Is the Philippines becoming an iOS nation?
Apple has surprisingly taken the lead among mobile phone vendors in the Philippines as of January 2024. What was once an Android-dominated nation has now been overcome by iPhone devices, which hold 14.33 percent of the market, compared to Oppo's 14.06 percent share. Apple also emerged as the leading mobile phone manufacturer in the Philippines in terms of median download speed, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max having the highest download speed during the fourth quarter of 2023. Whether iPhones will continue to lead the market is yet to be seen, as such devices are at a significantly higher price point compared to Android phones. However, data from Picodi as of September 2023 revealed that it would take an average Filipino worker about 80 working days to afford the latest iPhone model, which was the lowest number of days required since 2018.Despite this, Android remain as the leading mobile operating system in the Philippines as of January 2024. In addition, Android phone brands continue to dominate the market share of smartphone shipments to the Philippines, with Transsion taking the lead, followed by Realme. Android brands offer affordable 4G-enabled smartphones, and most of them have started rolling out 5G devices. Over the years, mobile brands have been partnering with telecommunication companies by offering bundling promotions that include getting a device and a mobile subscription, often resulting in increased sales.