Indonesia is now Southeast Asia’s fastest growing market for smartphones, according to market research firm Canalys.

The archipelago experienced a 17 percent growth from 2017 to 2018, while its neighbor Thailand experienced a 13 percent decrease in last year's fourth quarter.

“The smartphone market in Indonesia is the best in Southeast Asia,” Yudistira “Yudis” Nugroho, senior industry analyst at Tech & Telco Google Indonesia, told kompas.com. “According to Canalys, Indonesia is the rising star of the region's smartphone market.”

The smartphone market in Indonesia grew 20 percent throughout the year, spurred by its people's lifestyles and a growing economy.

“Indonesians who earn more money tend to focus on tertiary needs instead of primary and secondary needs,” said Yudis.

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He mentioned that according to a recent survey on smartphone search behavior during Ramadan, flagship smartphones were found to be the most-searched items when Idul Fitri holiday bonuses are paid. “The growth of flagship smartphones is higher than mid- or low-[end] smartphones,” Yudis said.

Another reason behind the growth was the rise of smartphone brands, either new or old, that keep innovating with new features. However, Yudis said that 55 percent of prospective buyers were confused by the current proliferation of brands and designs.

Additionally, the survey said that 69 percent of buyers prefer to purchase smartphones from offline stores as they needed to experience the product first before buying it. However, based on a Google survey, online purchases have grown rapidly and reached 30 percent in 2018.

“Thirty percent is [a big number],” said Yudis. “The growth can be considered as double from 2017 to 2019.” (wir/kes)