Indonesians want cheap but sophisticated phones

Durability and sophistication are the main aspects that Indonesians would generally put first, according to a study conducted jointly by research specialists MARS and local smartphone company Advan. The joint study assessed durability, battery capacity, price, screen resolution and memory among the specific factors that Indonesians seek in smartphones.
Telecommunications observer Hasnul Suhaimi outlined the general desires of Indonesian smartphone buyers, which revolves around affordability and sophistication.
According to his observations, average Indonesians tend to prefer smartphones that cost in the 2 million rupiah ($149) to 3 million rupiah range, but expect the highest standard of technology at the same time.
Currently, the largest price range in Indonesia is from 1.5 million rupiah to 3 million rupiah and about 95 per cent of the study’s 209 respondents said they expect phones in the 2 million rupiah range to have the same quality as an iPhone, which currently costs about 9 million rupiah (for an iPhone 6).
“In principle, people want things cheaper but more advanced, which in some cases is rather impossible,” said Hasnul, the former president director of telecommunications company XL Axiata.
“But smartphone manufacturers today are managing to crank out products that can match the very high-brand models that people are craving at affordable prices, so I think that the desires of the people can be met,” he said in a discussion recently.
Moreover, 56 per cent of respondents say they would switch smartphones within the first one or two years if they see another model that they want more, according to the study. Thirty-one per cent say that their reason for doing so is “to get with the times” and use the newest models rather than true necessity.
Another fact the study revealed is that in terms of connectivity, most respondents do not really see 4G/LTE as an important factor as much as a phone’s Wi-Fi capabilities.
This finding runs in contrast with the fact that many telecommunications operators are actively trying to encourage their users to migrate toward 4G network usage. With a smartphone penetration of 43 per cent, it has one of the most substantial markets in the region.