Booming Touch Screen Mobile Device Sales

Permalink: Booming Touch Screen Mobile Device Sales
by Alan Harten

Highly respected industry analysts, ABI Research, say that although the technology is not new, Touch screens are enjoying a large scale comeback thanks mainly to interest in Apple’s iPhone.

A wide variety of static and portable devices make good use of touch screen technology, but last year saw a significant jump in sales of hand held devices that make use of touch screen tech.

In fact the increase was huge, with 91% more sales over the 2006 year end for devices such as MIDs, UMPCs, and PNDs.

ABI estimate that this trend will continue for this year and will increase again next year with global mobile touch screen sales amounting to an estimated $5 billion in 2009.

ABI say that just about all mobile handset producers are making units that incorporate touch screens, although some are jumping in headlong while others are taking a more cautious approach.

One of the reasons some manufacturers are holding back is because of the fact that some regions around the world are not as keen on the technology as others, so some vendors in different locations are not getting too heavily involved and sticking to “traditional” systems.

Of those that did take the plunge, Samsung and Motorola have benefited the most, more or less equally sharing a massive 63% of the market.

ABI say the reason they are dominating this sector is because of their huge presence in Asia.

Asia is a massive touch screen market because of the non-Roman alphabet used in Asia.

Trying to place, for example, Chinese characters on a QWERTY-style keyboard has proved a nightmare, while a touch screen offers the use of a stylus to produce a wide range of alphabets.

Of the massive 91% jump in sales, 80% came from the Asia/Pacific region, proving the theory regarding the alphabet possibilities.

With just under a quarter of the market, Sony Ericsson comes in a very respectable third.

This has left Apple and all the others fighting over the 10% crumbs left over.

The alphabet is not the only reason sales are on the up. The components are now cheaper, by 10% each year.

Also buyers are now looking for more sophisticated and personalized options, as the array of uses increases.