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Smartphones segment is the main growth contribution of the telecom devices market in Pakistan
Smartphone penetration grew at a steady pace as it accounted 13% in January 2013, 23% in January 2014 and subsequently reached 31% by January 2015.
According to recent market analysis, with 600k units sold in January 2015, smartphones segment is the main growth contribution of the telecom devices market in Pakistan. Development of Low End Smartphones, Dual SIM feature, larger screens and high Camera Resolution are the main drivers of consumer demand for switching from feature phones to smartphones.
Despite the financial crisis, Pakistan has shown huge demand when it comes to technology. Major portion of Pakistani population comprises of youth, which gives an extra edge to the growing number of people embracing connected devices.
The young segment of the population needs to stay connected 24/7 and this need is fulfilled through apps like Facebook, Twitter, Viber and WhatsApp but just being connected does not do the trick, playing online games watching videos or downloading files is just as important as using phone for calls and messaging. The awareness and appetite for newer technology has turned smartphones as the go-to devices for people.
Market sources told PAGE that the demand for smartphones has been growing mainly because of Wifi services. Android OS is the mostly widely used operating system and used in most of the low-end smartphones this is the reason why Android based handsets have captured the largest market share in the country.
The Pakistani mobile market has become quite complex as many local and international brands are making their ways into the market, making the competition stiffer, the sources viewed.
According to them, boost in smartphone market is expected in future due to Chinese brands penetration in the market. Manufacturers are making low-end smartphones at affordable prices.
Telecom operators are not only providing reasonable high speed Internet but are also collaborating with local and international smartphone manufacturers to promote smartphone use in the country. Now that modern technology has become more affordable for the masses and 3G and 4G coverage is becoming available in more and more cities, smartphone market is also expected to grow at the same pace.
