By Marianne Grace V. Sarmiento
CLOUDFONE-brand smartphone seller Cellprime Distribution Corp. is optimistic the country’s smartphone penetration rate would enhance the company’s business.
“The Philippines continues to eclipse its Southeast Asian neighbors in smartphone adoption,” Cellprime President Eric Yu said during a news briefing in Pasig City last week.
Citing a 2014 study, Yu said smartphone penetration in the country should have reached 50 percent more last year.
“This year will be a banner year for us, Yu said.” He said to make this real, the company will partner with lifestyle and technology brands such as Gionee, Hyundai, NBA, PBA, Windows 10, Xbox, Spotify, Disney, Marvel and Star Wars to roll out a new lineup of smartphones, tablets and mobile accessories in addition to flagship brand CloudFone.
Yu said the strategy is based on their view that social media would remain a fixture of the consumer technology market.
Comprised of a predominantly young mobile population, the Philippines scored the highest percentage of social web usage in the region, earning its recognition as the “most social” nation, Yu said citing a 2014 study.
The new partnerships will “solidify our position as a key player in the mobile market and enable us to be ready in the future,” he said.
Yu reiterated these partnerships are collaborative and not to compete. “The way we work with other brands is geared toward certain lifestyle segments.”
Cellprime’s view runs contrary to an Accenture Inc. study that said it sees market growth for traditional devices plateauing this year.
“The days of huge growth in the smartphone market appear to be over,” Accenture’s study titled “Igniting Growth in Consumer Technology” said.
According to Accenture, only 48 percent of consumers plan to purchase a smartphone in the next 12 months.
“This is a six-point drop from the purchase intent rate last year and a more than a nine-point drop from the 2014 peak.” Accenture said it noted the largest drops in purchase intent are in countries previously experiencing rapid growth in smartphone purchase, including China (from 82 to 61 percent) and South Korea (from 64 to 54 percent).
Image credits: Cellprime Distribution Corp