Industry news

Smartphone market influenced by mobile data

The smartphone market is becoming increasingly influenced by mobile data pricing as more and more users want a service that is continuously online, it has been claimed.

Services such as Twitter, instant email, Facebook and YouTube have brought about this change and meant that users want to be able to have a continuous connection to access such features, according to Leigh Geary of CoolSmartPhone.com.

He said: "Mobile networks are slowly realising that data is crucial to selling many handsets now. Many customers no longer want to stare at the 'data light' and then quickly disconnect after browsing. The phone should be connected to the web all the time, end of story.

"Consumers of all smartphones expect them to be online, getting this data, all the time. They don't expect a big bill for it either, and networks are slowly realising that, in order to sell these phones, they must offer a competitive data plan."

According to research by independent consulting firm Strategy Analytics, global shipments of smartphones grew by 30 per cent year-over-year to reach a record 53 million units in the fourth quarter of 2009.