More than 108m handsets were sold within the region within the year to March 2013, with 42.2m smartphones shipped in the course of the period, a rise of 61 per cent at the previous year. This implies an extra $3.4bn was spent by consumers during 2012 on 16m more devices than the former year, in keeping with GfK, and smartphone sales are nearing 50 per cent of all handsets purchases.

The total value of the smartphone market across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines and Cambodia rose above the $11bn mark, while the total mobile handset market increased by 14 per cent in value and eight per cent in units. 

Indonesia, home to just about 1 / 4 of one thousand million people, saw the foremost smartphone sales within the region – although in comparison with its population, 15.8m handsets is simply a drop within the pond. The Philippines saw sales growth of 146 per cent, Thailand of 140 per cent and Vietnam of 118 per cent.

“Growth on this region is primarily driven by affordable smartphones which averaged inside the budget of $100 – 200,” said Gerard Tan, account director for digital world at GfK Asia. “However, the increase of local brands in countries corresponding to Philippines and Indonesia has led to the growing market share of these within the $50 – 100 price segment—the budget funds which bridges the transition from basic cellphones to smartphones.”

“The marketplace for display size spanning 4.5″ and above which currently make up over 20 per cent of total market sales is growing and is predicted to continue expanding as manufacturers launch newer and larger models. With regards to operating system, the open source nature of Android has also acquired many fans, heightening its dominance with seven in every ten smartphones sold operating at the Android platform.”