Canadian Consumers’ Mobile Device Buyer Intention Survey Bad News For Hometown BlackBerry

A new Ipsos Reid’s Mobil-ology study of the mobile market in Canada finds that in the six month period between August 2011 and January 2012, Canadian martphone ownership grew by 13%, Tablets by 66%, and eReaders by 43%. In absolute terms, market penetration of Smartphones grew from 24% of Canadians stating they owned one in August 2011 to 34% in January 2012, while 3% of Canadians said they owned such a device in August 2011 and 10% said they owned one in January 2012.

So llooking to the future of the mobile sector, which brands are Canadians considering when it comes down to the purchase decision? “Clear shifts in brand preference appear when we look at the brands of devices consumers are currently using,” says Mary Beth Barbour, Senior Vice President with Ipsos Reid, “And looking forward, it appears that the brand race will continue to heat up.”

Among Smartphone users, RIM’s BlackBerry and Apple remain the leading brands, but during the 12 months between the January 2011 wave and the January 2012 wave of the study, BlackBerry’s market penetration in Canada shrank from 41% to 33%, while Apple’s grew from 23% to 28%, and brands using the Android platform grew from approximately 26% to 31%.

“Based on the brands under consideration by those in the market to buy or replace their Smartphone in the next year, we anticipate that these shifts in brand penetration will continue,” says Ms. Barbour. “Intentions to acquire a BlackBerry have declined by nearly one-third when compared to this time last year. Interest in Apple continues on a slight incline, while Android handsets are poised to pick up the lions-share of RIM’s losses, thanks in no small part to Samsung for which purchase intent has increased by 50% over the past 12 month period.”

In January 2011, 58% of respondents intended to purchase a BlackBerry. That number fell to 40% a year later. In the same time frame, 21% of respondents expressed intentions to buy a Samsung Smartphone product, with that share rising to 32% in January 2012.

On the Tablet side of the equation, the category was virtually owned by Apple and its iPad one year ago, claiming 78% of the market in January 2011. Speeding forward to 2012 and the entrance of new competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy and BlackBerry PlayBook, Apple has seen its share slip to 47%.

“Following a disappointing entry to the market, RIM continues to attempt to gain traction in the market with its PlayBook, but Canadians remain wary and consideration of this brand for future Tablet purchasers holds steady at 22% – up one point from 2011,” Ms. Barbour says. “Samsung, however, has potential for a breakaway. Though current penetration is modest at 8%, consideration of this brand by those looking to buy or replace their Tablet in the next year has increased by 81%, standing at only 14% in January 2011 rising to 26% in January 2012.”

The survey’s findings are based on three waves of research (the first in January 2011, the second in August 2011, and the third in January 2012). Each of these studies were conducted among approximately 46,000 adult residents of Canada via the Ipsos Opinions Online Panel, one of Ipsos Reid’s national online panels.

For more information, visit:
http://www.ipsos.ca