According to a Nielsen’s survey that took place in May, 2011, in the United States, 55 percent of new mobile phone handset purchases within March, April, and May were smartphones as opposed to feature phones.
This was a notable increase from the same time the year, when smartphones made up only 34 percent of the mobile phone purchases. The same survey showed that 38 percent of American consumers with mobile devices now have smartphones.
According to the survey, the majority of smartphone owners – almost forty percent – have devices that run on Google’s Android operating system. Apple’s iOS holds the second place position at 28 percent, and RIM Blackberry has the third position in the market with 20 percent. At the same time, the top manufacturer of smartphones in the United States is Apple, with their iPhone.
As the use of smartphones continues to grow, and the knowledge about which devices and operating systems are most common becomes better understood, the potential of m-commerce opportunities is becoming much more significant.
According to director of product strategy Susan Blue, at FordDirect, a joint venture between the Ford Motor Company and its various licensed dealerships, an increasing number of consumers are using their smartphones in order to make online purchases. This includes various steps of the shopping process, from researching a product, comparing prices, and actually making the purchase itself.
She added that as a result, “it is becoming critical for companies to provide the information and access customers want, using the mediums that reach them most effectively.”
