Symbian losing their mojo

Posted on Monday, Sep 15, 2008 by Nick Gebhardt
Filed Under: News; Tags: Symbian, lose market share

img_28111_symbian_os-1.gif Its been a year since we last ran the numbers and its time to find out how everyone weights in at the smartphone market scale. Overall the smartphone community has grown which is always good, but the surprising numbers are coming from Symbian.

Back in the day Symbian was holding in at a steady 65.6 in market share. Today they’re looking at a measly 57.1. Isn’t China supposed filled with these things? The major change comes from new competition from apple, new devices, and Symbian just not bringing the innovation. The fact that Windows mobile has launched the Treo Pro, HTC Tilt, and Daimond didn’t help them either.

Windows mobile has grown from 11.5 to a solid 12 coming in at a third place next to those crackberry users. Surprisingly RIM users have jumped from 8.9 to 17.4. How did that happen? Not sure but like Luke 23 says “Forgive them for they know not what they do”.

via jkontherun

 
 

Comments

It's going to be interesting to see which of the 4 major smartphone OS platforms (including the fruit phone, not Palm . . . they seem to be the dead man walking IMO) takes the biggest hit from Android . . . assuming anyone does. Logic would seem to dictate that it might be WM, but I'm not so sure it won't be Symbian.

The pressure's on WM7 to be the real deal (even though a lot of MS people seem to indicate that WM8 is going to be the next MAJOR change for the OS; IMO that would be waiting too long.) Despite the fashionable nature by the tech world to bash Microsoft's core/bellcow products, they've actually got some excellent products and services in their younger market segments - Xbox, Xbox Live, Zune, Media Center, Live services (Mesh/FolderShare/Maps/..), etc. But all these services are largely disconnected from one another, and particularly from WinMo. That needs to change in a hurry.
I'm confused. According to the numbers Engadget posted the other day, Symbian was still gaining users. It may have been a small amount but it was still gaining.
Well, judging from the fact that it Win Mob who have taken the biggest hit from RIM's increased share it is only fair to assume that the same platform will feel the pinch should the "fruit" phone, android and RIM continue to increase their market share, assuming of course that Android does in fact make any inroads which is a moot point. I always discount Symbian as I reckon about 85% of their sales are to people who have no idea that the o/s on their nokia, or whatever it is, is actually called Symbian. There's only going to be one loser here chaps...and the trend has started already.
I'm confused. According to the numbers Engadget posted the other day, Symbian was still gaining users. It may have been a small amount but it was still gaining.

Gaining users but losing market share = growing more slowly than the market.
Well, judging from the fact that it Win Mob who have taken the biggest hit from RIM's increased share

WM market share increased (Q2 2008 vs Q2 2007)
it is only fair to assume that the same platform will feel the pinch should the "fruit" phone, android and RIM continue to increase their market share, assuming of course that Android does in fact make any inroads which is a moot point.

WM will probably have lower market share in the current quarter because Q3 2008 vs Q2 2008 iPhone will show a massive increase (probably around 10-fold). The interesting thing in the current quarter is from where the iPhone is 'stealing' most of its sales (it won't be only from other smartphone platforms of course). Personally I doubt Android will have much impact on global figures this year but clearly the form factor at least of that grotesque T-Mobile thing implies competition with similar WM devices.

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