Strong claim for smartphones based on Google's Android operating system has helped Carphone Warehouse to report sales growth ahead of City expectations. Most of the large handset makers now offer Android phones, such as HTC's top-end Desire handset and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, giving customers a wide range of platforms to choose from.
"We've been waiting for years for this situation to arrive, and it finally has," Taylor said.
Most of the large handset makers now offer Android phones, such as HTC's top-end Desire handset and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X10, giving customers a wide range of platforms to choose from. "We've been waiting for years for this situation to arrive, and it finally has," Taylor said.
But while smartphone sales are booming, fewer people are signing up for more basic handsets, leading to a 1.1% drop in Carphone's total number of mobile phone customers. Android's success in the smartphone space is a direct challenge to Apple's iPhone. Analysts had expected Carphone's sales to grow by 2%, and shares in the company rose by over 6.7% to 230.5p today. Analysts at Credit Suisse said it was a "robust performance".
Carphone also appeared to be more optimistic about the state of the UK economy, with Taylor saying he did not expect to see a double-dip recession this year.
News Source: www.guardian.co.uk