Survey: Apple, HTC Taking Smart Phone Shr From RIMM, MOT
By Eric Savitz
The smart phone market is headed for a period of exploding demand, according to ChangeWave Research.
The research firm says that its latest survey of consumers about smart phones find a big jump in the percentage of people who intend to buy a smart phone over the next 90 days: 16.4% of the survey group, up from 10.8% in March, and ahead of the previous high of 14.4% in the year ago June quarter.
The survey also finds big increases in demand for phones from Apple (AAPL) and HTC, at the expense of Motorola (MOT) and Research In Motion (RIMM).
* Of those in the survey group who intend to buy a smart phone in the next 90 days, 52% say they plan to buy an iPhone, up from 31% in the comparable survey in March.
* Likewise, 19% of potential smart phone buyers plan to buy HTC phones, up from 12%.
* On the other hand, just 9% say they will buy Motorola phones, down from 16%.
* And only 6% plan to buy a BlackBerry, down from 14%.
* Zero buyers plan to buy a Palm phone, versus 3% one quarter earlier.
“The new iPhone 4 and the iOS 4 have brought about a huge spike in demand for Apple going forward,” the research firm reports. “In addition, HTC has grabbed the lead in Android OS phones based upon the huge momentum of its Droid Incredible and that of other HTC Android models, including the new EVO 4G.”
While Motorola is losing some ground, ChangeWave notes that the unveiling of the new Droid X “suggests it is determined to fight back to regain its Android leadership mantle.”
But the firm adds that the situation for RIMM is “far more problematic, at least short term,” noting that “RIMM’s customer satisfaction ratings have plummeted for the past 7 quarters, and planned buying among consumers is at the lowest levels ever recorded for RIM in a ChangeWave survey.”
One other note: in terms of customer satisfaction, Apple remains far ahead of all rivals, with 73% of iPhone customers declaring themselves “very satisfied” with their current phone; second on the list is HTC at 39%, Motorola and Palm both at 34%, LG at 31% and RIMM at 30%; trailing behind are Samsung at 27%, Nokia at 22% and Sony/Ericsson at 20%.
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