44% Growth for Windows Mobile in Q1 2005

[Mike Temporale]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.canalys.com/pr/2005/r2005041.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.canalys.com/pr/2005/r2005041.htm</a><br /><br /></div>Shipments of <i>"smart mobile devices"</i> are up 82% worldwide versus the first quarter of 2004. Symbian saw the biggest gain in market share with an increase of 175.4% bringing them to 61.4% of the market. While Microsoft saw growth of 44.5%, their overall market share dropped from 23.1% to 18.3%. However, they still remain number 2 in OS shipments. 44% growth is nice, especially considering that Microsoft is a relative new comer in the market. :mrgreen:<br /><br /><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Temporale-20050430-MarketShare.gif" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/> <br /><i>Image courtesy of Ed over at <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?action=expand,39643">Pocket PC Thoughts.</a></i>

[vincenzosi]

I still say Symbian's numbers are ultimately irrelevant. People don't buy phones that have Symbian. They buy phones that happen to have Symbian.

I chuckle every time I hear the numbers because they're just not comparable. How many people buy Nokia phones and use any of the features built into the Symbian OS?

I'm just not convinced people are "choosing" Symbian.

[PPCMD]

So does every Nokia phone just get classified as a Symbian phone since I just don't see 6 million "smartphones" from Symbian being sold. Now if its 6 million Nokia phones with Symbian on it then thats another story. Gee my Moto (v551) has PIM Features too. 8O

[mbranscum]

I still say Symbian's numbers are ultimately irrelevant. People don't buy phones that have Symbian. They buy phones that happen to have Symbian.

I chuckle every time I hear the numbers because they're just not comparable. How many people buy Nokia phones and use any of the features built into the Symbian OS?

I'm just not convinced people are "choosing" Symbian.

What??? Nokia makes plenty of phones without Symbian. As a matter of fact, most of the Nokia phones made DON'T have Symbian. Furthermore, Symbian phones tend to be larger in size. I just don't believe people are out there saying, "Hmmm...I really like those small Nokia 6230's and 3120's, but hey, I think I'll buy that larger 6620" for no apparent reason!

Your reasoning is flawed.

Hey, I could just as easily say that people are buying MS Smartphones just because they want a Motorola or Audiovox, but it would not make sense.

[Ed Hansberry]

Your reasoning is flawed.

Hey, I could just as easily say that people are buying MS Smartphones just because they want a Motorola or Audiovox, but it would not make sense.
I disagree. Take the Nokia 3650. that is a smartphone with Symbian. I knew several that got it for its looks and camera. Few knew you could get more software for it and fewer still bothered. It was a Nokia phone. No clue what Symbian was. Not saying that is always the case, but many times, it is.

[vincenzosi]

Hey, I could just as easily say that people are buying MS Smartphones just because they want a Motorola or Audiovox, but it would not make sense.

You're right, it wouldn't because it's not the same thing.

Nobody is out to buy a Symbian phone, but I can guarantee you that most people who bought WM smartphones did so because WM was there.

Most Nokia phones have one variant or the other of Symbian on them. There's no flaw to my logic, it's 100% spot on. Most people who got Symbian probably don't even know what it is. You can not come anywhere near making that claim on WM handhelds / smartphones.

[mbranscum]

Hey, I could just as easily say that people are buying MS Smartphones just because they want a Motorola or Audiovox, but it would not make sense.

You're right, it wouldn't because it's not the same thing.

Nobody is out to buy a Symbian phone, but I can guarantee you that most people who bought WM smartphones did so because WM was there.

Most Nokia phones have one variant or the other of Symbian on them. There's no flaw to my logic, it's 100% spot on. Most people who got Symbian probably don't even know what it is. You can not come anywhere near making that claim on WM handhelds / smartphones.

I don't think this study is considering Nokia Series 40 phones. When you talk about the Series 60 Symbian phones made by Nokia or other manufactuers there aren't that many. In the US for example...the 3650 has been discontinued. The pnly two Symbian phones I can think of being sold here right now is the 6620/6600. The new 6680/81. Plus some NSeries phones that are about to be released. If I want a good camera there are plenty of smaller phones on the market that have better cameras than my 6620 (640x480).

Hey I am a MS Smartphone fan too. I own an MPX220 and an Audiovox SMT5600. I just don't see people buying the more expensive Symbian phones for a neat camera option!

[Stinger]

Most Nokia phones have one variant or the other of Symbian on them. There's no flaw to my logic, it's 100% spot on. Most people who got Symbian probably don't even know what it is. You can not come anywhere near making that claim on WM handhelds / smartphones.

Saying that most Nokia phones use Symbian is simply not true. Nokia sold 12 million smartphones last year. That figure sounds impressive until you realise that they sold over 200 million phones in total. Symbian only makes up 6% of their sales and I would guess that most of those sales are in Europe.

However, I do agree with you that a lot of people buy Symbian phones because of the phone's features/design rather than because it has Symbian on it. I would expect that a large proportion of Series 60 users are clueless, but on the other hand I would expect that most Series 80 (communicator) users know exactly what's on the device.

Overall, I'm sure that a higher percentage of Windows Mobile customers are aware of the OS under-pinning their phone.

[mbranscum]

Most Nokia phones have one variant or the other of Symbian on them. There's no flaw to my logic, it's 100% spot on. Most people who got Symbian probably don't even know what it is. You can not come anywhere near making that claim on WM handhelds / smartphones.

Saying that most Nokia phones use Symbian is simply not true. Nokia sold 12 million smartphones last year. That figure sounds impressive until you realise that they sold over 200 million phones in total. Symbian only makes up 6% of their sales and I would guess that most of those sales are in Europe.

However, I do agree with you that a lot of people buy Symbian phones because of the phone's features/design rather than because it has Symbian on it. I would expect that a large proportion of Series 60 users are clueless, but on the other hand I would expect that most Series 80 (communicator) users know exactly what's on the device.

Overall, I'm sure that a higher percentage of Windows Mobile customers are aware of the OS under-pinning their phone.

No matter what side of the fence you're on, it sounds like some of the manufacture's need to take lessons in how to build a good phone around their OS (Are you listening Moto?).

[mbranscum]

Most Nokia phones have one variant or the other of Symbian on them. There's no flaw to my logic, it's 100% spot on. Most people who got Symbian probably don't even know what it is. You can not come anywhere near making that claim on WM handhelds / smartphones.

Saying that most Nokia phones use Symbian is simply not true. Nokia sold 12 million smartphones last year. That figure sounds impressive until you realise that they sold over 200 million phones in total. Symbian only makes up 6% of their sales and I would guess that most of those sales are in Europe.

However, I do agree with you that a lot of people buy Symbian phones because of the phone's features/design rather than because it has Symbian on it. I would expect that a large proportion of Series 60 users are clueless, but on the other hand I would expect that most Series 80 (communicator) users know exactly what's on the device.

Overall, I'm sure that a higher percentage of Windows Mobile customers are aware of the OS under-pinning their phone.

No matter what side of the fence you're on, it sounds like some of the MS Smartphone manufacture's need to take lessons from Nokia in how to build a good phone around their OS (Are you listening Moto?).