Apple Soars Behind iPhone 3GS Momentum

­These are heady times for the smart phone market, with consumer buying plans near record levels. Moreover, electronics spending in general shows signs of a pick up. But what impact are the new Apple iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre models having on the market?

A September 14-21 survey by ChangeWave Research provides an up-close look at the impact of the new Apple (APPL) and Palm (PALM) offerings - along with an update on Research In Motion (RIMM) and overall smart phone industry trends going forward.

The survey of 4,255 consumers shows strong growth continues in the smart phone market, with 39% of respondents now reporting they own a smart phone - up 2-pts since June and nearly double the level of two years ago.

Looking ahead, while the current survey shows a slight dip in consumer buying plans for the next 90 days, that's to be expected in the aftermath of the huge iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre product launches back in June. A total of 11.6% now say they plan on buying a smart phone in the next 90 days - 3-pts less than in June but still one of the highest percentages ever recorded in a ChangeWave survey.

Smart Phone Demand: Apple vs. RIM vs. Palm

Current Market Share: RIM (40%) remains the current market share leader among consumers, but its fallen 1-pt since the previous survey and is at its lowest level in two years.

Apple (30%) has seen a huge market share jump since the previous survey. Not only has the iPhone 3GS release enabled them to gain 5-pts overall - for the first time it has also placed them within striking distance of the number one spot in the consumer market.

Palm (7%) remains far behind in third place, but we note that this is the first survey in nearly two years where their share hasn't fallen - and that's a clearly encouraging sign.

Posted to the site on 27th October 2009