Bada is an OS developed by Samsung and was first released on the Samsung Wave 8500 in June 2010, selling over one million units in its first four weeks on sale. While its figures remain low compared to Android or iOS, it is challenging the likes of Windows which achieved just 1.5% and 5.4% market share in France and Germany respectively.
Dominic Sunnebo, Consumer Insight Director – Global, Kantar Worldpanel ComTech explains: “The accelerated growth of Bada is great news for Samsung. As well as driving volume it has removed over-reliance on an OS developed outside of the manufacturer’s control. For example, in France Android handsets make up just 57% of Samsung’s Smartphone offer, compared with 84% for LG and 91% for Sony Ericsson.
“Samsung has had, and will undoubtedly continue to have, huge success on the Android platform. However, Bada allows it to offer a solid alternative to Android and compete effectively at the low-end of the Smartphone market; for example, 90% of French Bada owners previously owned a non-Smartphone.
“Those who are late to the Smartphone party are often so for a reason; either being young and cost conscious, or older and less tech savvy. With 65% of consumers in Great Britain still owning a feature phone, the Bada OS addresses both of these barriers with a relatively low price point and simplicity in its experience.”
In France, Bada handsets cost an average of €47 compared to €163 for iOS or €71 for Android, and the OS allows users to easily navigate the internet and install native applications. Kantar Worldpanel ComTech usage data shows that in Great Britain 63% of Bada users are surfing the internet and 60% downloading / using apps-a far higher proportion than the average feature phone owner.
Amongst the top Smartphone players Android maintains its dominant position, with 42.6% market share in Great Britain, 54.2% in the US and 55.3% in Japan. Dominic concludes: “The market for OS’s remains dynamic, with Android in Great Britain experiencing a 36.3% increase in market share, compared with the same period last year. However there are signs that huge Android’s share growth is starting to slow in some countries, with share this period lower than last in US, Germany & Japan. The iPhones availability on Verizon in the US continues to drive Apples fightback across the pond, with iOS reaching 30.1% in the latest period and the iPhone 4 claiming stake to the best selling handset on Verizon for two consecutive months”.