Smart device, 4G user numbers on rise in Taiwan

2015/07/23

Taiwan’s smartphone or tablet PC user numbers reached 16.04 million for the first half of 2015, up 1.7 million from six months before, according to Foreseeing Innovative New Digiservices at the Institute for Information Industry July 20.

FIND’s most recent Mobile First survey reveals that 73.4 percent of the nation’s population, or 15.25 million, own smartphones, while 32 percent, or 6.65 million, own tablets. A total of 5.85 million have both.

Taiwan smartphone maker HTC Corp. was No. 1 by marketshare for the period at 21.4 percent. Samsung, Apple and Sony trailed at 20 percent, 16.3 percent and 15.8 percent, respectively. Local brand AsusTek Computer Inc. finished fifth at 8.2 percent, surging nearly 4 percentage points past mainland China’s Xiaomi Corp.

The survey also found that the number of fourth-generation telecom service users grew 15 percent year on year to 4.54 million. In comparison, third-generation users dropped nearly 8 percent.

“In light of the increasing ease of mobile search and working facilitated by this developing technology, we expect Taiwan to add another 3.18 million 4G users in the second half,” a FIND official said. “The main user base is expected to expand to comprise the 12-44 age group as well.”

The latest ROC government statistics show that 11.6 percent of 4G smartphone owners use their devices for email, map and navigation services. This is followed by ticketing and gaming, 10.5 percent; and business search, 10.2 percent. Similar results were found with 4G tablet users in the survey.

“Enterprises are advised to plan their business models and services accordingly to tap opportunities emerging from changing lifestyles,” the official said, adding that those who fail to do risk being left by the wayside.

Conducted March 19 to April 6 Taiwanwide, the telephone survey involved 1,200 respondents aged 12 and above.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=232903&ctNode=413)