With 22 per cent population, South Asia has only 1.3 per cent of world’s income

While South Asia houses 22 per cent of the world’s population, the region, however, has only 1.3 per cent of the world’s income, according to a report.
Sharing some of the findings of the triennial report on the poverty scenario in South Asian countries – produced by the Nepal-based South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) – released at the Institute for Development Communication (IDC), today regional coordinator of SAAPE Prof Netra Timsina, said that the idea that the market will correct imbalances through demand and supply has led to the gradual withdrawal of the state from publicly providing services such as education and health.
A Chandigarh-based study circle, ‘Dialogue Highway’, in collaboration with the IDC, facilitated the release of the report.
"The SAAPE report, in its essence, brings out the failure of South Asian countries to lift their masses out of poverty and withdrawal of the state from providing basic needs such as food, education, health and safety to the people at the margins,” Dialogue Highway managing trustee Devinder Sharma said.
SAAPE is a regional platform of civil society organisations, social movements and people’s network fighting against the structural causes of poverty and social injustice in the region and beyond.
While launching its fifth Poverty Report, SAAPE, which has been publishing the triennial South Asia Poverty Report since 2003, questioned the existing development paradigm. This report is a knowledge document that brings out the commonality of experiences of all South Asian countries.
Punjabi University vice chancellor Prof BS Ghuman said that the report should form the part of the policy planning. "A social audit of poverty alleviation programmes should also be included in the process to assess the results of poverty eradication," he said, adding that the policy should not be top down but participatory.
In a scholarly exposition, IDC director Dr Pramod Kumar said the state had been usurped by the market and the people at the margins do not have a voice.

Global smartphone growth to slow to 11.3 per cent: IDC

Worldwide smartphone growth is expected to slow further to 11.3 per cent in 2015, down from 27.6 per cent a year ago, according to the latest data from the International Data Corporation (IDC).
Although the researcher is sticking to its forecast of 1.9 billion annual shipments by 2019, the previous forecast of 11.8 per cent growth this year has been revised down slightly due in part to saturation in the Chinese smartphone market, it said. "In fact, 2015 will be the first year that China’s smartphone growth – just by 2.5 per cent – will be slower than the worldwide market."
Android smartphone growth is also expected to be slower than the worldwide market at 8.5 per cent in 2015 due to the fact that China accounts for around 36 per cent of total Android smartphone shipments.
The report also points out that Apple faced a similar situation in 2012-2014, when its year-on-year growth rates were slightly below the worldwide market. But its recent shift in product line to bigger screen models with a broader country reach has had an immediate impact on volumes and IDC now expects iOS smartphones to grow by 23 per cent in 2015 and remain above worldwide market growth rates throughout the forecast, it added.

Smartphone shipments pass one billion units in 2013

The worldwide smartphone market shipped 1.004 billion units last year, up by 38.4 per cent from the 725.3 million units in 2012, according to estimates from IDC.

In the fourth quarter of 2013, vendors shipped a total 284.4 million smartphones worldwide, up by 24.2 per cent from a year earlier. 

Smartphones accounted for 55.1 per cent of all mobile phone shipments in 2013, up from 41.7 per cent in 2012. In the broader mobile phone market, global shipments reached 1.822 billion units in 2013, up by 4.8 per cent from a year earlier. Fourth-quarter shipments reached 488.4 million, an increase of 0.9 per cent year-on-year. 

Samsung added one per cent point of market share in smartphones, to strengthen its lead at 31.3 per cent of shipments. It also grew by almost one per cent in the broader market, taking 24.6 per cent of the total mobile market. Nokia's share of the total market dropped to 13.8 per cent from 19.3 in 2012, and it did not make the top five smartphone makers. 

Apple was in second place in smartphones, although its share dropped to 15.3 per cent from 18.7 in 2012. Apple took 8.4 per cent of the total mobile phone market. LG ranked fourth in the total market with a 3.8 per cent share and fifth in smartphones with 4.8 per cent, both up on a year earlier. 

Huawei came third in smartphones, growing its share to 5.8 per cent, and Lenovo moved to fourth in the smartphone rankings, taking 4.9 per cent of shipments.

Android grows smartphone market share to 81 per cent

Google's Android operating system grew its share of the smartphone market to 81 per cent in the third quarter, equal to 211.6 million phones shipped, according to estimates from International Data Corporation (IDC) – an American market research, analysis and advisory firm specialising in information technology and telecommunications.

Samsung accounted for just under half the Android shipments, it said, adding that Android increased its share from 74.9 per cent a year earlier, while Apple's iOS fell to 12.9 per cent from 14.4 over the same period. "Microsoft's Windows showed the strongest growth, increasing its share from two per cent in third quarter of 2012 to 3.6 per cent this year, whereas BlackBerry fell over the same period to 1.7 per cent from 4.1 per cent."

The IDC attributed the growth in Android and Microsoft to the companies' pricing strategies, offering a full range of devices for the low end of the mass market.
The market researcher estimated that the average selling price for a smartphone was down by 12.5 per cent in the third quarter to $317. "It comes despite the growing number of large-screen phones, which sell for a notably higher average price of $443," the IDC said, estimating that phablets of at least five inches already accounted for 21 per cent of the smartphone market in the third quarter. "Apple's lack of a large screen device may result in a further erosion of its market share in the fourth quarter of 2013.

Global mobile phone market to grow by 7.3 per cent

The worldwide mobile phone market is forecast to grow by 7.3 per cent year over year in 2013, marking a sharp rebound from the nearly flat (1.2 per cent) growth experienced in 2012.

Strong demand for smartphones across all geographies will drive much of this growth as worldwide smartphone shipments are expected to surpass one billion units for the first time in a single year, according to a new report from the International Data Corporation (IDC).

The overall mobile phone market is growing faster than previously forecast due to a stronger-than-expected first half of the year driven by gains in emerging markets and the sub $200 smartphone segment.
IDC previously projected 5.8 per cent growth for the year. Vendors are now forecast to ship more than 1.8 billion mobile phones in 2013, growing to over 2.3 billion mobile phones in 2017. “Worldwide smartphone shipments are forecast to grow by 40 per cent year over year to more than one billion units in 2013 and total smartphone shipments are forecast to reach 1.7 billion units in 2017.”
Android remains the dominant smartphone operating system, a status that is not expected to change although its share will decline somewhat as the market matures and competition solidifies.

Samsung remains the world's top seller of Android-based smartphones, while the resurgence of LG and Sony have also contributed to its success in recent quarters, it reported, adding that iOS will remain the clear number two operating system as the expected launch of a lower-cost iPhone will open up a wider addressable market. “Windows Phone will solidify its position as the number three operating system with incremental share gains over the course of the forecast.”
Likewise, BlackBerry operating system share will decline markedly over the forecast period due to tepid BlackBerry 10 reception and increased competition, it added.

Tablet shipments slow in second quarter to 45.1 million units: IDC

Worldwide tablet shipments totaled 45.1 million units in the second quarter, up by 59.6 per cent from a year earlier, but down by 9.7 per cent from the first quarter of this year, according to estimates of a research firm.

The sequential slowdown was due to no new iPad, with Apple shipping a less-than-expected 14.6 million units in the quarter, down from 19.5 million in the first quarter, the International Data Corporation (IDC) – an American market research, analysis and advisory firm specialising in information technology, telecommunication and consumer technology –  said, adding that Apple's market share fell to 32.4 per cent from 60.3 per cent a year ago. 

Samsung's shipments also slowed, to 8.1 million from 8.6 million in the first three months of the year, giving it 18 per cent of the market. Asus shipped two million tablets in the second quarter, versus 2.6 million in the first one, giving it a 4.5 per cent market share.

Likewise, Lenovo passed a million tablets for the first time, shipping in total 1.5 million in the second quarter, giving it a market share of 3.3 per cent, whereas Acer followed with 1.4 million tablets or 3.1 per cent of the market.

Android was the leading operating system in the quarter, accounting for 62.6 per cent of tablets shipped, followed by Apple's iOS with 32.5 per cent and Windows with 4.5 per cent.

PC sales to fall by 7.8 per cent

International Data Corporation expects portable PC sales to be overtaken by tablets this year, as tablets grow by 58.7 per cent to 229.3 million units from 144.5 million units in 2012.

Tablet shipments are projected to be higher than the entire PC market — portables and desktops — by 2015, it said, adding that global PC shipments are forecast to fall by 7.8 per cent this year and by 1.2 per cent in 2014 as users increasingly consider alternatives such as tablets and smartphones.

The market researcher previously anticipated a decline of 1.3 per cent this year, followed by a gradual increase. The update reflects a significant volume drop in the first quarter and transitions in PC designs, with vendors releasing products for Windows 8, including thin, convertible, touch and slate models.

Worldwide desktop PCs are now projected to fall to 134.4 million units this year from 148.3 million in 2012 and to drop to 123.9 million units in 2017. Portable PC sales are forecast to decrease to 187.4 million units this year from 200.9 million units in 2012, and to rise to 209.5 million units in 2017.