US sales of smartphones grew 70 per cent between Q3 and Q4 2007, according to handset dealer Wirefly.
The company put the sharp increase in popularity to increased public awareness (thanks to advertising), improved design and more compelling features such as music players.However, the complexion of the market is markedly different to its counterpart in Europe, thanks to Americans’ enthusiasm for devices with Qwerty keyboards and the relative weakness of Nokia. Thus, the best selling device is the Samsung BlackJack, which has a Qwerty keyboard, while the similar Motorola Q and BlackBerry Pearl also feature in the top five.
Brian Westrick, president of Wirefly, said: “Smartphones are no longer just high-tech toys…the general public is now starting to embrace QWERTY keyboard smartphones as versatile cell phones for everyday use….this may also be why the smartphone mix purchased by the public is changing. As the customer base gets wider and less technical, larger and more complex products like Pocket PCs and Treos are yielding ground to slimmer and sexier smartphones like the Samsung BlackJack, Motorola Q and the BlackBerry Pearl.”
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