Taiwan Mobile Co (台灣大哥大), the country’s second-largest telecoms operator, expects smartphones to account for a higher share of its total mobile phone sales this year, an executive said yesterday.
“We plan to buy 1.4 million to 1.5 million mobile phones this year, with smartphones accounting for a 65 percent share of that amount,” Sean Hsieh (謝樹恩), vice president of Taiwan Mobile’s acquisition and terminal marketing division, said at a promotion event.
Taiwan Mobile also plans to purchase 70,000 to 80,000 tablet computers this year as they are gaining in popularity, he said.
Hsieh said a total of 7.5 million to 8 million smartphones are expected to be sold in Taiwan this year, while tablet sales are expected to hit 850,000.
Taiwan Mobile is set to open 60 new stores this year, adding to its current 265 stores, he said.
In terms of sales projections for the Lunar New Year holiday, Hsieh said that daily sales of smartphones and tablets are expected to be 1.3 to 1.4 times higher than normal.
He expects revenue to grow by between 20 percent and 30 percent during the Lunar New Year holiday.
Separately, Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信), the nation’s largest carrier, said it also plans to increase its smartphone purchase ratio from between 35 percent and 45 percent last year to 55 percent this year, with the total mobile phone purchases reaching 2 million.
Far EasTone Telecommunications Co (遠傳電信), the No. 3 mobile provider, said it would buy 1.45 million phones, with smartphones accounting for 70 percent, up from 65 percent last year.
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