Smartphone wars
More smartphone users are attracted to offerings from Apple and HTC at the expense of RIM's smartphone stalwart, BlackBerry.
An ‘explosive transformation in consumer demand' has made Rim and Motorola casualties in the smartphone race, according to ChangeWave's latest survey of over 4,000 consumers.
It found Apple and HTC, which have recently released the iPhone 4 and HTC Droid Incredible handsets respectively, have enjoyed a boost as consumers reject more traditional phone offerings.
The survey also revealed the transformation in mobile operating preferences has led to a huge increase in demand for Apple OS at the expense of the RIM OS.
ChangeWave's survey predicted record growth for smartphone sales, with almost 17 percent of consumers surveyed planning to invest in a smartphone within the next 90 days.
In terms of manufacturers, Apple's market share is at an all-time-high, climbing 1 point since March to 34 percent, driven by its best-selling iPhone 4. HTC has also added two points to carve out a share of 8 percent on the back of its droid Incredible and EVO models. It is now the manufacturer of choice for Android-based smartphones.
RIM has taken the biggest hit, shedding four points to put its market share on a level pegging with Apple's at 34 percent. Meanwhile, Motorola has maintained its 6 percent market share as consumers are drawn to its Droid model, according to the survey.
However, ChangeWave predicts Apple and HTC will further consolidate their success at the expense of other brands.
