Currently representing the fastest growing market segment in the telecoms industry, smartphones play a massive role in the daily activities of mankind. The impact of smartphones to life itself is these days too strong to be measured. According to leading data analytics website statista.com, the number of smartphone users was estimated at 2.1 billion in 2016 and is expected to pass the 2.5 billion mark by 2019. This is good news if you take the wonders that modern day smartphones do. However, as technology develops, so does businesses which brings about competition. Competition is always good for the consumer but how has this healthy competition changed the world? The post popular bout in this smartphone competition is between popular giants Apple and Samsung with the latest Iphone X and Samsung galaxy S8+ causing a stir in the smartphone world. Jumia Travel, Africa’s leading online travel website takes a closer look at how this competition has changed the world.
Increased internet penetration – With almost 4 billion internet users worldwide and an internet penetration rate of nearly 52%, we can confidently say that one out of every two persons use internet in this world. This also means a general increase in the number of smartphone users. One may however ask what the correlation is? When internet penetration increases, life generally becomes faster and easier. Areas such as entertainment, education, personal financing, keeping in touch with current events, product information gathering, purchasing of goods, communication are boosted. Life is better with internet because the world has become tech savvy. What has competition done to help in this regard? The fact that company A produces a smartphone that can do 1,2 and 3 with the internet means company B also has to do 1,2,3 and even 4 to beat them. Who benefits? The customer indeed.
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Better use of technology – In the 21st century, there are apps that can check nearly everything and give accurate results. Some even make us feel as though the run on the principles of magic and not science. From heart rate to sugar levels, from account balances to money transfers and from video live chats to media transfers. All these are made possible by improvements in the smartphone industry. Competition among brands means that when one company comes out with a special app or feature that enables us to use technology to our benefit, the other has no option than to ‘’reply’’ with something better. This triggers lots of research and innovation. Only God knows what we will see next. Just when you thought everything had been done, they come out with something new. We await the next WOW!
Price vs Quality – One big debate among many consumers is the issue of ‘’price vs quality’’. Which is cheaper but has the most quality? In order to answer this question, many smartphone producers have been forced to produce top quality smartphones at very affordable prices to stay relevant. Although comparatively some smartphones are far cheaper than others yet provide similar features, some producers have set a certain standard for themselves. This means that no matter the price, once the quality is confirmed and the features are special, consumers will buy. The competition makes it easy for the customer to filter his/her search because although almost every smartphone will have certain basic features, for the price of A/B, the quality and technology makes it worth every penny. This competition is only healthy.
Diversification – With competition always comes the need to diversify. Day in day out, as the competition among smartphone producers intensifies, they tend to look at other ways by which they can serve customers. Some companies like Apple and Samsung have always gone a step further in this regard. Coming up with supportive innovations such as wireless earphones and chargers, auxiliary cameras and other products that make the use of their smartphones worthwhile. Some companies have also gone steps further to produce other items such as tablets, laptops, televisions, cameras, recorders, projectors and the like. This gives the user an alternative in case he cannot use his smartphone. With one company diversifying, others have to do same or better in order to stay relevant otherwise, they will be left behind.
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Consumer Options – As mentioned earlier, the biggest beneficiary of this competition is the customer. Yes! It’s the customer who greatly benefits from this because, they get spoilt for choice. The options are limitless when it comes to choosing a smartphone. The shape, size, colour, type, functions, features, quality and price may vary but one thing is for sure; there is quality everywhere. This makes it great for customers to acquire smartphones and blend into the world of technology with ease. Small businesses can now sell themselves online, social media will boom, people will be educated and updated on current affairs and the world runs smoothly.
Which smartphone are you on? Is that your dream phone? Does it deliver all you want it to? You may want to ask yourself these questions and take advantage of the competition ongoing. Life is better because of this. In an attempt to be the best, smartphone companies are doing wonders. But as customers, do we care about competition? Yes we do! Provided it brings us the best products at the prices we love.
Credit : Bennet Otoo, Jumia Travel
