According to analyst firm Canalys, the trend towards large-screen smartphones is unbroken. Of the 280 million smartphones shipped worldwide in the first quarter of 2014, 34% were so-called phablets, i.e. phones with displays of 5 inches or larger. The phablet segment grew 369% year-over-year, significantly outperforming the rest of the smartphone market.
Even Apple appears to have change its mind on big-screen smartphones as the company is apparently readying a larger iPhone for a fall release. The iPhone maker had long argued that making a phablet would involve too many compromises in terms of usability and design, but ultimately had to submit to the consumers' wishes like any other company.
Phablets Account for One Third of Global Smartphone Shipments
Description
This chart shows a breakdown of global smartphone shipments in the first quarter of 2014 by screen size.
