South Korea and the United States lead the market in devices with 4G LTE capability, while locally made devices are gaining ground, according to the latest Netbiscuits Web Trends Report.
The quarterly analysis, based on consumer web usage in 242 countries, shows that regional device manufacturers are beginning to make inroads in Europe after previously being concentrated mainly in Asia. French brand Wiko and Spanish maker bq entered the top 50 device lists in their respective countries for the first time, capturing about 3% and 1.5% of local share respectively.
Globally, the top 25 device rankings remain familiar: the iPhone 5/5C/5S family accounted for roughly 17% of traffic, followed by the iPhone 4/4S and a range of Samsung Galaxy models.
Local manufacturers continue to chip away at market share in parts of Asia. Xiaomi has taken traffic share from Apple and Samsung, while Indian brands Micromax and Karbonn have strengthened their positions within the top 100 devices for that market. Japan’s device ecosystem still includes numerous domestic names such as Sony, Sharp, Fujitsu, NEC and Panasonic.
The report observes that Japan remains a strong market for Apple, but Apple saw a quarter-on-quarter decline in its share of traffic there. At a global level, Netbiscuits suggests that the predictable dominance of Apple’s upgrade cycle and Samsung’s broad lineup is facing increasing challenges from regional competitors.
Screen sizes are increasing among consumers, and that trend aligns with the products offered by many local vendors: Wiko and bq devices typically have larger displays than the iPhone models referenced in the report.
Between Q1 2014 and Q2 2014, devices with 3.0–3.9 inch screens fell from 30% to 26% globally, while every larger size segment grew. Devices with 4.0–4.49 inch screens rose by 3 percentage points, 4.5–4.9 inch devices increased by 2 points, and 5.0–5.9 inch screens grew by 1 point. Netbiscuits notes that the strongest shift toward 5.0–5.9 inch displays came from the US, Canada and Australia.
On 4G LTE readiness, South Korea and the United States ranked highest among the top 100 devices: 76% of South Korea’s top devices and 67% of the US devices were LTE-capable. Several other countries followed, including Sweden (47%), Japan (45%) and Canada (43%). In the UK, roughly one in three top devices (33%) supported LTE.
The findings highlight two clear trends: the rise of regional device makers that cater to local preferences, and consumers’ growing preference for larger screens and faster mobile connectivity. These shifts suggest greater competitive pressure on established manufacturers and continued evolution in device choices across global markets.