NEW YORK-New research shows that smart phone sales will enjoy a compound annual growth rate of 28 percent during the next few years. Research and consulting firm JupiterResearch said smart phones accounted for 3.7 percent of the mobile-phone market last year, but that number will increase to 9.3 percent of all handsets by 2009.
JupiterResearch also found that consumers prefer a smart phone that puts voice functions first. According to the firm’s new report, 62 percent of respondents prefer to carry a single device that adds additional features beyond telephony even if those features compromise advanced functions, size or battery life. However, 74 percent of respondents said that telephony remains the most important feature on a mobile device, which the firm said clearly indicates that any combination of advanced features must not compromise telephony.
“Although our research indicates that consumers will carry up to three devices, they still prefer to carry a single integrated device to provide mobile functions,” said Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director for JupiterResearch. “The key is understanding what features are important to consumers in a given context and delivering them while being careful not to compromise on the key mobile feature, telephony.”
Interestingly, JupiterResearch’s numbers clash with those from IMS Research. According to a recent report from IMS, the firm predicted sales of smart phones would account for fully 22 percent of the total handset market in 2009.
