UK Smartphone Uptake Slows Down

The UK may well be among the world’s biggest smartphone markets, as various surveys have claimed, but it seems that the hype is starting to slow down. This is the main finding from a new poll by YouGov.

The research firm interviewed over 4,000 UK consumers and found that although smartphone sales are not expected to fall any time soon, they are likely to grow at a slower rate. In fact, 42% of those interviewed plan to buy a smartphone the next time they have to replace their mobile phone. A comparison to a similar poll from 12 months ago shows that the number of potential smartphone owners has grown by just 6%, a far more moderate increase compared to previous data.

More broadly, smartphone ownership has grown from 18% in December 2009 to 47% at present, which means that almost half the UK population own such a device. Meanwhile, feature phones have dropped from 82% to 53% over the same period.

The poll also reveals the reasons for not buying a smartphone. More than half of those who own a regular feature phone say they are happy with them, while 47% claim they do not feel the need for an iPhone or a similar device. Nearly one-third of the respondents agree that smartphones are too expensive, whereas 30% are put off by costly tariffs. A further 16% think that such devices are too complicated to operate and this is the main reason why they stick to regular phones.