JEDDAH: Smartphone users in Saudi Arabia have a higher preference for Arabic language applications than their counterparts in the UAE and Jordan, according to a new survey.
The new Arab Advisers Group's survey of cellular users in Saudi Arabia reveals insightful details on smartphone adoption and usage patterns in the Kingdom.
The survey revealed that 47 percent of the respondents who use applications in Saudi Arabia prefer to use them in the Arabic language compared to 8.2 percent in each of Jordan and the UAE.
The Arab Advisers Group projects combined annual revenues from smartphone applications in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan to grow from $44 million in 2011 to $210 million in 2015.
The Arab Advisers Group concluded a ground-breaking survey of cellular users in Saudi Arabia studying smartphones adoption and usage.
The survey revealed that iOS (iPhone) topped the list with 40 percent share of smartphone operating systems (calculated based on handsets' brands).
Blackberry ranked second at 38 percent. Almost half of smartphone users prefer the Arabic language for their applications.
More than 300 delegates will discuss and deliberate the ongoing trends in the regional smartphone ecosystem at Arab Advisers' Smart Handheld Summit which will be held on December 5 & 6, 2011 in Dubai.
Saudi Telecom Company (STC) is the strategic summit partner.
A new major cellular phone survey of cellular users in Saudi Arabia was concluded by the Arab Advisers Group in October 2011.
The survey report, "Saudi Smartphone Survey 2011," provides the results of a major comprehensive survey of cellular users in the Kingdom.
The survey covered general cellular usage habits; smartphone adoption and usage habits; smartphone awareness, cellular handsets' brands and models in addition to tablets availability among respondents. The report has 56 pages and 65 exhibits.
"The Smart Handheld Summit comes in the context of booming Smartphone markets in the region and enhanced interest in the applications and content space. Based on the surveys' findings, the Arab Advisers Group projects the Smartphone applications combined annual revenues in Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan to grow from $ 44 million in 2011 to $ 210 million in 2015; with Saudi Arabia's
market generating around three quarters of the combined total." Jawad J Abbassi, founder and general manager of Arab Advisers Group, said.
Respondents were randomly called through a randomly generated table of cellular phone numbers for each of the four cellular operators in Saudi Arabia: STC, Mobily, Zain, and Bravo.
The survey results encompass answers from 770 cellular users that passed rigorous quality control checks.
Quality control was conducted by Arab Advisers Group's team.
The survey yields a confidence level of 99 percent with a margin of error of less than 5 percent.
"The survey revealed that 57 percent and 52 percent of iPhone and Blackberry users, respectively, use applications through their smartphones, while 44 percent of Symbian smartphone users use applications. 47 percent of those who use applications in Saudi Arabia prefer applications in the Arabic language compared to 8.2 percent in each of Jordan and the UAE." Jawad Abbassi, added.
© Arab News 2011
