A Picture Of Canada’s Smartphone And Tablet Markets
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
The Canadian population is nearing the tipping point of becoming a Smartphone majority, according to key findings in Ipsos Reid’s most recent wave of Mobil-ology, a syndicated study of the mobile market in Canada.
It shows that 47% of Canadians now report using a Smartphone, a significant increase over last year, when 34% of Canadians reported using such a device. Tablet device use has also jumped with 21% of Canadians reporting use of these devices, an increase from just 10% a year ago.
“When we began tracking in 2011, the market was still relatively young. However, with time we have observed the progressive broadening of the market beyond the leading edge adopter,” says Mary Beth Barbour, senior vice-president, Ipsos Reid. “In the space of one year, we’ve seen significant upward momentum both in Smartphone and Tablet adoption. Tablet sales in particular, have taken off, no doubt thanks to the introduction of more affordable – and smaller – devices like the iPad Mini.”
On the brand preference side of the mobile equation, there is an interesting story developing in the Canadian Smartphone market.
“Apple remains the most commonly used brand of Smartphone, but Samsung has upped its game to tie with the once dominant BlackBerry,” says Barbour. “In January, 2013, iPhone use tops in at 32%, with both Samsung and BlackBerry tying at 23%. This is fantastic news for Samsung as it continues to build its brand and take a real shot at giving Apple a run for its money.”
While on the Smartphone front there are a number challengers eroding Apple’s market share, the brand remains the dominant force in Tablet devices, capturing 45% of the Canadian market. Despite many new players on the field, none to date have come close to Apple. But once again, Samsung is challenging BlackBerry. Samsung now claims 13% of the Canadian tablet market, while BlackBerry loses a few percentage points bringing its share to 16%.
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