The world of smartphones has changed a lot in a very short time, and all because of the launch of a smartphone whose success was unexpected: Samsung Galaxy NoteToday, various market reports place the figure at around 21% of smartphones sold phabletsAt least, that's what the sales data of a third trimester analyzed by IDC.
According to IDC, and taking as reference the sales data for the months of July, August and September, at least one in five terminals Of those sold, it has been a phablet; that is, a device that combines the advantages of a tablet with those of a conventional mobile phone. For IDC, phablets are those terminals with screens between five and seven inches, which does not clarify whether tablets with seven-inch screens are included. In any case, it is clear that mobile phones with Yes, they have been included in these statistics. The highest-priced and highest-quality flagships on the market, are around five inches, so its success explains why we are talking about that 21% in the general smartphone market.
What exactly is a phablet and why did it become so popular?
The category phablet was born to describe that intersection between phone and tablet. There were doubts at first about whether such a large phone would be well received, but the bet of Samsung with the Note family showed that there was real demand. Methodologically, IDC leaves out models that are just under 5 inches, so Not every large mobile phone is a phablet according to their definition. Over time, most Android manufacturers added one or more devices to their catalog between 5 and 7 inches, and even historical brands of other systems, such as Nokia In the Lumia era, they incorporated large-screen options.
In volume, IDC estimated smartphone shipments at around 261,1 million units in one of those reference quarters, with approximately one 21% of large-screen modelsThe success of this format was not limited to one manufacturer: almost all Android actors With good results, they incorporated phablets, and the push for the stylus, higher quality panels and more capable batteries closed the circle.
On the other hand, it is noteworthy that the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 was not the only culprit in reaching that figure, as this suggests that the data for subsequent quarters would be even more positive for the phablets, which they seem to have already achieved dominate the market clearly. It is true that there is still a portion of users who claim that five inches are too big, especially those who prefer formats like the iPhone 5sHowever, the numbers are very clear: the phablets They have become a reference even with Apple's moves towards more compact sizes at certain times.
Platform fees and competitive dynamics
During these periods, IDC also found that Android drove the bulk of the market (around four out of five smartphones sold), with iOS maintaining a high volume but with variations in quota when new releases were approaching. Windows Phone came to be positioned as third platform with a notable year-on-year growth and BlackBerry significantly reduced its presence. The entire smartphone market grew at double digit in units in those quarters, while the half price underwent adjustments and was situated around $317, following price falls with particular intensity in entry-level ranges.
IDC also stressed that the absence of a large-screen device in certain catalogues it could hamper growth of some manufacturers in specific periods. In parallel, the idea was consolidated that the price is a critical lever: both Android and Windows Phone benefited from a wide offering with prices low enough for the Big audience.
Evolution and projections of the big screen format
In its forecasts, IDC estimated that annual smartphone sales would grow from 1.500 million about 1.700 million in a multi-cycle horizon, with the phablets growing above the market: by around 611 million about 1.000 million, at a compound rate of approximately 18,1% annual. China has been decisive: it has absorbed around 50% of more than 400 million phablets in one of the exercises analyzed and continues as engine of the segment.
Even in the Apple ecosystem, models of gained prominence: the type variants Plus/X reached a relevant portion of the total iPhone sales, approaching half of the mix in certain periods. At the connected device level, IDC projected that the total fleet (smartphones, tablets, 2-in-1s and PCs) would advance from approximately 1.800 million more than 2.500 million in a few cycles, with the smartphone as a dominant device.
Why big screens are popular: real-life use and benefits
The preference for wider panels is understood by observing the usage behavior: According to Localytics, phablet owners run around a 21% more apps and open the applications a 3,5% more times as many people as those who use 4-inch phones. During high-demand campaigns, such as the holiday season measured by Flurry, phablets represented more than one third of the activations, with very sharp year-on-year growth.
- Better multimedia experience: Videos, games and social networking are best enjoyed on 5–7 inches.
- Light productivity: more space for keyboard, multitasking and stylus.
- Battery and efficiency: improvements in panels and autonomy reduced the initial barriers.
- All-in-one device: in emerging markets it replaces having a separate mobile phone and tablet.
Factors such as falling cost of screens, the biggest Energy Efficiency and the best battery life were identified as key to their popularity. Furthermore, large screens provide advantages to audiences with accessibility needs. Even so, surveys like the one by Pew Research Center showed that adoption among older people was lower than in young people, with a relatively higher preference for tablets or e-readers in front of the smartphone in that group.
Price and strategy: the great catalyst
Ramon Llamas (IDC) highlighted that, beyond the differences in share, the success of each platform depends largely on the price. Have teams with tickets below psychological thresholds —including the segment of less than 100 dollars— has been key to the mass marketIn a geographic analysis, IDC noted that nearly 73% of smartphones were concentrated in emerging markets, which is approximately one 21% was below that price and that around 12% mounted screens of , with expectations of continuity of that pattern.
The phrase that best sums up the decade of large screens is simple: when users discover that a larger mobile phone allows them to See better, do more, and replace more devices, the market responds with a wide range of offerings and increasingly competitive prices.
