The Philippine Smartphone wars

We have been tracking mobile phone usage using StatCounter's service which gathers data on what mobile phone operating systems Filipino users use to access the Internet.

Nokia Symbian based phones are still the most common platforms used by Filipino users to  access the Internet. Given the years of Nokia domination in the country it will be some time before the old Symbian handsets disapear from the market. 

Nokia/Symbian


May 2010 - 63.28%
May 2011 - 53.68%

Still that represents a almost 10% drop in usage for the same period last year.

Following Nokia at second and third place are Apple phones and smartphones running on Google's Android operating systems.

Apple/iOS


May 2010 - 14.24%
May 2011 - 18.53%

Apple made grade strides in usage market share in the past year. Apple smartphone acceptance in the Philippine is hampered by high cost. But as old iPhones filter there way into the second hand market, more users are able to acquire these expensive devices. 

Shopping in Greenhills yesterday for a case, it is amazing how many Apple iPhone 3G's and 3GS models are available at the second hand stores.

Various/Google Android

May 2010 - 0.34%
May 2011 - 8.66%

Back in May 2010, Google's Android was a unknown quantity in the Philippines. In the past year, its web usage in the Philippines has gone up by over 2500%. At this rate, it should displace Apple's iOS at number 2 by the end of the year. Given that Android handsets can be had for less than 8K brand new, Android rise is not all that surprising.

RIM's BlackBerry has never been widely distributed in the Philippine Market, being limited mainly to corporate clients. Changes in the packaging of BlackBerry plans have helped improved its market share. Probably, a bit too late though.

RIM/BlackBerry OS

May 2010 - 0.67%
May 2011 - 2.00%

Windows Phone 7 still has to make a dent in the Philippines, which is though since Windows Mobile itself was never a significant player in the country. Right now it holds a bit less 1/100th of 1%.

Various/Windows Phone 7

May 2010 - NA
May 2011 - 0.08%

Worldwide DailyTech reports that this is how sales look (note Philippine stats are based on Internet usage and not on sales):

Google Android - 36%

Nokia Symbian - 27%

Apple iOS - 16.8%

RIM BlackBerry - 13%

Windows Phone 7 - 3.6%

Well, that is how things look right now.