New data has shown that although the Samsung Galaxy still rules in the sales stakes in Australia, an increasing number of us are ditching Android for Apple.
New data released by Kantar Worldpanel ComTech found that Android’s share of the Australian market dropped over 10 per cent in the three months to July and now represented 56.1 per cent of all smartphone sales in Australia. In the same period the iOS share jumped almost eight per cent and now represented just shy of 35 per cent of all smartphone sales.
That makes Australia the fastest growing market for Apple phones anywhere in the world.
And things will probably get worse for Android, with Apple set to launch its new models – the 6S and the 6S Plus – in the middle of September.
When it comes to the biggest selling phone in Australia, Apple’s iPhone 6 is still in the number one spot.
However, it’ll be interesting to see how both fare if and when cheaper Chinese versions start to resonate in the local market. The Chinese versions are reportedly just as good as their far more expensive opponents with the Chinese-made OPPO (already available in Australia) said to be the slimmest and fastest-charging phone on the planet and is half the price of Apple or Samsung.
The problem for the Chinese, however, has been to get enough market share Down Under to make it worthwhile for them to play in the local space. OPPO – which run on Android – have already done a deal with Optus in Australia and its handsets are available through Dick Smith stores. Another Chinese player – Vivo Electronics – has also been touted as a potential player in Australia too.
Meanwhile, in more bad news for Android the Kantar Worldpanel ComTech report found that its sales had dipped in Japan, China and its five biggest European markets. The only place where Android sales had increased was in the US and by a rather measly 1.7 per cent in the last quarter to June. When it comes to the US market it remains a two-horse race between the major players with nine out of 10 of every new phone sold being either an Apple or a Samsung.
