Apple to be the smartphone king in 5 years

Tineka Smith Published 12 October 2012

Nearly 40% of UK CIOs believe Apple will have the upper hand over Samsung, with 10% saying they believe RIM will be the dominant market player in the next 5 years.

The study, carried out by Virgin Media Business, also revealed that 2% think the rumoured Facebook smartphone will take the market lead in the coming years and 1% believes Sony Ericsson will come out on top by 2017.

"There's a huge amount of choice out there for CIOs looking to purchase smartphones, even more so now the iPhone has launched," said Tony Grace, chief operating officer at Virgin Media Business. "It can be difficult to work out which model works best with your workforce. What's clear is that Apple and Samsung are way ahead of the others at the moment. "

The study suggests that quick connectivity and manufactures being increasingly innovative with each model that the competition has become fierce, with any provider having the chance to become the dominant market player.

"Due to such rapid change and choice, purchasing decisions can be difficult," said Grace. "It's why some CIOs are looking at more creative ideas. One method gaining popularity is 'buy-your-own device' schemes. This is a cost-saving tactic which allows employees to choose their own work devices which the company will put up the cash for. One in five companies already offer this, with a further 20 per cent looking to roll-out similar schemes in the future."

Although Apple and Samsung are the two main manufactures backed by the majority of CIOs, that may not always be the case with new models being introduced from various manufactures.

"If the smartphone and connected device market continues to evolve over the next five years, then businesses need to be able to adapt and be flexible with the hardware they provide," said Grace. "To ensure this is done safely, it's crucial to work closely with service providers and plan for the future."

Source: http://appdev.cbronline.com/news/apple-to-be-the-smartphone-king-in-5-years-121012

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