Interest in Apples iPhone 4 drops as free HTC smartphones tempt UK consumers

A new report from price comparison website uSwitch shows that as UK consumers look to tighten their spending, they are increasingly turning to free mobile deals that include smartphones from HTC and Samsung, leading to a drop in interest in Apples iPhone 4.

The Mobile Tracker from uSwitch, which ranks the UKs favourite mobile handsets based on live searches and sales, shows HTCs Desire, Desire HD and Wildfire occupying the top three positions, with half of the most popular smartphones running Googles Android mobile operating system.

The HTC Wildfire has proved popular with consumers, offering the full Android experience for a low price but the HTC Desire has remained consistent, holding the top spot with its powerful hardware despite launching nearly a year ago.

Apples iPhone 4 is perhaps the most desirable smartphone on the market but its high price and lack of competitive deals has seen it slip to number six in the uSwitch Mobile Tracker, as operators drive their handset and contract prices down to remain competitive.

The top ten handsets:

  • HTC Desire
  • HTC Desire HD
  • HTC Wildfire
  • Blackberry Curve 8520
  • Samsung Galaxy S
  • Apple iPhone 4 (16Gb)
  • Motorola DEFY
  • Sony Ericsson S500i
  • Samsung G800
  • Samsung i600

    • Ernest Doku, technology expert at uSwitch.com, comments:

    HTC has outsmarted the smartphone market by customising its handsets at a range of pricepoints as seen by the Wildfire acting as an aspirational Desire. Its clever marketing. Android phones have well and truly pipped Apple to the post. But, with just a couple of monthsuntil Apple is expected to give details of its next offering, its almost a dead cert that they willsoon lead the way again in the race for smartphone dominance.

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