Windows Phone market share up to 11.6 percent by 2016 according to IDC

The research company IDC today released its forecast for the smartphone market, or rather, the distribution of individual operating systems between now and 2016. Global smartphone volume in the fourth quarter of 2012 (4Q12) is expected to reach 224.5 million units, representing 39.5% year-over-year growth due primarily to strong consumer demand.

Apple and Samsung share the 99% of the profits of the global smartphone market

Horace Dediu of Asymco has made ​​available the data in its possession about the operating profits extracted from the eight major manufacturers of smartphones in the world in the first quarter of 2012 and from that data we can see Apple and Samsung flying high.

It seems, in fact, that Apple and Samsung together possess 99% of total industry revenue , with Apple that makes the lion's share with its significant 73%, although its share has declined slightly, compared to 75% the previous quarter. Samsung, meanwhile, has increased its share from 16% to 26%, totally demolishing all other manufacturers.

Kantar WorldPanel:WP7 grows 450% YoY in UK, mostly due to Nokia Lumia

The research firm Kantar Worldpanel regularly calculates smartphone sales carried out worldwide over the past 12 weeks to trends. This time the firm has paid special attention to the release of Nokia Lumia 800 in the UK market and gives some information about this very interesting.


Kantar reports that for the first time smartphone users outnumbered feature phone users, with more than 50% of cellphone users owning some kind of smartphone, and 71% of sales in the holiday season from November 2011 to 22nd January 2012 being for smartphones.

Kantar notes Windows Phone which managed to capture 2.2% of sales in this period, with the Lumia 800 taking the majority of this market share.

“Windows Phone 7 is also creeping up, taking over 2% of the market for the first time with the Nokia Lumia 800 taking the lion’s share. This looks set to continue with the expected launch of at least two new models at the Mobile World Congress conference," said Dominic Sunnebo, global consumer insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech.

"A really positive thing for the mobile OS from Microsoft is how users seem to use their smartphone. Of 81% owners of a Windows Phone have used social networks on their devices during the previous month, as more users Android and IOS. Moreover, three quarters of the owners of a 800 Lumia used the GPS, indicating that the choice to include free Nokia Nokia Drive was a relevant investment. "

He noted Nokia has been at least somewhat successful in converting its Symbian users to Windows Phone, with a quarter of users of Windows Phone 7 having used Symbian phones in the past.

He predicted Windows Phone could grow its market share to 8% by the end of 2012.

 Source professeurthibault;  Via WMPU 

Market Intelligence & Consulting Institute (MIC) predicts 80 million Windows Phones will be sold in 2012

According to Taiwan’s Institute for Information Industry Windows Phone will grab 13% of the market share, that means around 80 milion handsets of total 416 million.

Android`s share is expected to rise to 50% in 2012, MIC said, compared to iOS` 19% In the pursuit of higher subscriber numbers, MIC said, the market is expected to be dominated by Apple, Google and Microsoft camps, with fierce competitions also between non-telecom companies such as Amazon and Facebook. 

Currently, the penetration of smartphone subscribers globally is about only 14%, but the rate is expected to grow clearly when budget-priced, or under-US$300 smartphones hit the emerging markets. In 2012, the penetration is estimated to reach 17% and jump to 40% in 2016, MIC said.



Also according to MIC market shares of Nokia and RIM will continue to drop to 15.6% and 8.6%, respectively, with that of Apple and HTC to rise to 18.7% and 10.9%, respectively. Samsung is expected to win a market share of 21.7% in 2012.


source news.cens.com Via WMPoweruser

RIM will license BlackBerry 10, HTC and Samsung among stakeholders?

The black period for RIM continues  but the company seems to want to keep persisting. After the rumors about the possibility of dismissing the two CEOs now comes the news that the BlackBerry 10 may be licensed to other manufacturers.

Sacrificing the hardware division to save the software seems to be RIM's plan appears to be in talks with manufacturers such as Samsung and HTC.

The rumor is to be taken with the tongs as both Samsung and HTC have already in the catalog Android and Windows Phone, as well as one for the Samsung Bada. The manufacturer of the Galaxy S2, however, could abandon Windows Phone the end of 2012 and, if this rumor were true, the BlackBerry 10 may be adopted by Samsung.

We'll see how the situation will evolve and if the rumors are denied or confirmed.

Microsoft and Nokia were in talks to jointly bid on RIM

Wall Street Journal today reported that Microsoft and Nokia were going to make a joint bid on BlackBerry makers RIM.


According to WSJ, Nokia and Microsoft were both flirting with RIM. Now this time last year, Nokia were in discussions with all three already but for a different sort of partnership. We all know what happened there. This time, Nokia and MS were supposedly going to make a joint bid for RIM says ‘people familiar with the matter’. 


RIM’s stock is diving down everyday and its currently worth $7 billion which is less than their net assets worth $15 billion and Investors and analyst have clamored for bold action—including calls for a management shake-up or a sale of the company.


Source: WSJ

CNN thinks BlackBerry needs to adopt WP7

If you take a look at some of the analyst reports on the company following its most recent disaster, you have to wonder if it maybe should change its name and ticker to GRIM. Or DIM.

"We give management credit for an honest appraisal and outlook," wrote Cowen and Company analyst Matthew Hoffman.

That's about the most charitable thing I could find.

"We now believe that RIMM needs to adopt an existing ecosystem (Windows Phone) in order to remain a relevant player in the smartphone market," wrote Alkesh Shah with Evercore Partners.

In other words, RIM has to become the Canadian version of Nokia.

More info at CNNMoney