A surge in smartphone penetration in the region is being linked to the availability of cheaper handsets in the region. According to IDC data, average smartphone is priced at $338 (Dh1,250), which is likely to drop by more than 32 per cent to $230 (Dh844) in 2017.
Latest data also shows that smartphone usage in the UAE has increased, but at a lesser clip compared to some other Gulf Arab countries.
The smartphone penetration in the UAE grew 9 per cent in March 2014 compared to the same month last year while Kuwait and Saudi Arabia recorded faster growth of 20 and 16 per cent, respectively, emarketer.com said quoting Ipsos MediaCT.
The data showed that UAE smartphone penetration rose from 61 per cent in March 2013 to 72 per cent in March this year.
In other Gulf countries, smartphone penetration in Saudi Arabia rose from 63 per cent in March 2013 to 79 per cent in March this year while Kuwait smartphone penetration in Kuwait jumped from 49 per cent to 69 per cent.
Emarketer said smartphone usage in the Middle East and Africa jumped 11 per cent between 2012 and 2013. It said most impressive growth was in Lebanon, which saw the number of smartphone users jump by 75 per cent year-on-year to 63 per cent.
It expects the number of smartphone users in the Middle East and Africa to jump 33.2 per cent to reach 156.4 million.
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Smartphone prices to crash by one-third: IDC
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