500 models from 87 vendors, 120 for $150 or Less
Acuity analysis indicates nearly one billion biometric smartphones are currently in use representing 40% of the global smartphone market. Acuity expects this to grow to 100% of the two billion smartphones shipped annually within two years reaching 100% installed base penetration by 2022.
During 2014, 28 biometric smartphone vendors, most with single offerings, defined the market. Today, of the 87 vendors offering biometric smartphones, more than 30 offer at least six models and market leaders ZTE, Huawei, Lenovo, Samsung and Xiaomi have each introduced at least 20 models. At 7% model share, ZTE is in the top spot, followed by Huawei at 6.2%, and Lenovo, Xiaomi, and Coolpad each at about 4%. Samsung falls just below this threshold offering 3.4% of the biometric smartphone models. Another 22 vendors each offer at least 1% of the total number of models with the remaining 59 vendors collectively offering 35% of currently available biometric smartphone models
Though Android is the principal operating system powering 97% of all biometric smartphone models, Apple remains the dominant player capturing 45%-unit market share of the nearly one billion biometric smartphones in use today with just a handful of iPhone models.
In addition, biometric smartphone prices have dropped dramatically. The quarterly average price of a biometric smartphone decreased from $849 in Q1 2013 to $276 in Q4 2016. There are now 120 sub-$150 models on the market at an average price of $116, up from just 28 a year ago at an average price of $127
Acuity believes biometric smartphone growth will continue as mobile application security, particularly for financial services, requires biometric authentication, low-cost sensors drive down the cost of biometric integration, and consumers demand an end to password and pin based security.
Meanwhile, the Indian Government recently called on domestic handset manufactures to develop $30 smartphones. Integrating biometrics into smartphones at this price point would not only transform the Indian market of one billion, but would pave the way for mass replacement of traditional handsets across Asia, Africa, and the rest of the developing economies creating a globally available, universal biometric authentication platform.
Given these powerful market forces, Acuity is confident the market will achieve the 100% biometric smartphone penetration originally forecast for the end of 2018 in Acuity’s “Global Biometrics and Mobility Report.
Details available in the “Biometric Smartphone Update” spreadsheet which provides detailed information on every biometrics smartphone on the market including brand, model, biometric mode, sensor, OS, price, availability, and links to detailed specifications and reviews. Preview at www.acuity-mi.com/BSP.php.
“The Global Biometrics and Mobility Report” provides unit and revenue forecasts for biometric smartphones, tablets, and wearables, and biometric apps and payment. Preview at www.acuity-mi.com/GBMR_Report.php .