Smartphones Capture Almost Half of Canadian Population

by Jack Loechner, Feb 27, 2013, 11:25 PM

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According to a new syndicated study of the mobile market in Canada by Ipsos Reid, key findings show that 47% of Canadians now report using a Smartphone, a significant increase over last year’s 34% of Canadians reported using such a device. Tablet device use has also jumped, with 21% of Canadians reporting use of these devices, from just 10% a year ago.

Mary Beth Barbour, Senior Vice President with Ipsos Reid, notes that “... in one year, we’ve seen significant upward momentum both in Smartphone and Tablet adoption... tablet sales... have taken off... thanks to the introduction of more affordable and smaller devices like the iPad Mini...”

Apple remains the most commonly used brand of Smartphone, says the report, while Samsung is tied with the once dominant BlackBerry. In January 2013, iPhone use tops in at 32%, with both Samsung and BlackBerry tying at 23%.

According to the report, after a steady decline, consumer intentions to acquire a BlackBerry Smartphone have rebounded amid the buzz of BlackBerry 10, increasing from 29% in the Fall of 2012 to 34% in the Spring of 2013. However, 48% of Canadians in the market for a Smartphone are considering Samsung.

 There are a number challengers eroding Apple’s market share, says the report, but the brand remains the dominant force in Tablet devices, capturing 45% of the Canadian market. Samsung is challenging BlackBerry, claiming 13% of the Canadian tablet market, with BlackBerry at 16%.

Barbour continued to say that “... while heavy discounting in late 2011 essentially bought BlackBerry one-fifth of the Canadian Tablet market, it appears that the benefits from this strategy are beginning to wane... while strong and steady growth for Samsung is expected to continue... “

The study shows that while consideration of a BlackBerry Tablet is relatively close to the current market penetration (18%), consideration of a Samsung Tablet (35%) far exceeds current penetration (13%). Though not quite hitting levels of consideration enjoyed by Apple (43%), interest in Samsung is gaining, suggesting further growth on the horizon.

These findings are based on the fifth wave of research of Ipsos Reid’s Mobil-ology study, conducted in January 2013 among approximately n=40,000 adult residents of Canada via the Ipsos Opinions Online Panel. The study is considered accurate to with +/- 0.6 percentage points had all Canadian adults been surveyed.

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