MVNOs lead the charge as price competition heats up in mobile services

November 27, 2017

Australians showing conditional interest in a fourth mobile operator

Australians appetite for lower costs mobile plans is growing according to a new study by emerging technology analyst firm Telsyte. MVNOs (Mobile Virtual Network Operators) re-emerged as the growth leader in the first half of 2017, with over 200,000 new SIOs (Services In Operation) collectively, beating the individual performance of Optus, Vodafone and Telstra (in that order) according Telsyte’s Australian Mobile Services Market Study FY2017.

Overall the mobile services market grew by 444,000 in H1, 2017 to reach 33.7 million connections.

The top performing MVNOs in the first half of 2017 were ALDImobile, amaysim and Kogan Mobile. The Top 4 MVNOs according to Telsyte were amaysim, TPG, ALDImobile and Vocus.

According to the latest Telsyte’s research, price or value has risen to overtake network performance as the most important factor when the average consumer chooses a mobile services provider.

Network performance had been the most important factor as rated by consumers since 2012. Similarly, the main two reasons survey respondents indicated they are considering changing mobile providers was price and promotions from a competitive provider.

“We are entering an increasingly price competitive mobile services market in this pre-5G period” Telsyte senior analyst Alvin Lee says.

According to Telsyte’s research, over half of handset plans are on non-contract plans. This trend has been steady for many years, however new research shows that very few (15%) that have gone off contract plans have gone back to them in the last 5 years.

Despite this, re-contracting of premium priced handsets such as the iPhone X and the Samsung Note 8 are likely to help the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) fight back in the second half of 2017.

Telsyte estimates up to 65 per cent of iPhone sales in 2H 2017 will be via mobile contracts, compared to around 50 per cent in previous iPhone “S” model years.

Fourth mobile network set to shake up the Australian market

Telsyte analysis of the potential impact of TPG’s announcement that it plans to roll out a fourth Australian mobile network shows consumer are generally receptive to a new competitor in the market.

Telsyte research indicates 2 in 5 Australians (16 years and over) would consider moving to the new TPG mobile network when it is ready. However, most of this is conditioned on TPG providing clear benefits such as free trial periods, unlimited data or significant bundling discounts.

“The challenge for TPG will be to profitably bring new services to market without simply attracting bargain hunters” Lee says.

TPG mobile base has been under pressure, despite the addition of iiNet customers. While the new network is expected to have an impact, Telsyte believes it will be difficult for the carrier to reach 1 million SIOs within 2 years of launching its network.

TPG and other carriers will need to broaden their focus beyond handsets to grow SIOs in coming years. The growth of handset services is expected to only follow population growth, with wearables, Machine to Machine and eSIM capable 2-in-1s presenting the best opportunities for carriers in the next 2 to 3 years.

For further information on the study or media enquiries contact:

Alvin Lee
Senior Analyst
Tel: +61 2 9235 5890
Email: alee@telsyte.com.au

Foad Fadaghi
Managing Director
Tel: +61 2 9235 5851
Email: ffadaghi@telsyte.com.au

Telsyte’s Australian Mobile Services Market Study FY2017 is a comprehensive study which provides subscribers with:

Market sizing and forecasts of the Australian mobile services market
Analysis of market share and carrier performance
End-user trends
Market trends
Mobile services market KPIs

In preparing this study, Telsyte used:

Interviews conducted with executives from mobile service providers, device vendors and retail channel partners.
An online survey of a representative sample of Australians 16+ years of age conducted with 1,056 respondents in August 2017.
An online survey of a representative sample of Australians 16+ years of age conducted with 1,060 respondents in November 2016.
Financial reports released by service providers.
On-going monitoring of local and global market and vendor trends.

About Telsyte
Telsyte is Australia’s leading emerging technology analyst firm. Telsyte analysts deliver market research, insights and advisory into enterprise and consumer technologies. Telsyte is an independent business unit of DXC Technology. www.telsyte.com.au

The material in this article is copyright protected and not intended to be altered, copied, distributed or used for any commercial or non-commercial purpose, except for news reporting, comment, criticism, teaching and scholarship.

Appetite for PaaS and SaaS growing in Australian organisations

October 17, 2017

Digital transformation pressures driving software investments

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Australian business software investments are shifting towards customisation and development driven by the pressure of business transformation, according to new research by emerging technology analyst firm Telsyte.

The Telsyte Enterprise Applications and Software Study 2017 investigates how software is procured and developed in Australian organisations, including the new challenges posed by large-scale IT transformation that is occurring in most organisations.

Telsyte’s research indicates enterprise software budgets are rising across the board, however, more organisations are turning their focus to developing software for better integration, customisation and digital product development.

Only 1 in 5 IT and business leaders surveyed by Telsyte indicated they had no plans on developing software to satisfy business needs.

New digital services driving Platform as a Service (PaaS) and custom development

“Developing new products and services is now a top priority for CIOs and the ability to develop applications faster and better integrate disparate data sources has become critical,” Telsyte Managing Director Foad Fadaghi says.

Telsyte found almost 4 in 5 enterprises are customising, or considering customising SaaS (Software as a Service) applications, creating an opportunity for better cloud integration, fit-for-purpose apps, mobility and better user interfaces.

The high rate of corporate software development, combined with the ease at which development can occur in the cloud, is creating a healthy appetite for PaaS with approximately 70 per cent of Australian enterprises already using PaaS, or planning to adopt it.

Telsyte research indicates most (85%) organisations are looking to increase their PaaS investments in 2017 and beyond.

Similarly, 80 per cent of IT leaders interviewed plan to increase their SaaS budget over the next 12 months with a massive opportunity for vendors to modernise legacy systems.

Most (63%) CIOs report a need for social CRM features to support digital programs, however, only one third claim they have social features in their CRM.

Despite the arrival of machine learning and AI functionality, most CIOs still consider core operational features, upfront costs and return on investment to be the main factors influencing the procurement of enterprise applications.

About the Telsyte Enterprise Applications and Software Study 2017

The Telsyte Enterprise Applications and Software Study 2017 is a comprehensive 83-page report which provides subscribers with key market insights across many aspects of the changing landscape for enterprise applications in Australian organisations including the challenges that organisations are facing; how they are reacting to the disruptive trends; market overviews; usage and intentions; budget and spending; and forecast assumptions.

Some of the key questions answered in the study include:

How has digital disruption impact the ICT agenda for Australian organisations?
What are the key themes for transformation and business improvement?
How are software delivery models in Australian enterprises changing?
What challenges does ERP and CRM face in the age of digital disruption?
Can PaaS deliver on the innovation opportunity?

For further information on licensing the study or media enquiries contact:

Foad Fadaghi
Managing Director
Tel: +61 2 9235 5851
Twitter: @foadfadaghi
Email: ffadaghi@telsyte.com.au

Telsyte’s emerging enterprise technology research program provides leading insights into the technologies and services that are re-defining how Australian organisations, including the public sector, manage operations and innovate with new products and services.

In preparing this study, Telsyte used:

An online survey of a representative sample of Australians CIOs and IT decision makers with 269 respondents completed in September 2016.
The research was conducted among businesses with more than 20 employees.
Interviews conducted with executives from software vendors, system integrators, hardware and big data software providers, as well as their channel partners.
On-going monitoring of local and global market and vendor trends.

Android tablet sales tumble as more vendors bet on Windows touchscreens

October 3, 2017

Augmented Reality (AR), 2-in-1s and mobile connectivity set to drive tablet sales

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Tablet sales cooled off during the first half of 2017 with 1.4 million units sold, down 10 per cent from a year ago, according to new research from emerging technology analyst firm Telsyte.

The Telsyte Australian Tablet Computer Market Study 2017-2021 found the decline was mainly due to easing demand for Android-based tablets, but also waning Android support from manufacturers who have given greater focus to Microsoft Windows 10-based touchscreen devices. Android tablet sales declined by 29 per cent compared to the first half of 2016, with many manufactures holding back the release of new Android tablets, including Google which has not released a new Nexus or Pixel tablet in over 12 months.

Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and Lenovo remain the top four tablet manufacturers (by sales) in 1H 2017, and accounted for over 80 per cent of total units sold. Almost half of all tablets sold in Australia are Apple iPads.

Telsyte research shows more Australian consumers are opting for 4G/LTE capable tablets. The Trend will likely continue with the availability of shared data plans, larger mobile data caps and the anticipated arrival of eSIMs on tablets in the near future.

Telsyte’s latest research shows 2-in-1 tablets, or tablets which can be also used as a computing device (with keyboard), continued to go from strength to strength with 2-in-1s accounting for a third of tablet sales in 1H 2017. Windows-based devices from a range of manufacturers have clearly benefited from the merging of PC and tablet features, while demand for the iPad Pro* has also been increasing as Apple positions its top-of-range products as an all-in-one computing device for the average computer or tablet user.

“Microsoft seems to be redeeming itself with larger touchscreens despite losing the smartphone platform battle,” Telsyte Managing Director, Foad Fadaghi, says.

Telsyte estimates tablet sales will pick up with around 1.7 million to be sold in the second half of 2017, an increase of 7 per cent over the same period last year. A return to growth is expected to be driven by consumers replacing aging, unsupported devices or by upgrading to 2-in-1s.

Telsyte expects sales of Windows tablets in Australia to overtake Android by the end of 2017.

Augmented Reality (AR) and aging devices to drive upgrades

Telsyte expects the release of Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore will not only encourage smartphone upgrades, but also start to have positive flow-on effects to tablets sales.

Telsyte believes some AR applications will benefit from a larger display for better viewing and content sharing experiences between families and friends. Consumers identified games and entertainment as the main AR apps they are interested in using on tablets.

According to Telsyte’s research, over 40 per cent of Australian tablet users have already tried AR applications such as Pokémon Go, Layar and AR like features found in social media photo filters. While most Australians intend to use AR mainly on their smartphones, Telsyte research shows more Australian consumers would rather use AR on tablets than on standalone AR headsets or smart glasses.

Telsyte estimates less than 10 per cent of the current iPad user base is capable of running AR apps developed using Apple’s ARKit. Google has provided limited guidance on minimum requirements for running ARCore on Android tablets; however, it is expected that low-end Android tablets will not provide an adequate AR experience, which depends on powerful CPUs and graphics processing chips.

“While AR has been around for a long time, new developer platforms and better hardware will encourage business investment in the next generation of tablet apps,” Telsyte Senior Analyst, Alvin Lee, says.

For further information on the study or media inquiries contact:

Foad Fadaghi
Managing Director
Tel: +61 2 9235 5851
Twitter: @foadfadaghi
Email: ffadaghi@telsyte.com.au

Alvin Lee
Senior Analyst
Tel: +61 2 9235 5890
Twitter: @AlvinLee_
Email: alee@telsyte.com.au

About Telsyte’s Australian Tablet Computer Market Study 2017-2021

Tablet definition: A computer device consisting of a 7 inch or larger touch screen that can be used in a slate format (not requiring keyboard or mouse). Telsyte’s definitions includes 2-in-1 devices with detachable or foldable keyboard, and tabletop, or reclinable desktop screens that provide a tablet form factor experience.

2-in-1 definition: Primarily refers to laptops that have a touch screen and detachable keyboards or foldable form factors to provide a pure tablet-like experience. Tablets that are known for their versatility and mimic laptop-like experience with keyboards or type covers are also considered as 2-in-1s. E.g. Microsoft Surface tablets, iPad Pro, Samsung Galaxy TabPro S, Google Pixel C, Sony Xperia Z4 Tablet, Toshiba Portege Z20t, or Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro.

In the 2017 study, Telsyte has provided forecasts for desktop touchscreen computers that can be used in a slate format. Please note this excludes blackboard style devices (e.g. Surface hub), or touchscreen laptops that require keyboard and mouse for operation (Telsyte considers these as laptop computers).

[*] Please note Telsyte measures Apple iPad Pro models as 2-in-1s for comparison reasons, due to having a specifically designed Apple keyboard which is typically sold together.

Telsyte’s Australian Tablet Computer Market Study 2017-2021 is a comprehensive 118 page report which provides subscribers with:

Market sizing, platform and vendor market shares and forecasts
End user trends across devices, usage, platforms and accessories
Tablet and computer purchase intentions and loyalty
Product reviews and insights
Tablet audience estimates and strategies for media companies

In preparing this study, Telsyte used:

Telsyte’s Mid-Year Smart Device Survey conducted in August 2017 with a representative sample of 1,056 Australian respondents, 16 years of ages and older. And additional 338 Australian respondents, 16 years and older were additionally surveyed to determine smartphones, smart wearables and tablets purchases made between January 1 to June 30 2017.
Telsyte’s annual Digital Consumer survey conducted in November 2016 with a representative sample of 1,060 respondents, 16 years and older.
Interviews conducted with executives from service providers, network operators, manufacturers, retailers, financial analysts and channel partners.
Financial reports released by mobile carriers, service providers, retailers and manufacturers.
On-going monitoring of local and global market and vendor trends.
Analyst reviews of leading tablet and 2-in-1 devices.

Editor’s note:

Telsyte measures sales of devices (“sell out”), not shipments or sales to retailers or carriers (sometimes called “sell-in”). Telsyte believes this is a more accurate measure of performance of products in a marketplace. Telsyte does not rely on disclosure from vendors or general assumptions made for large multinational companies that do not release local market data. Telsyte uses a comprehensive methodology that includes surveys of consumers, discussions with vendors, carriers and their partners, retailers, and financial analysts. In addition, public financial results from manufacturers and carriers are used. Telsyte tests a wide range of products in real life usage scenarios and conducts satisfaction and repeat purchase surveys with large and representative samples of Australian smart device users. Telsyte is a pioneer in measuring and reporting tablet sales in Australia and has been providing insights on tablets since 2010.

Please note this study was formerly titled “Australian Media Tablet Market Study”

About Telsyte

Telsyte is Australia’s leading emerging technology analyst firm. Telsyte analysts deliver market research, insights and advisory into enterprise and consumer technologies. Telsyte is an independent business unit of DXC.technology. For more information visit www.telsyte.com.au

iPhone ‘super-cycle’ expected to energise Australian smartphone market

September 5, 2017

Smartphone battleground turns to Augmented Reality with 1 in 3 already using AR apps

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Australian smartphone sales are on track for a strong calendar year with booming first half sales set to continue into the second half of the year, according to a new study by emerging technology analyst firm Telsyte.

New findings from the Telsyte Australian Smartphone & Wearable Devices Market Study 2017-2021 shows 4.4 million smartphones were sold during 1H 2017, up 16 per cent compared to H1 2016.

Android smartphones held market leadership (55 per cent share) with the top three Android vendors being Samsung, Huawei and Oppo.

Telsyte believes Apple will emerge as market leader in the second half of 2017 with the new iPhone X featured along side the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus

“The arrival of at least three new iPhones, as well as the long-held strategy of keeping older models available at lower prices, will help Apple target its loyal customer base” Telsyte Managing Director Foad Fadaghi says.

Telsyte estimates around 4.7m smartphones will be sold in 2H 2017, a result that could see Apple beat 2014 sales when it first released the larger format iPhone 6.

Telsyte believes a number of factors will drive iPhone sales including:

Almost 1 million active iPhones in Australia will not receive the latest iOS 11 update made available in September 2017, leaving models older than the iPhone 5s unsupported.
The iPhone repeat purchase intention in Australia as measured by Telsyte is at an all-time high: 93 per cent, compared to the second highest, Samsung with 74 per cent.
Aging handsets are creating pent-up demand, with nearly 1 in 4 iPhone users using an iPhone that is 3 years or older.
Aggressive marketing and larger data cap offers by mobile service providers. Telsyte estimates up to 65 per cent of iPhone sales in 2H 2017 will be via mobile contracts, compared to around 50 per cent in previous iPhone “S” model years.
The inclusion of substantial new features in the field of Augmented Reality (AR) and AI capabilities that will attract upgraders.

Augmented Reality the next smartphone battleground

Telsyte research finds that 1 in 3 Australian smartphone users have tried “AR-like” features on their smartphones which includes the popular mobile game Pokémon Go as well as Snapchat and Facebook photo filters. Telsyte believes these two categories (games and social) will be the most popular initially for AR, with navigation, education, shopping/retail and communications all likely to get early interest from app developers.

“The release of Apple’s ARKit and Google’s ARCore is expected to support more advanced AR applications, driving awareness and usage which could rapidly expand in 2018” Telsyte senior analyst Alvin Lee says.

Telsyte estimates more than half of iPhones in Australia are current capable of supporting Apple’s current ARKit, compared to less than 10 per cent of Android smartphones for recently announced Google’s ARCore. However, more Android models are expected to gain support in coming months, adding to the ongoing battle for smartphone supremacy.

For further information on the study or media enquiries contact:

Foad Fadaghi
Managing Director
Tel: +61 2 9235 5851
Email: ffadaghi@telsyte.com.au

Alvin Lee
Senior Analyst
Tel: +61 2 9235 5890
Email: alee@telsyte.com.au

The Telsyte Australian Smartphone & Wearable Devices Market Study 2017-2021 is a comprehensive study which provides subscribers with:

Smartphone market sizing estimates, platform and vendor market shares and forecasts
Smart wrist-based wearables market sizing estimates, platform and vendor market shares and forecasts
Smart location-based item tracker market sizing estimates and forecasts
End user trends across devices, application usage, platforms and operators
Purchase intentions and acquisition channels
Strategic analysis of market trends and issues
Device profiles and Telsyte analyst ratings of tested devices

Telsyte measures smart wearable devices in the Telsyte Australian Smartphone & Wearable Devices Market Study 2017-2021 as computing accessories worn on a user’s wrist typically paired and controlled via a smartphone. Examples includes products from Adidas, Apple, Asus, Fitbit, Garmin, Huawei, Jawbone, LG, Microsoft, Motorola, Nike, Pebble, Samsung, Sony, TomTom and others.

In preparing this study, Telsyte used:

Telsyte’s Mid-Year Smart Device Survey conducted in August 2017 with a representative sample of 1,056 Australian respondents, 16 years of ages and older. And additional 338 Australian respondents, 16 years and older were surveyed to septically determine smartphones, smart wearables and tablets purchases made between January 1st to June 30th 2017
Telsyte’s annual Digital Consumer survey conducted in November 2016 with a representative sample of 1,060 respondents, 16 years and older
Interviews conducted with executives from service providers, network operators, manufacturers, retailers, financial analysts and channel partners.
Financial reports released by service providers and manufacturers.
On-going monitoring of local and global market and vendor trends.
Analyst reviews of leading smartphone and wearable devices.

Editor’s note:

Telsyte measures sales of devices (“sell out”), not shipments or sales to retailers or carriers (sometimes called “sell-in”). Telsyte believes this is a more accurate measure of performance of products in a marketplace. Telsyte does not rely on disclosure from vendors or general assumptions made for large multinational companies that do not release local market data. Telsyte uses a comprehensive methodology that includes surveys of consumers, discussions with vendors, carriers and their partners, retailers, and financial analysts. In addition, public financial results from manufacturers and carriers are used. Telsyte tests a wide range of products in real life usage scenarios and conducts satisfaction and repeat purchase surveys with large and representative samples of Australian smart device users. Telsyte is a pioneer in measuring and reporting smartphone sales in Australia and has been providing insights on mobile technologies since 2006.

About Telsyte

Telsyte is Australia’s leading emerging technology analyst firm. Telsyte analysts deliver market research, insights and advisory into enterprise and consumer technologies. Telsyte is an independent business unit of DXC.technology. For more information visit www.telsyte.com.au

Australian and New Zealand Robotic Process Automation market set to reach $870 million by 2020

May 30, 2017

Traditional people-centric processes increasingly being automated

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – Australian and New Zealand organisations are ramping up investment in robotic process automation (RPA) according to a new study from emerging technology analyst firm Telsyte.

The Telsyte ANZ Robotic Process Automation Study 2017 found the ANZ RPA market will grow strongly with a CAGR of 45 per cent from 2016 to 2020. The market is set to grow from $216 million in 2017 to $870 million by 2020.

RPA has many uses across industries with large customer support and request processing requirements, including insurance, banking, telecommunications and government. Finance and insurance operations are expected to be the fastest adopters of RPA in the short term.

Telsyte’s RPA maturity model classifies the organisation’s stage of RPA adoption – from not using RPA, to a mature, established use of RPA in the organisation. It shows most organisations are still at the basic stages of adoption.

RPA is now being used or investigated by 6 out of 10 ANZ organisations surveyed by Telsyte (businesses greater than 20 employees). Already 12 per cent are in production with a RPA strategy in place.

However, 38 per cent of organisations with more than 500 employees have active RPA programs already, showing automation is becoming a cornerstone of many business transformation strategies.

RPA maturity within Australian and New Zealand organisations

Source: Telsyte ANZ Robotic Process Automation Study 2017

Telsyte’s research investigated the role and impact of RPA, including:

Business roles most impacted
Existing BPO maturity and its impact on RPA adoption
Industry sector uptake forecast
Operations most expected to benefit from RPA
Assessment of procurement models
DYI and procurement preferences
Investment drivers and barriers

Telsyte Managing Director, Foad Fadaghi, says the business case for RPA is clear, but IT and business leaders need to look to partners that can understand their business problems and to improve efficiencies while generating a competitive advantage.

“RPA is not simply about cost cutting, it can drive innovation and change the way organisation’s conduct their business altogether” Telsyte Managing Director, Foad Fadaghi, says.

“A proof-of-concept is important for organisations to first understand the nature of processes that can be best solved through RPA, before progressing to an enterprise-wide strategy,” Fadaghi says.

“Equally important is to use of pilot programs to understand the change management requirements before a further roll out.”

Telsyte recommends organisations assess the processes to be automated by their level of complexity. Complexity has a positive correlation with automation costs and targeting lower-complexity processes initially can result in better initial returns.

Telsyte research shows 57 per cent of enterprises prefer to engage with an IT service provider for RPA solutions.

For further information on licensing the study or media enquiries contact:

Rodney Gedda
Senior Analyst
+61 2 9235 5891
Twitter: @rodneygedda
Email: rgedda@telsyte.com.au

In preparing this study, Telsyte used:

An online survey of a representative sample of CIOs and IT decision makers in Australia and New Zealand with 302 respondents completed in September 2016.
The research was conducted among businesses with more than 20 employees.
Interviews conducted with executives from software vendors, system integrators, hardware and big data software providers, as well as their channel partners.
On-going monitoring of local and global market and vendor trends.