The salad days of the 3.5-inch smartphone are over BI Intelligence says-- phablets (aka smartphones with a 5-7-inch display) are taking over as the market trends towards larger quasi-tablet handsets.
According to the analyst global phablet shipments are to hit 1.5 billion in 2019 with a CAGR of 27% for the 2014-2019 period, nearly double the 15% CAGR predicted for regular smartphones over the same period. Phablets should make 59% of the 2019 smartphone market, up from 35% in 2014.
BI Intelligence adds phablets are already cannibalising global tablet sales-- and as tablet demand declines, phablet shipments should total three times as much as tablets by 2019.
How come oversized smartphones are so popular? One reason is larger displays allow for sustained on-the-go engagement on social networks and apps of the Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat variety. According to the analyst over 50% of phablet activity is tied to social networks.
Also nudging the market towards larger displays are the hugely successful Samsung Galaxy devices such as the 5-inch S4 and 5.1-inch S5.
If rumors are to be believed not even Apple is immune to the trend-- multiple reports suggest a future iPhone model will feature a 5.5-inch display, making it a phablet as per BI Intelligence definition.