Taiwan market: Carriers focus on Android smartphones while waiting for iPhone 4 Tweet

While Taiwan's telecom carriers await the iPhone 4, they are aggressively promoting Android-based smartphones, especially in the entry-level segment, according to industry sources.

An entry-level smartphone is still a smartphone that can provide mobile communication experiences arguably comparable to those of high-end devices such as the iPhones, said the sources. With Android smartphones priced under NT$10,000 (US$310) flooding the market, these devices could eat into the feature phone segment in the near future, the sources added.

The four major telecom carriers in Taiwan have launched their own app stores supporting the Android operating system.

According to market research firm GFK, in the first quarter of 2010, smartphones accounted for 16% of Taiwan's overall handset market. Nokia's S60 platform grabbed a 40% share of Taiwan's smartphone market, followed by the iPhone with 27%. Window's Mobile came in third with 16% and Android was fourth at 13%.

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