Dubai - iPhone is the most popular phone in UAE but Samsung beats Apple in overall sales.
Published: Sun 23 Oct 2016, 1:12 PM
Last updated: Sun 23 Oct 2016, 3:22 PM
The UAE's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) has revealed the findings of a review it has undertaken of the nation's most popular handsets, smartphones and social networking sites during the first half of 2016.
Of course, with UAE residents being at the cutting edge of the technological landscape, what's popular here is a sort of global barometer for the smartphone success.
Interestingly, the Apple iPhone features thrice among the Top 5, while the remaining two slots go to archrival Samsung.
According to the TRA's report, in terms of smartphones, the iPhone 6 is the most popular smartphone in the UAE, followed by the Samsung Galaxy J1, iPhone 6s, iPhone 5s and Galaxy S Duos 2.
Whilst the report does not focus solely on smartphones, it is notable that by the end of the second quarter of 2016, more than 3 out of 4 handsets registered on the UAE's networks (77.81 per cent) were smartphones.
Top Five handsets (including feature phones) in use in the UAE during Q2-2016:
. Apple iPhone 6 (penetration of 4.17%)
. Nokia 108 (penetration of 2.99%)
. Samsung Galaxy J100H/J1 (penetration of 2.45%)
. Apple iPhone 6S (penetration of 2.32%)
. Apple iPhone 5S (penetration of 2.29%).
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The TRA, however, is quick to note that even as Apple devices feature more aming the top, it is arch-rival Samsung that takes a bigger slice of the overall pie, just like it does in the global market, where it is the No. 1 manufacturer of smartphones.
"The above might suggest that Apple is dominating the UAE market. However, in reality, it is the Samsung brand that is most popular," the TRA said in a media statement today.
One out of every three phones sold in the UAE is a Samsung, the TRA report notes.
The top four brands were Samsung (33.3 per cent of all handsets registered), Nokia (27 per cent), Apple (13.6 per cent); and Blackberry (1.8 per cent).
Among the app stores too, Samsung Apps Store was by far the most visited applications website, followed by Apple iTunes, and finally Android Applications.
In terms of social media, UAE Smartphone and fixed Internet users made 24 billion visits to social networking websites during the period April 1, 2016, to June 30, 2016.
Visits to Facebook accounted for 90.39 per cernt of total visits to social networking sites, followed by Twitter with 5.18 per cent of visits, then LinkedIn, MySpace, and Maktoob.
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