2 Million Smart Phones, Ship in Q4

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.canalys.com/pr/r2004011.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.canalys.com/pr/r2004011.htm</a><br /><br /></div>I noticed this story running on a couple sites like <a href="http://www.geekzone.co.nz">GeekZone</a> and <a href="http://www.MPx200.org">MPx200.org</a>, but after looking at the numbers I have to disagree. See for yourself. (I have included a trimmed down version, to see the full quarter over quarter comparison check out the linked article)<br /><br /> <img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Over2MillionSmartPhonesShipped.gif" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/><br /><br />If you look at the total for voice-centric devices, it shows 2,239,180. Yes, that is over 2 million. Now if you read the second last line, they define Voice-centric to be <i>feature phones</i> and smart phones. Feature phones are not in the same grouping as smart phones, are they? To me, a feature phone would be your basic mobile phone with a couple wiz-bang features. Maybe it has Polyphonic ringtones, or a camera. That doesn't put it in the same league as a smart phone.<br /><br />The report should really be titled "2 million Voice-centric Devices Ship Q4 2003"

[freitasm]

Good point. I've contacted Canalys since then and got this reply:

... smart phones are the ones that include PDA
features plus advanced sync and an accessible OS. Feature phones are a
slightly lower-specced group in that, while they have many of the
features of smart phones, there is something in their spec that
seriously limits the freedom with which a user can add applications. The
only device currently shipping in EMEA that we class as a feature phone
is the Nokia 7650, because of the limited memory and lack of expansion,
even though it runs Symbian. This is less than 6% of that voice centric
total, meaning that the rest (smart phones) is still above 2 million...

Hope this clarifies the whole topic :D

[possmann]

great - geesh :roll: - now everyone with a phone that has remote capabilities of being "pda" like will be referred to as a smart phone...

Just goes to show you that convergience is in :wink:

[Mike Temporale]

By this definition the following list of phones currently for sale on the Orange UK web site (http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/show/handsets/pay_monthly/all/all?offset=8) would be classified as smartphones:

Nokia 7250i
Samsung A800
Nokia 8310e
Nokia 3510i
Nokia 6310i
Nokia 6100
Nokia 3100
... I'll stop the list here.

Most of these phones don't have much in the way of multi-media, and I don't think I saw one that had a means on memory expansion. Only a couple offered Bluetooth.

It doesn't matter what OS these phones run, they are a long way from smart. I think if you adjust the numbers to show true smartphones the Nokia numbers would drop drastically, and you would see a better closer race.

[wxrman]

I've always figured it be internet capable... the smartphone name doesn't quite do it justice...

some kind of mobile office type name would work


I only buy phones that allow me to maintain my mobile website and that includes internet access and simple html editing (text editor).

Just my 2 cents

[freitasm]

By this definition the following list of phones currently for sale on the Orange UK web site (http://shop.orange.co.uk/shop/show/handsets/pay_monthly/all/all?offset=8) would be classified as smartphones:

Nokia 7250i
Samsung A800
Nokia 8310e
Nokia 3510i
Nokia 6310i
Nokia 6100
Nokia 3100
... I'll stop the list here.

Most of these phones don't have much in the way of multi-media, and I don't think I saw one that had a means on memory expansion. Only a couple offered Bluetooth.

It doesn't matter what OS these phones run, they are a long way from smart. I think if you adjust the numbers to show true smartphones the Nokia numbers would drop drastically, and you would see a better closer race.

But the Canalys person said they're counting the 7650 and it runs Symbian OS 60, not these models you listed. Therefore your comment doesn't make sense.

[Mike Temporale]

But the Canalys person said ....

Okay, sorry. I see what's happened here. You're right, my previous post is wrong. Please ignore that. I was thinking they had claimed the only non-smartphone for sale was the 7650. But they are actually saying the only non-smartphone that we included in these numbers is the 7650. My mistake.

However, my original post is still correct. Feature phones are not smartphones. If the total feature phone sales are less than 6% of the total (as Canalys has stated in an email to you) and it doesn't therefore effect the grand total from being over 2 million; why include them at all?

I did some searching and I can only find 3 Nokia phones that are classified as smartphones. The 9000 series communicator, the 6600 series, the 3650. Then there is this feature phone, the 7650. Is that correct? So they sold 1.7 million of these 4 models in just 3 months?

On a side note: Sorry about the delay in getting back to post a follow up. I'm in the middle of moving/packing and as such have resorted to dialup internet. :cry: So when I do get online and download email, I have a lot to wade through. And with dialup it just seems to take forever.

[freitasm]

But the Canalys person said ....

However, my original post is still correct. Feature phones are not smartphones. If the total feature phone sales are less than 6% of the total (as Canalys has stated in an email to you) and it doesn't therefore effect the grand total from being over 2 million; why include them at all?


As I understand it, the 7650 is 6% of total Smartphone line, which makes the Smartphone line still over 2 million. This is different of "feature phones are 6% of total phones".

Don't worry about slow response, no rush in this matter 8)