U.S. consumers are continuing to base their phone-buying decision on how well the device sends text messages, which is leading to an increase in the number of Qwerty keyboards and touchscreens sold, reports NPD Group, a market research firm. “Regardless of whether they opt for a data plan, consumers want richer user interface options; the humble keypad is losing in the race to optimize a handset’s surface,” said Ross Rubin, executive director of NPD. Release.
In fact, in the fourth quarter of the top 10 best-selling mobile phones, all came equipped with a touch screen, a QWERTY keyboard, or both:
1. RIM (NSDQ: RIMM) BlackBerry Curve (all models)
2. LG (SEO: 066570) enV3
3. Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) iPhone 3GS
4. Apple iPhone 3G
5. Motorola (NYSE: MOT) Droid
6. LG enV Touch
7. RIM Blackberry Tour
8. Samsung Intensity
9. Samsung Solstice
10. Samsung Impression
The only phone in the top 10 that had both a Qwerty keyboard and a touchscreen was the Motorola Droid, which despite being launched during the middle of the quarter, rose to the fifth most-purchased consumer mobile phone in the U.S. Meanwhiel, LG and RIM all declined in unit share. In Q4, 46 percent of phones sold had Qwerty keyboards, compared to 31 percent in the year-ago period, and even less—24 percent—had touchscreens.