED evo 92 and QNED evo 9M TVs incorporate elevated processing, better sound, WebOS enhancements, and more for 2025

Audioengine HD4 Next Gen Home Music System in Walnut with Black Grilles Lifestyle Audioengine HD4 Next Gen Home Music System in Walnut with Black Grilles Lifestyle

New Products

For 2025, the Audioengine HD4 Next Gen wireless speakers add Bluetooth 5.3, aptX Adaptive, and USB-C connectivity for less than $450.

Shanling High End 2025 Shanling High End 2025

CD Players

Shanling will be demonstrating two disc players, DAC/Headphone Amp, DAC/Streamer, and HW-600 open-back headphones at High END.

Castle Windsor Duke Mahogany Loudspeakers Front Castle Windsor Duke Mahogany Loudspeakers Front

Bookshelf Speakers

Castle Acoustics' Windsor Series Duke and Earl bookshelf speakers are now available through MoFi Distribution. Classic British hi-fi, reborn.

Elipson Connect 2130 Xi Streaming Amplifier Lifestyle Elipson Connect 2130 Xi Streaming Amplifier Lifestyle

Digital Music Systems

Discover the Elipson Connect 2130 Xi, a compact French streaming amplifier that combines high-end Class D power, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth streaming, and HDMI ARC...

Tivoli Audio New Ordinary SongBook Max Speaker Lifestyle Tivoli Audio New Ordinary SongBook Max Speaker Lifestyle

New Products

Tivoli Audio's limited-edition SongBook Max, made in collaboration with Grammy-winning producer Sounwave, brings leather, chrome, and serious attitude to a retro-style Bluetooth speaker built...

Gift Ideas?

Cost-no-object Audiophile Gear

Floorstanding Speakers

When money is no-object in building a high-end audio system, this is the audiophile gear you'll want to check out first.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

ecoustics is a hi-fi and music magazine offering product reviews, podcasts, news and advice for aspiring audiophiles, home theater enthusiasts and headphone hipsters. Read more

Copyright © 1999-2024 ecoustics | Disclaimer: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.



SVS Bluesound PSB Speakers NAD Cambridge Audio Q Acoustics Denon Marantz Focal Naim Audio RSL Speakers