A relatively unknown brand Alcatel — except to Rabbitohs fans — has maintained its number three position by volume of handsets shipped, according to IDC’s quarterly mobile phone tracker.
Alcatel was formerly known as Alcatel OneTouch. Yesterday’s IDC report on the Australian smartphone market held few surprises, with Apple haemorrhaging and Android gaining more market share.
The figures, covering April-June 2016, means that Alcatel has held its market position for a full year after taking the number three spot outright in Q3 2015. They also reveal that while the overall smartphone market is declining, Alcatel has grown 23.6% compared to the corresponding period last year.
According to IDC, “Alcatel controls just over 5% of the smartphone market as they consolidated their hold on the low-end space. The targeted strategy of pre-paid phones exclusive to telco providers is the key driving force behind Alcatel shipments.”
{loadposition ray}
With key releases already occurring at the start of Q3 with the Pop 4, $119 smartphone via Optus and the launch of its flagship Idol 4 and Idol 4S in the coming months, Alcatel is confident of further consolidating its position in the market.
“This latest result shows that we have delivered a sustained performance over a solid period such that any debate about data in the market can be put to bed. We offer Australian consumers a combination of innovative features and affordability that they find compelling, and they have responded accordingly. We continue to invest in the market in both channel activity and broader consumer brand awareness initiatives, and have a strong roadmap of products that we are very excited about,” said Sam Skontos, vice-president and regional managing director, Alcatel Australia New Zealand.
Comment
I have been following Alcatel for the last year or so. It’s a French brand acquired by Chinese company TCL (of TV fame). In that time, I have noticed Alcatel everywhere – corner stores, service stations, supermarkets, telcos and more. It is obviously focused on volume but equally it is a quality product with great local support in Australia.
Last year’s flagship, the Idol 3 (reviewed here) was an amazing product for the price. The Idol 4/S is even better, and iTWire looks forward to reviewing that.
Below is the Idol 4 that comes with a VR headset as part of its packaging, an innovative touch.
