Report suggests consumers prefer smaller phones over phablets
With all of the phablets that seem to be launching lately you’d think it’s because the demand for them is there, but a new report suggests that’s very far from actuality. The latest report from DeviceAtlas gives us a look at market share by device screen size, a statistic they were able to gather based on web traffic data.
The results? Small is in. A majority of the world’s smartphone users seem to enjoy the 4.7-inch screen size, though that’s largely because of the success of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6S. The trend doesn’t end with those phones, though, with 5.0 and 5.1 inch devices accounting for more of the userbase than those which reach 5.5 inches.
That said, the data does show that the scales are tipping a little bit. Bigger screen sizes are on the rise and gaining more traction each year as video, gaming and productivity become more important factors for those who use smartphones.
The influx of big devices from the world’s manufacturers is likely a play to capture that growing market before they’re locked out, but the competition has been stiff from the early going. Samsung was one of the first players in this area with the Galaxy Note line, and they’ve continued their trailblazing well into 2015 with the launch of not one, but 2 flagship phablets.
Samsung also emphasized the launch of bigger phones in entry-level and mid-range segments to be able to meet the market at every level. We expect those trends to continue well into 2016 as demand for bigger phones keeps snowballing. In the meantime, the numbers show that people still mostly prefer smaller phones, so OEMs shouldn’t feel the need to peel away from offering the more pocketable form factors anytime soon.