By The folks at Digitimes never hesitate to drop a rumor, opinion, or prediction, but their most recent research is a forecast I think a lot of Android fans saw coming… but to this degree?
Shipments of Android-based smartphones are estimated to jump 561% from a year ago to more than 55 million units in 2010.
Modest growth indeed.
Digitimes credits a large portion of this forecasted jump to Samsung and LG’s increased devotion towards the Android Operating system. As the 2nd and 3rd largest handset makers (respectively), I hope that means they’re both planning an assault on the mobile market this holiday season. Samsung made a great showing with their American Galaxy S rollout so I hope they continue the momentum.
I pulled out one line of the article but really, it reads like a father’s gloating toast of their son’s accomplishments at a high school graduation party. Let me show you what I mean:
Global smartphone shipments for 2010 will top 280 million units, rising 57% from 178 million units in 2009 to account for a 20.3% share of the overall handset market, according to Luke Lin, analyst of Digitimes Research. Second-half shipments will reach 163 million units versus 117 million units in the first half.
Smartphones based on the Android operating system (OS) will see the strongest growth, particularly with Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, the world’s second and third largest handset makers, respectively, expected to devote more resources to the development and marketing of Android-enabled devices in the second half.
Android’s share of the worldwide smartphone market has risen from less than 5% in 2009 to 13.8% in the first half of 2010 and is projected to reach 24.5% in the second half to become the second most popular smartphone platform, according to Lin. Shipments of Android-based smartphones are estimated to jump 561% from a year ago to more than 55 million units in 2010.
Meanwhile, they note Symbian will see a decline and BlackBerry will remain level.
Sounds about right to me.
Great new but I find it hard to believe BlackBerry will remain level. Todays news about Torch sales was not good.
BlackBerry has almost the ENTIRE business market. That market is very resistent to change, and has some carry-over into the consumer market because people are familiar with the devices. I know several people that have purchased Blackberrys recently without even trying an Android phone out (if only I knew they were looking for a new phone, I could have saved them).
Here’s the news (from pc world) that su is referring to: The BlackBerry Torch 9800 was heralded as the second coming of RIM: the BlackBerry phoenix rising from the ashes to assert RIM’s dominance of the smartphone market and regain some of its lost former glory. A week has gone by and reports of anemic sales, combined with slashing the price of the Torch in half indicate that RIM may need to give serious consideration to its future…
After selling an estimated 150,000 BlackBerry Torch smartphones, RIM has already cut the price in half. What’s left in the RIM bag of tricks? If the highly-anticipated next-generation iPhone-esque BlackBerry is an abysmal failure, what is RIM supposed to do to retain or grow its smartphone market share?…
PC world doesn’t know what they are talking about. They said the Nexus One had ‘weak’ hardware compared to the iPhone and EVO. lol
I work for a fairly large company and maintain a BES server. Are users are dropping Blackberry phones for Androids like crazy. I would guess before the end of the year Androids will be equal to, or surpass Blackberry installs. (At my company) Anyone need to buy and BES licenses?
Maybe rim needs to license android to survive…yes I understand the use off android is free
RIM’s problem is that they can’t keep up with the hardware. It’s like Palm all over again.
Android phones have high end specs to compete with iPhone and by doing so, they really squish the blackberry.