Global smartphone sell-through declined 8% YoY but grew 2% QoQ in Q3 2023.
Samsung led the market but declined YoY to reach its lowest quarterly level in the last decade.
A shorter period of iPhone 15 availability in Q3 led to a shift in demand to the next quarter.
The top five brands’ cumulative share declined in Q3 as challengers’ share grew.
HONOR, Huawei and Transsion Group were among the only top brands to record YoY growth
Global smartphone sell-through volumes fell 8% YoY in Q3 2023, the ninth consecutive quarter to record a decline, but grew 2% QoQ, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Pulse service. Volumes declined YoY largely due to slower than expected recovery in consumer demand. But the market’s QoQ growth, especially the positive performance in September despite one full week less of sales of the new iPhones, is likely a sign of positive news ahead.
Samsung continued to lead the global market, capturing a fifth of the total sales in Q3. The new generation of foldables received a mixed response, with the Flip 5 outselling its counterpart by nearly twice as much. However, Samsung’s A-series models remained market leaders in mid-price bands. Apple came in second with a 16% market share despite the limited availability of iPhone 15 series, which has been received well so far.
Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo rounded off the top five, with the three recording YoY declines. In Q3, all these brands worked towards strengthening their positions in key markets like China and India, while continuing to slow down expansionary efforts in overseas markets.
HONOR, Huawei and Transsion Group gained share and were among the only brands to record YoY growth in Q3. Huawei grew driven by the launch of the Mate 60 series in China, while HONOR’s growth was led by strong overseas performance. Transsion brands continued to expand while also benefiting from the recovery in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) market.
MEA was the only region to record YoY growth in Q3, owing to improvements in macroeconomic indicators. Most developed markets, like North America, Western Europe and South Korea, recorded steep declines. However, we expect most developed markets to grow in Q4 largely due to the delayed effect of the iPhone launch.
Following a strong September, we expect the momentum to continue till the year-end, beginning with the full impact of the iPhone 15 series along with the arrival of the festive season in India, followed by the 11.11 sales event in China and ending with the Christmas and end-of-year promotions across regions. In Q4 2023, we expect the market to halt its series of YoY declines.
However, the market is expected to decline for the full year of 2023, reaching its lowest level in the decade largely due to a shift in device replacement patterns, particularly in developed markets. Notably, the recovery of emerging markets before the global market and the growth of brands outside of the top five indicate the shifting dynamics and opportunities in the global smartphone market.
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media, and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects, and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
Expansion, Premiumization Drive Transsion’s Record Quarter
September 4, 2023
Transsion Holdings reported revenues of RMB 25.03 billion for the first half of 2023, registering a growth of 8.3% YoY. Net profit grew 27.2% YoY primarily due to better product mix (higher proportion of smartphones as compared to feature phones, with the former accounting for 92% of group revenues) and geographical expansion into higher-value markets.
Q2 2023 was the bright spot as revenues were up 30.7% while net profit grew 83.9%. It was the best quarter in Transsion’s history in both revenue and net profit terms. Gross margins also improved to 24.5%, up 2.4% from a year ago.
Much of Transsion’s turnaround in the key financial metrics above can be attributed to a rebound in macroeconomic fundamentals in the African home market and beyond. Most importantly, inflation rates have come down while food prices have stabilized. Local currencies have also found a stronger footing while several indebted countries across the emerging markets have managed to secure restructuring packages with lenders. As Africa’s most entrenched handset company, thanks to its deep channel penetration and marketing heft, Transsion once again benefitted the most from the upturn.
Transsion’s operating cost in H1 2023 increased 5% YoY as the company is ramping up its operations, particularly in newer markets. It has been aggressive with sales and marketing despite the cyclical downturn, with the spending on these activities increasing 23.6% YoY in H1 2023. R&D spending was also up 20.6% YoY to drive premiumization efforts and develop higher-value products to target the new markets. Costs attributed to management grew 6% YoY, whereas cash flow from operating activities turned positive, primarily due to the reduction in the cost of components and materials, as the company is reducing its inventory and moving towards a leaner operating model.According to Counterpoint Research, Transsion’s smartphone sales volume grew 3% YoY in the first half of 2023 and 17% YoY in Q2 2023 as demand for TECNO smartphones increased globally, especially in the company’s newer markets. This helped Transsion’s cash flow, as cash on hand increased 61% YoY to reach an all-time high of RMB 12.79 billion. The number of inventory days dropped further to 61, from 86 a year ago. Therefore, the inventory problem that has been troubling the company for the past year has successfully been managed.Much of Transsion’s financial successes can be attributed to its continued commitment to entering new markets. In Q2 2023, Africa accounted for 57% of Transsion’s smartphone sales volume, a net drop of 8% from a year ago. Outside Africa, Transsion smartphone sales grew 35% in Q2 2023, most notably in Latin America, Eastern Europe, India and Southeast Asia.
The reason for Transsion’s big increase in profitability is found in its ability to upsell to customers. Average selling prices (ASP) for Transsion smartphones rose by 14% YoY for two years in a row. The MEA region anchored the increase as a big expansion into the Middle East was the main factor. In a bid to replicate its success in Africa, Transsion has targeted the low end when entering new markets, but there is potential for the company to grow beyond the current level.
While Transsion continues to enjoy stable gross margins of around 30% in Africa, the company does face a more competitive landscape in the rest of the world, with gross margins of 15%-20%. However, there is room for improvement as the company continues with its premiumization strategy. In a recent interview, Transsion VP Qi Zhang said the company would be launching a flip foldable in September in another attempt to showcase its technical prowess in the premium segment.
Q3 Revenue Stays Resilient, But Profit Declines Sharply as Costs Balloon
December 13, 2022
Transsion Holdings has reported flat revenue growth for Q3 2022 at 12.9 billion RMB. However, net profit slumped 47.4% YoY due to macroeconomic headwinds, inventory destocking initiatives, competitive pressures, and higher R&D and market expenditure.
Transsion Group Quarterly Revenue and Net Profit Margin
Transsion’s Q3 smartphone shipments fell 18% YoY, as emerging market demand was hammered by macroeconomic concerns. Inflation rates ticked higher, continuing the pressure on lower-income consumers with high food and energy prices. Local currencies too continued to depreciate against the US dollar.
Despite the big drop in shipment numbers, Transsion’s revenues still achieved positive growth. This was due to a big increase in smartphone selling prices. TECNO and Infinix’s average selling prices (ASPs) rose 26% and 28% YoY respectively. Transsion was able to achieve this due to successful iterations of mainstream devices across TECNO and Infinix, while launching more sophisticated devices that have gathered popularity among aspiring switchers. On the other hand, bringing higher-value products to more mature markets in India and Southeast Asia meant higher contribution from higher-end products to the company’s revenue mix.
Transsion Group Financials Deep Dive – Sales, R&D and Inventory
Three items, in particular, caught our attention in Transsion’s Q3 report:
Inventory: Since the COVID-19 lockdowns, Transsion has moved decidedly away from the feature phone business and into the smartphone business. In parallel, inventory levels have also crept up, reaching an all-time high of 80% of quarterly revenues in Q2 2022, which caused discomfort for the management. In Q3, this level was brought down to a more manageable 57%, which put pressure on margins in the quarter but removed a significant uncertainty for future quarters, as the smartphone market is not expected to rebound until well into 2023.
Sales cost: Other than the cost of goods sold, sales costs represent the biggest cost item in Transsion’s income statement. In a year when Transsion has reported slowing revenue growth, its sales costs have increased significantly as the company paves the way for an aggressive expansion into other regions. Transsion will be hoping the global smartphone market recovers quickly in 2023, but its investment case could come into doubt if smartphone shipments and market share do not pick up meaningfully in its key markets in the next few quarters.
R&D: Transsion is spending heavily on R&D, which is an encouraging sign as the company aspires to move into higher-value smartphone segments and other smart device categories. We expect this trend to continue as the window of opportunity for entry-level devices narrows, considering device costs are expected to creep up, in line with the inflation rate.
Last quarter, we discussed Transsion’s stock options plan for 2022, which is linked to 2024 financial metrics. We expect the company to target 20-25% annual revenue growth rates for both 2023 and 2024. Much of this will depend on the company continuing to move up the smartphone value chain with 5G-capable devices, entry into IoT segments and monetization initiatives for its wide user base. Above all, the recovery of the global economy and smartphone market will be pivotal for Transsion as it gradually becomes more exposed to a wide range of different geographical locations.
Resilient Q2 Performance Driven by Pivot to Value, But Macroeconomic Challenges Remain
August 29, 2022
Transsion Holdings reported a 3.7% YoY increase in its Q2 2022 revenue to RMB 12.1 billion and a 4.5% YoY decline in net profit to RMB 1.04 billion. Considering the macroeconomic headwinds in Transsion’s core markets, the increase in revenue was a bright spot, especially compared with Q1 when the company posted a quarterly revenue drop for the first time since its market debut in September 2019.
Transsion Group Quarterly Revenue
Transsion’s Q2 smartphone shipments grew 4.1% YoY, an impressive performance despite a shrinking global market, which retreated 9% YoY during the quarter. Geopolitical tensions and high inflation rates have hurt the global smartphone market in general. Further, companies exposed to the low- to mid-end segments and emerging markets are more prone to secondary impacts, such as the strain on customers from high food and energy prices, weaker local currencies against the US dollar, and higher government taxes and levies on ‘non-essential’ imports like consumer electronics.
Transsion Group Q2 2022 Smartphone Shipments Analysis – Growth and Regional Contribution
Source: Counterpoint Market Monitor Service
Transsion defied these global trends through resilient performance in its Africa home market and strong growth in other regions, most noticeably in India and Southeast Asia. In both these regions, Transsion is ranked sixth in terms of shipments, helped by the company’s double-digit annual growth rate. Gaining a foothold in these new markets helps the company diversify its revenue sources and also allows the company to move up the pricing curve. According to Counterpoint’s Model Sales Service, Transsion’s smartphone average selling prices (ASP) increased 14% YoY, mainly driven by the success of the company’s TECNO and Infinix brands. The brands’ latest products received good market reception and are edging closer to the $150 mark.
Due to the increased pricing, Transsion’s Q2 normalized gross profit margin reached 22.9%, up 1.4% YoY, to reverse a six-quarter slump. However, the bottom line retreated, mainly due to a significant 40% increase in R&D spending. In our view, this is a positive sign that the company is moving out of its comfort zone of focusing only on pricing competitiveness in its African home market and committing to make more sophisticated products for the higher value markets.
Despite our positive commentary, we also recognize the significant challenges brought on by the macro environment, which is not likely to ease in the near term. In Q2 2022, we observed inventory challenges across handset and component makers, including Transsion. The company’s inventories reached RMB 9.6 billion as at the end of Q2, 27% higher than that in Q4 2021 and 73% more than in Q4 2020. Currently, inventory levels are 19% of the company’s 12-month trailing revenue, which could become an issue if it remains high or if revenue declines in the coming months.
We also note that the company’s recently announced stock options plan for 2022 is linked to its targeted 2024 financial metrics. The plan suggests that the company forecasts revenue and net profit to increase 15% and 32.25% respectively as a baseline case, or 20% and 44% respectively as a bull case by 2024. The targets are compared with the metrics from 2021, which was a strong financial year for Transsion, indicating that the company is extremely bullish about the next couple of years.
Growth Worries in Africa, India See First Revenue Drop Since COVID-19, But Diversification Efforts on Track
June 6, 2022
Transsion Holdings reported Q1 2022 earnings that saw revenues and net profit drop 1.8% and 7.6% YoY respectively. This is Transsion’s first revenue and profit drop since it went public in September 2019. The company’s performance during the quarter was impacted mainly by the stalled growth in its home market Africa and in India, which saw inflationary pressures hitting lower-income consumers significantly. Smartphone sales were down in the region for the first time since the pandemic. However, the company was cushioned by growth in other regions, and margins remained intact despite inventory build-up.
According to Counterpoint Research’s Market Pulse service, cumulative Transsion smartphone shipments reached 18.9 million units in Q1 2022. This was a small increase of 1.6%, the slowest YoY growth rate since the pandemic.
Transsion Group Quarterly Smartphone Sales
Source: Counterpoint Market Pulse Service
Looking further under the hood, there are significant regional disparities, however. In Africa, Transsion saw a 7% decline in smartphone sales in Q1 2022, mainly due to the inflationary impact on consumer sentiment. Most large African markets were already running double-digit inflation during 2021, but the Ukraine war had far-reaching consequences as food imports were hampered, affecting lower-income consumers more. Depreciating local currencies also put pressure on the company’s supply chain and margins.
In India, similar macro concerns and impact of the Omicron wave saw the smartphone market record the first Q1 drop ever. Here, Transsion smartphone sales dropped 22%. The market sentiment in India is expected to remain weak in Q2, but sales are likely to see growth due to the low base of Q2 2021 when the market was hit hard by the Delta wave.
On the other hand, Transsion had resilient performances in the Middle East and APAC, which show its diversification efforts are working. In both regions, the company is finding success in penetrating the entry-level segment in key countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh. Transsion’s 79% sales increase in APAC runs counter to the broader market. In the Middle East, the 18% sales increase is likely to extend further in 2022, as the region is expected to be the best-performing smartphone market due to the economic growth driven by oil revenue increases, mainly in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
Transsion Group Smartphone Sales by Region, Q1 2022 vs Q1 2021 (In million units)
Source: Counterpoint Market Pulse Service
Transsion’s normalized gross profit margins for Q1 2022 decreased to 21.4%, or 2% less than the same period in the previous year. Significant cost pressures persisted due to lingering supply chain disruptions, component shortages and high inventory levels. Rising revenues from other regions are also likely to cap the company’s margins, as it enjoys far higher margins in its home market Africa. However, Transsion now derives 87% of its revenues from the smartphone business, and as feature phone-to-smartphone migration continues for its emerging market customers, we see further room for the company’s revenues and margins to grow.
Transsion signs off 2021 in style: Smartphone market share continues to increase in emerging markets
April 28, 2022
Transsion Holdings reported 2021 results with revenues up 31.8% YoY and net profit up 45.5% YoY. These results were driven mainly by increasing smartphone sales and market share, which widened in the core African market, while achieving breakthroughs in key South Asian countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. IoT and internet services, which accounted for 6.5% of the group’s revenues in 2021, also saw robust triple-digit growth.
According to Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor service, cumulative Transsion handset shipments reached 184 million units in 2021, an all-time high. Smartphones, in particular, grew 61%.
Transsion Group Handset Shipment and Revenue Analysis
Sources: Counterpoint Market Monitor Service, Transsion Group financial statements
Transsion continued to do well in its home market Africa, where it already dominates with close to 45% share across its three brands. However, Africa accounted for only half of the shipment increases in 2021. In India, Transsion almost doubled its smartphone sales in one year, while the company is already the biggest smartphone OEM in Pakistan. As such, Transsion smartphone sales attributed to Africa decreased from 67% in 2020 to 56% in 2021. A widening geographical footprint, accompanied by an enriched portfolio, can help the company diversify its customer base and increase its technical prowess.
The company also reported surprisingly good revenue growth from other businesses. Revenues not attributed to handsets, which mainly include IoT and internet services, grew 68% YoY to RMB 3.2 billion. Their contribution to group revenues now stands at 6.5%. This is due to new products in the wearables, TWS, notebook and TV categories. But more importantly, Transsion’s ‘Matrix of Internet Products’ became meaningful growth engines. Apps under the Transsion umbrella saw installations increase 240% YoY, with three apps – Phoenix, Boomplay and Scooper (with MAUs of 100 million, 68 million and 27 million respectively) – becoming main gateways to the internet for African users. User and eventually revenue growth from apps will become ever more important factors in Transsion’s future strategy, particularly in Africa, as its handset business will inevitably hit road bumps in the future.
Transsion IoT & Internet Services Analysis
Source: Transsion Group Financial Statements
Transsion’s normalized gross profit margins decreased to 21.3% for the year, after staying above 23% for the first three quarters of 2021. There were significant cost pressures in the second half of the year, especially due to supply chain disruptions and component shortages. We expect these issues to gradually ease in 2022 as the supply and demand dynamics in the semiconductor industry improve, and supply chains become more resilient to shocks. However, foreign exchange fluctuations and inflationary pressures in key markets will be the new destabilizing factors for the company, as risks shift from the supply to the demand side in the wider global handset market.
Transsion handset sales, profit continue to improve despite cost pressures
November 24, 2021
Transsion Holdings reported Q3 2021 results with revenues up 16% YoY and net profit up 33% YoY. These positive results were driven once again by further pivoting to smartphone sales, especially in the core African market. According to Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor service, cumulative Transsion smartphone shipments surpassed 20 million units for the first time ever, coming in at 23 million. This represents a growth rate of 75% YoY.
Transsion Group Handset Shipment and Revenue Analysis
Sources: Counterpoint Market Monitor Service, Transsion Group financial statements
While feature phone shipment growth moderated in Q3 2021, the bulk of Transsion’s revenue growth was driven by smartphones. Heading into the Q4 holiday shopping season and 2022, we may see Transsion’s smartphone shipments overtake feature phones for the first time.
Over the past couple of years, as Transsion smartphones penetrated more markets, the average selling price (ASP) saw a noticeable increase. While the ASP showed a mixed trend in the second half of 2019, it increased decisively during 2020 and is showing no signs of slowing down in 2021. Looking at Transsion’s brands closely, TECNO, itel and Infinix saw ASP increases of 56%, 43% and 29% respectively over the past 18 months. These point to positive consumer sentiment and changing perception of digital and mobile services. More consumers in emerging markets now recognize that a decent smartphone is an important component of their daily lives.
Transsion Group Smartphone Average Selling Price ($)
Source: Counterpoint Handset Model Sales Service
Transsion’s normalized gross profit margins increased to 25.3% in Q3, compared to 25% in Q2 and 23% in Q1. The company managed to navigate the ongoing component shortages well and was able to pass upstream cost increases to consumers. Selling, General & Administrative (SG&A) expenses and financing costs dropped as well. Furthermore, ventures outside sub-Saharan Africa, including in higher value markets in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, contributed to higher profit margins. Profitability may increase further as the supply chain situation stabilizes in 2022.
Smartphone Sales and Profitability Double Boost as Company Diversification Efforts Gather Pace
September 30, 2021
Transsion Holdings continued to see strong performance in H1 2021 with revenues and net income growing 65% and 59% YoY respectively, driven primarily by surging handset sales in its home market Africa, as well as successful ventures in other developing countries. According to Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor service, cumulative Transsion smartphone shipments in H1 2021 reached a record high of 37.3 million, taking the company’s share in the global smartphone market to 5.5% from 3.5% a year ago.
Counterpoint Research – Market Monitor Service
Looking at Transsion’s overall product strategy, we can see that it is shifting materially from feature phones to smartphones in response to market changes. In 2019, 33% of the company’s handsets were smartphones, but in the latest quarter this number has gone up to 47%. In the company’s latest earnings release, smartphones account for over 80% of its revenues, a record high.
Transsion financial report, Counterpoint Research analysis
Commenting on Transsion’s commitment to smartphones, Senior Analyst Yang Wang said, “Transsion is rapidly transforming and upgrading its product portfolio. The move is driven by the accelerating demand for internet-capable phones in its home market Africa, where the COVID-19 pandemic showed the value of the internet to consumers who were forced to stay at home. The region’s internet and mobile money services are also gathering steam along with a significant drop in data costs. While all OEMs stand to benefit from the consumer’s shift, Transsion gains the most as its distribution and pricing strategies are most ready to tap into new consumer clusters, which previously did not consider buying a smartphone.”
Counterpoint Research – Market Monitor Service
Apart from product transformation, the other significant shift in the Transsion strategy is geographical diversification. Compared to two years ago, Transsion’s share of smartphone shipments in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region has dropped from 83% to 68%. On the other hand, shipments have increased rapidly in APAC countries such as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Thailand. India specifically has been the growth engine for Transsion, with shipments almost reaching 20% of the company’s global total in H2 2020, before the Delta wave halted the progress.
Commenting on Transsion’s moves in India, SeniorAnalyst Prachir Singh said, “Transsion brands, especially TECNO, have been focusing on a hybrid channel strategy in India, with an increased emphasis on online channels. This was executed with great success as Transsion brands contributed to 7% of the online smartphone market in India in Q2 2021, compared to 2% in Q2 2020. TECNO’s online smartphone shipments grew almost 20x YoY in Q2 2021, while itel increased its online share by launching online exclusive models like the Vision 1 Pro and A47. From a product positioning point of view, Transsion brands have been focusing on providing specs like higher display size, multi-camera capability and bigger battery, which are the top spec preferences for consumers in the sub-$150 segment.”
Going forward, Transsion’s fundamentals are expected to remain solid, as it continues to hold enormous clout in its Africa home market. Smartphone penetration will gradually expand, with new users continuing to be brought into the internet world. On the other hand, Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo are strengthening their market penetration efforts in certain African markets to address the medium-range segment (<$200). This price band is above Transsion’s typical playing field, so the newcomers are unlikely to affect its market share in the short term. However, we have seen in recent years Transsion’s effort to produce more premium phones and enter the <$200 price band. Therefore, there may be a time in the future when Transsion competes directly with the likes of Xiaomi, OPPO and vivo.
The Saudi Arabia smartphone market was among the few to record YoY growth in Q1 2023.
Even as many economies struggled in 2022 amid macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures, Saudi Arabia was bolstered by its highest oil revenues in decades, all-time-low unemployment rates, all-time-high non-oil economic activity and strong private consumption.
Among OEMs, Samsung and Apple continued to take over half of the total smartphone shipments in Q1 2023, with Samsung taking the #1 spot.
We expect the Saudi Arabia smartphone market to continue its growth momentum in 2023, with annual shipments likely to grow in low single digits.
The Saudi Arabia smartphone market was among the few to record YoY growth in Q1 2023, with shipments growing 26% YoY largely due to strong macroeconomic fundamentals, accelerating digitalization, and growing device financing options. In QoQ terms, the shipments grew 17% as OEMs filled channels for the Easter and Ramadan sales season, towards the end of the quarter.
Growth drivers
As many global economies struggled in 2022 amid macroeconomic and geopolitical pressures, Saudi Arabia was among the few to buck the trend. Bolstered by its highest oil revenues in decades as global oil prices soared, Saudi Arabia was the fastest-growing economy in 2022, with all-time-low unemployment rates, all-time-high non-oil economic activity and strong private consumption. PoS (Point of Sale) transactions, e-commerce activity and digital payments have also been on the rise in Saudi Arabia, all pointing to growing digitalization and private consumption. Some of the market momentum at the end of 2022 was carried into Q1 2023, especially after the economic boost provided by the FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the year-end and holiday season of Q4 2022.
Saudi Arabia Smartphone Shipments and 5G Share – Q1 2021 to Q1 2023
While the feature phone to smartphone migration has slowed down in Saudi Arabia, a growing digital economy and an aspirational customer have become key growth drivers. Commercial and private 5G use is also increasing in the country, pushing 5G smartphone sales. 5G technologies are a key part of Saudi Arabia’s digitalization and growth push under the Vision 2030 plan. The country has partnered with major 5G infrastructure players like Huawei and Ericsson, and 5G networks are now available in most major cities, covering around 80% of the country’s population. Saudi Arabia has also been hailed as a 5G pioneer in the region in terms of coverage, speed and consistency. 5G smartphone share remained above half of total smartphone shipments for the second consecutive quarter in Q1 2023 and is likely to grow further in 2023.
Competitive landscape
Saudi Arabia Smartphone Shipments by Top 5 OEMs for Q1 2021, Q1 2022, Q1 2023
Among OEMs, Samsung and Apple continued to take over half of the total smartphone shipments in Q1 2023, with Samsung taking the #1 spot. Xiaomi and Motorola were distant third, with HONOR rounding out the top five for Q1 2023.
Samsung grew YoY as its supply normalized in the region. The brand’s 5G models have been leading growth, especially the new affordable 5G M-series and A-series iterations. The Galaxy M53 was the best-selling Android device in the country in Q1. Samsung’s newest flagship Galaxy S23 series was shipped slightly earlier than the S22 series in 2022 to meet the pre-order demand triggered by aggressive marketing and promotions in the country, with most channels and offline stores participating.
Apple’s smartphone shipments nearly doubled YoY led by the popularity of its iPhone 14 series, especially the Pro versions, and as older models became affordable and available. Apple reached its highest-ever Q1 shipment share in Saudi Arabia in 2023. The brand has greatly benefitted from the rise of financing options, like the ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ model, in Saudi Arabia, making its devices accessible to a greater demographic. Besides, a rising mean wage and stable exchange rates increased the average Saudi Arabian consumer’s purchasing power in 2022. iPhones took four of the top five spots in the bestseller list for Q1 2023, with the iPhone 14 Pro coming out on top.
While Xiaomi’s shipments grew YoY in Q1, it lost share marginally, as Motorola and HONOR gained share driven by new launches. Xiaomi has been able to maintain share largely due to its broad portfolio across price bands, innovative marketing strategies, and a strong presence across both offline and online channels.
Motorola has been gaining share, led by its offerings in the $150-$249 price band, particularly its G series, which accounted for nearly three-quarters of its total sales in Q1. Motorola has benefitted from improved product availability, especially for new launches, and strong brand pull, especially for middle-income customers looking for upgrades to their lower-segment devices.
HONOR was among the fastest-growing brands in Q1, with its shipments more than doubling YoY. HONOR’s growth is largely due to focused expansion efforts, aggressive launch campaigns and an attractive mid-tier to high-end portfolio. HONOR has also benefitted from utilizing Huawei’s earlier distribution and channel relationships. The HONOR 70 and the X series were the top volume drivers for the OEM in Saudi Arabia for Q1 2023.
Smartphone sales grew YoY across all price bands in Q1 2023 but declined QoQ largely due to seasonality. All price bands except the premium band (≥$600) lost share YoY as consumers moved up the price bands. But the premium band was the fastest-growing band in Q1, led by Apple and Samsung. Apple captured around 85% of the total premium smartphone sales in Q1. The mid-tier ($100-$249) remained the largest price band in Saudi Arabia, capturing nearly half of the total smartphone sales in Q1, with Samsung and Xiaomi taking the top spots in the price band. The lower (<$100) segment grew YoY but, like other non-premium segments, lost sales share during the same period, as customers continued to buy higher-ASP devices with improving affordability and rising aspirations.
Market outlook
We expect the ASP of smartphones sold in Saudi Arabia to continue to rise in 2023, as wage rates improve, financing options become more accessible, and customers move towards better devices. Currently, Apple and Samsung remain best equipped to capture more share of the aspirational Saudi Arabia smartphone market, but the quest for the #3 spot continues. While Xiaomi remains comfortably in the #3 spot, other Android OEMs have been mounting pressure with bolder promotions and marketing activities and aggressive launch strategies. Motorola, HONOR and Transsion Group brands Infinix and TECNO are likely candidates outside the top three to capture market growth.
Going forward, we expect the Saudi Arabia smartphone market to continue its growth momentum, with annual shipments likely to grow in low single digits in 2023. Increasing 5G use, ramping up of digitalization, greater access to financing options and growing aspirations of customers are expected to drive growth.
Note:
ASP & Priceband Analysis done using Wholesale Prices
Global handset revenues declined 2% YoY and 15% QoQ to $95.8 billion in Q2 2022.
Global handset operating profits grew 6% YoY to $13.1 billion in Q2 2022.
The top five handset makers contributed around 80% of the total revenue.
OPPO*, vivo and Xiaomi saw double-digit YoY declines in their revenues.
Samsung and Apple’s revenues grew 25% and 3% YoY respectively.
YoY growth in operating profit was also driven by Samsung and Apple while the other three of the top five brands saw significant double-digit declines.
London, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Seoul, Beijing, San Diego, Buenos Aires – September 28, 2022
Global handset market revenues declined for a second consecutive quarter, falling 2% YoY and 15% QoQ to $95.8 billion in Q2 2022, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service. A fall in global handset shipments due to factors including Chinese lockdowns and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty caused the revenues to decline despite the average selling price (ASP) going up by 6% in the same period. Consequently, the annual operating profit growth of 6% corresponded with ASP growth rather than shipment decline, reaching $13.1 billion in Q2 2022.
Commenting on the overall market dynamics, Senior Analyst Harmeet Singh Walia said, “Global handset revenues capitulated under the burden of continuing shipment declines. But with global brands such as Samsung and Apple leading overall ASP growth and even some Chinese brands such as Xiaomi, Lenovo Group, HONOR, Huawei and Transsion Group working towards a shift to higher ASP devices in the past year, overall operating profit saw annual growth in the second quarter of the year. It is, nevertheless, important to set this growth in context. While handset makers’ upward shifts in price bands enabled some of them to increase profit margins (with the notable exception of Xiaomi), much of the annual growth can be attributed to a smaller base in the COVID-battered Q2 2021 rather than to consistent growth in operating profits through the quarters. Compared with the previous quarter, operating profits declined 29% after declining 26% QoQ in Q1 2021.”
Given that handset revenues as well as profits are largely driven by Apple, as can be observed through the disparity in revenue and profit share in the chart above, we expect a growth in both the aspects in the second half of the year.
Associate Director Jan Stryjak said, “Revenue growth in the second half of the year, when compared to the first half, is a near certainty due to the cyclical launch of the highly profitable and relatively economic downturn-resistant iPhone. But with geopolitical uncertainty worsening, inflation levels rising and fears of recession growing, the handset market is bound to get impacted and may take longer to return to the trajectory predicted prior to the pandemic.”
*Note: OPPO includes OnePlus since Q3 2021
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You can also visit our Data Section (updated quarterly) to view the smartphone market share for World, US, China and India.
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
New Delhi, Seoul, Hong Kong, Beijing, London, Buenos Aires, San Diego – August 24, 2022
Bangladesh’s smartphone market shipments declined 3% YoY in Q2 2022, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor Service. The market declined due to soaring inflation and rising commodity prices, which resulted in a weakened consumer purchasing power for electronics. However, Bangladesh performed well as one of the most stable economies in South Asia.
Commenting on the brands in the market, Senior Analyst Karn Chauhan said, “In Q2 2022, Xiaomi captured the top spot for the first time in Bangladesh’s smartphone market with a share of 28.8% and 134% YoY growth. Xiaomi’s growing offline presence, well-developed local manufacturing facility and a wide entry-level portfolio with features like larger display size, huge battery capacity and improved camera helped it to reach the top spot. Eid festivities also helped Xiaomi drive significant volumes. Going forward, the brand will continue to focus on offline expansion and adding more features to the entry-level segment.”
“Samsung’s newly added budget smartphones and their steady performance in the entry- and mid-price levels took the brand to the second spot with a 17.3% market share and 65% YoY growth. Samsung’s active promotions and marketing helped it remain in the top three despite falling from its first position in Q1 2022. vivo took third place with a 10.1% share driven by its strong omni-channel presence and ability to target a range of entry- and mid-level price bands,” he added.
Commenting on the market dynamics, Chauhan said, “Bangladesh’s smartphone market experienced a good start with Eid celebrations during April. The month contributed almost half of the quarter’s total shipment volumes. However, the volumes declined adversely in May and June due to smartphone costs rising by up to 10% on increasing component prices and the addition of VAT. OEMs are expected to increase smartphone prices by up to another 20% in the coming months.”
Bangladesh’s feature phone shipments declined 12% YoY, mainly due to the shift towards smartphones, which resulted in a 9% YoY decline in the country’s overall mobile handset market in Q2 2022. Symphony continued to be at the top position in Bangladesh’s feature phone market in Q2 2022, capturing a 17% share followed by itel and Nokia HMD.
Market Summary
Smartphone shipment penetration increased in Q2 2022 to nearly 48% of the overall handset market, up from 45% in Q2 2021.
More than 80% of the smartphones shipped in Bangladesh have been manufactured locally since 2020. Bangladesh’s smartphone market is now a mature market in terms of local manufacturing. It has the capacity to produce more than 2 million smartphones per month. Locally-made smartphones’ penetration is expected to cross 95% by next year.
5G smartphone shipments grew 20% YoY in Q2 2022 to take their share to 13% of total shipments, up from 6% in Q2 2021. Nearly 80% of all 5G smartphones shipped in Q2 2022 came from the top five brands.
Top 10 smartphone models captured 44% of the smartphone market in Q2 2022. Xiaomi took four spots on the list. Its Redmi Note 11 was the best-selling smartphone in Q2 2022, followed by Samsung’s Galaxy A13.
During the start of Eid sales in April, Xiaomi offered attractive installment schemes to smartphone buyers at zero cost of interest. For the Eid sales in June, Samsung provided up to 50% cashback on its complete mobile phone portfolio, as well as exchange option and no-cost EMI for up to 24 months. Brands like OPPO and vivo targeted the online audience during the festive season by launching various campaigns on leading e-commerce websites like Daraz and Pickaboo.
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media, and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects, and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
The global smartphone market declined by 9% YoY and 10% QoQ to 295 million units in Q2 2022.
This was the first time quarterly shipments dropped below 300 million units since Q2 2020 during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samsung was the only top-five smartphone brand to grow YoY, increasing shipments by 8% YoY and growing market share by three percentage points to 21%.
Apple’s shipments declined by 5% YoY in Q2 2022, although its share increased in a diminished market.
Xiaomi, OPPO* and vivo, hit by China lockdowns, suffered double digit YoY declines in their respective shipments.
London, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Seoul, Beijing, San Diego, Buenos Aires – July 29, 2022
The global smartphone market took a further dip in Q2 2022, with shipments declining by 9% year-on-year to reach 294.5 million units, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service. Deteriorating economic conditions were exacerbated by ongoing geopolitical uncertainty caused by the war in Ukraine, weakening an industry that hadn’t yet fully recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and chip shortages.
Commenting on the overall market dynamics, Associate Director Jan Stryjak said “the second quarter of 2022 proved challenging for the global smartphone market, with most vendors recording year-on-year shipment declines. Samsung was the only top-five vendor that managed to grow over the year, although this was largely due to Q2 2021 being a particularly poor quarter for Samsung thanks to COVID-related production issues, especially at its Vietnam factory. Nevertheless, Samsung retained the top spot, growing 8% year-on-year and gaining three percentage points of market share to 21%. Apple experienced a relatively small decline of 5% year-on-year due to macroeconomic headwinds, particularly in China. Shipments of Xiaomi, OPPO* and vivo, however, fell by 25%, 15% and 22% respectively.”
These top Chinese brands – facing lockdowns in China on top of a global economic slowdown – were hit particularly hard as the Chinese market fell to its lowest level in almost a decade. At the same time, they are being challenged more aggressively at home by a strengthened HONOR, while Huawei has also begun showing signs of recovery thanks to the trust that it still enjoys among Chinese smartphone users.
Senior Analyst Harmeet Singh Walia noted, “outside the top five, there was also a mixed bag of results. But the clear winner was HONOR, which became the sixth largest smartphone vendor globally (from eighth in Q2 2021) with year-on-year shipment growth of 79% in Q2 2022. This is primarily due to the re-establishment of the brand’s relationships with component players. Transsion Group’s brands TECNO and Infinix also posted shipment growth of 2% and 16% respectively over the year. Offering phones with enhanced design and improved specs paid dividends, as did their strategy to continue incentivising distributors while few other brands are doing so.”
Looking ahead, the challenges are likely to continue for the rest of the year. A pessimistic economic growth outlook with many countries on the brink of recession, ongoing and prolonged geopolitical uncertainty, rising commodity prices and weakening consumer demand for tech products are all impediments to the smartphone industry’s post-COVID recovery.
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech
MEA smartphone sales retreated 4% YoY in Q1 2022, mainly due to macro concerns.
Samsung sales dropped YoY but saw their market share rebound from the lows of H2 2021 due to renewed popularity of low-to-mid range devices.
Transsion brands saw their first sales drop since the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly due to weakness in Africa’s lower-segment markets.
New Chinese entrants Xiaomi and OPPO had a resilient quarter as the supply situation improved.
London, Boston, Toronto, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – June 8, 2022
Smartphone sales in the MEA (Middle East and Africa) region fell 3.7% YoY in Q1 2022, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Pulse Service. Sales were expected to drop during Q1, which is typically a soft quarter, but demand was also dented by geopolitical worries elsewhere and increasing pressure on consumers due to commodity and food price increases.
MEA Smartphone Unit Sales Share, Q1 2022 vs Q1 2021
Source: Counterpoint Research Market Pulse, Q1 2022 Notes: Xiaomi includes POCO and Redmi; OPPO includes OnePlus; Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding
Commenting on the performance of OEMs, Senior Research Analyst Yang Wang said, “Most key OEMs saw sales drop YoY, but this needs to be interpreted in the context of economic reopening in Q1 2021, which led to pent-up demand that manifested in an unusually high base effect. MEA leader Samsung saw sales and market share losses in Q1 2022, but this was a much more optimistic performance than what the numbers suggest. Despite lingering supply issues, Samsung’s new affordable A-series models proved to be popular in the region. Compared to other OEMs, the brand is best positioned in terms of supply chain and product mix, and we expect to see Samsung taking more market share from rivals in the next few quarters.”
“Transsion brands saw their market share increase from 28% to 29% in Q1 2022, but they also saw a sales drop of 7.5% YoY during the quarter, their first sales drop since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was mainly due to the weakness seen by itel, the brand that is skewed heavily towards entry-level, lower-income African customers. On the other hand, Infinix continued to grow strongly on the back of impressive performance of its mass-market models in the Hot and Smart series. Looking ahead, customer demand in Transsion’s home market Africa is a reason for worry. Local currency depreciation may also put Transsion’s price competitiveness under pressure.”
“Xiaomi and OPPO went through a tumultuous H2 2021 and are evidently still influenced by supply chain issues. But despite macro concerns, the two brands performed resiliently in Q1 2022. We expect their market share retreat to bottom out during the middle of the year.”
MEA Smartphone Sales YoY Growth Rate, Q2 2021-Q1 2022
Source: Counterpoint Research Market Pulse, Q1 2022
While growth has inevitably flattened across the MEA market in recent quarters, it is important to emphasize the regional differences within. In Q1 2022, the Middle East market managed to grow despite the economic headwinds. On the other hand, Africa is becoming a point of concern, having underperformed since H2 2021.
Since the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, markets across the world have been pegged back by inflationary and foreign currency pressure. But the Middle East is an exception, with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries benefiting from increased oil revenues. The IMF has revised upwards its 2022 and 2023 GDP forecasts for the region by 1%. With the resumption of tourism, migrant population movements and business travel, the region’s smartphone market is poised to be the outperformer for the rest of 2022.
Weakness in Africa may persist throughout the year, as food price increases will force consumers to pause spending on big-ticket items like smartphones. At the same time, high levels of inflation are not foreign to most consumers in Africa. Consumer sentiment will certainly be hit, but drastic lifestyle changes are unlikely. And given the trend of urbanization, digitization and smartphone adoption across the continent, we can expect the African market to resume growth after the current situation eases.
Counterpoint Research’s market-leading Market Pulse and Model Sales services for mobile handsets are available for subscribing clients.
Feel free to contact us at press@counterpointresearch.com for questions regarding our in-depth research and insights.
You can also visit our Data Section (updated quarterly) to view the smartphone market share for World, USA, China and India.
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
The global smartphone market declined by 7% YoY and 12% QoQ to 328 million units in Q1 2022.
While Samsung’s shipments declined 3% YoY, it was the only top-five smartphone brand to grow QoQ. Its market share rose to 23% from 19% last quarter, resulting in Samsung taking the top spot from Apple in Q1 2022.
Apple’s shipments declined by 1% annually to reach 59 million units in Q1 2022. This was after an expected seasonal quarterly shipment decline of 28%.
Xiaomi, OPPO* and vivo’s component struggles continued, causing a quarterly and annual decline in their respective shipments.
New Delhi, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, Beijing, San Diego, Buenos Aires – April 29, 2022
The global smartphone market declined by 7% YoY, shipping 328 million units in Q1 2022, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitorservice. The decline was caused by ongoing component shortages, as well as COVID resurgence at the beginning of the quarter and the Russia-Ukraine war towards the end. The global smartphone market also, as expected, had a seasonal decline of 12% QoQ.
Commenting on the overall market dynamics, Senior Analyst Harmeet Singh Walia said, “the global smartphone market presented a mixed bag in the first quarter of 2022. Samsung seems to have overcome component shortages that affected its supply last year, as evidenced by higher-than-expected growth in its shipments despite a late flagship launch. Major Chinese OEMs such as Xiaomi, OPPO* and vivo, meanwhile, faced a greater component supply crunch, resulting in their shipments falling by 20%, 19% and 19% YoY respectively.”
Samsung shipped 74 million units in Q1 2022, down just 3% YoY, and was one of only two top-five smartphone brands to come close to its pre-pandemic Q1 shipments. While its flagships were launched towards the end of February (a month later than last year) and at a price higher than the previous S21 series (despite lower BOM costs), customers responded well, driving a 7% QoQ shipment growth.
Apple’s global smartphone shipments remained flat compared to Q1 2021 at 59 million units in Q1 2022. This was driven by strong demand for iPhone 13 series and the early launch of its first 5G-enabled SE Series which, even in a contracting market, helped push Apple’s market share to 18%, up from 17% in Q1 2021. Its quarterly shipment decline of 28% is primarily due to seasonality.
Xiaomi’s global smartphone shipments declined by 20% YoY to 39 million units in Q1 2022, with its market share falling to 12% from 14% in the same quarter last year. This was caused by the relatively weak performance of the Redmi 9A and 10S smartphones, along with chip shortages that are hurting Xiaomi more severely than other vendors. Xiaomi was also unable to benefit from the Chinese New Year shopping festival, with its share of the world’s biggest smartphone market falling to under 15% (down from over 16% both in the last quarter and in the same quarter of last year).
OPPO’s* shipments declined by 19% YoY and 9% QoQ to 31 million units in Q1 2022 due to supply-side constraints resulting from the ongoing component shortages. Being offline focused and with few new major recent launches, OPPO’s shipments were affected more acutely during the Omicron wave, especially in its key markets such as India. Consequently, its market share fell to 9% from 11% in Q1 2021.
vivo also declined by 19% YoY and 3% QoQ with its market share falling to 9% in Q1 2022 down from 10% in the same quarter last year. vivo, like OPPO, has been facing component shortages more severely since the end of last year. There has also been greater competition in the mass market which is a key driver of vivo’s shipment volumes. Therefore, despite performing well in China where it replaced Apple as the top smartphone brand, it saw a decline in global shipments.
Research Director Jan Stryjak noted, “while component shortages are expected to ease soon, the Russia-Ukraine war poses a new challenge to the recovery of the global smartphone market. In Q1 2022, the war had little impact on global smartphone shipments. Although Samsung and Apple withdrew from the Russian market in early March, the consequences are, at the moment, relatively small on a global scale. The two vendors make up around half of Russian smartphone shipments, but their combined shipments in Russia account for less than 2% of total global smartphone shipments. However, the impact of the war may develop wider ramifications if it leads to a drop in availability of raw materials, a rise in prices, further inflationary pressure and/or other vendors withdrawing from Russia.”
Other Key Trends:
HONOR’s shipments grew by 148% YoY to 16 million units in Q1 2022 as it continued rebuilding supplier relationships post its separation from Huawei. It also saw a 7% QoQ shipment growth despite a seasonal contraction of the global smartphone market. Consequently, its market share rose to 5% this quarter, up from 4% in the last quarter and 2% in the same quarter last year. It also did well in its home country of China where it is among the fastest-growing smartphone brands.
realme shipped 14.5 million units in Q1 2022, up 13% YoY. This was driven by realme’s expansion in the overseas markets, especially in Europe where its shipments grew by 163% YoY. At the same time, its global shipments have declined by 30% QoQ after a record quarter while its European shipments have taken a smaller hit of 7% caused by the Russia-Ukraine war. In India, realme was the only brand among the top five players to experience YoY growth (40%) in Q1 2022. It captured the third spot during the quarter.
Transsion Group, which includes Tecno, Infinix and itel, continued its strong performance with a 23% annual growth. This was driven primarily by Infinix, which grew by 76% YoY and 4% QoQ with its shipments increasing in India, the rest of Asia Pacific and Middle East and Africa. Tecno’s shipments also grew by 28% YoY while itel fell by 3%.
*Note: OPPO includes OnePlus since Q3 2021
Feel free to reach us at press@counterpointresearch.com for questions regarding our latest research and insights.
You can also visit our Data Section (updated quarterly) to view the smartphone market share for World, US, China and India.
Some of our latest regional smartphone market analyses:
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech
MEA smartphone sales grew 15% YoY in 2021, marking the best year ever for the market.
Samsung continued to top the market, though its lead was reduced due to supply chain and product availability issues.
Transsion brands accounted for 32% of the market. TECNO solidified its second position by capturing a market share of 13%. Its sales increased 48% YoY.
New Chinese entrants Xiaomi and OPPO performed well, but their growth slowed in the second half of the year due to supply issues.
London, Boston, Toronto, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – February 8, 2022
Smartphone sales in the MEA (Middle East and Africa) region grew 15% YoY in 2021, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Pulse service. After crossing the post-pandemic phase of pent-up demand, smartphones remained in high demand throughout the year, despite the market facing many difficulties, including macroeconomic worries, supply chain issues and the emergence of new COVID-19 variants. Growth was seen across all areas and consumer groups, underpinning the accelerating adoption of digital services in the region.
MEA Smartphone Unit Sales Share, 2021 vs 2020
Source: Counterpoint Research Market Pulse, Q4 2021 Notes: Xiaomi includes POCO and Redmi; OPPO includes OnePlus; Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding
Commenting on the performance of OEMs, Senior Research Analyst Yang Wang said, “All major brands except Samsung saw annual volume growth of more than 20%. Samsung was hampered throughout the year, having to deal with product availability issues due to factory closures in Southeast Asia and component shortages. However, the company kept its number one position in the MEA after seeing a recovery during the Q4 shopping season. It is expected to face a less dramatic 2022.”
“The Transsion brands, namely TECNO, Infinix and itel, continued to gain strength to record another fantastic year. The three brands together accounted for 32% of the smartphones sold in 2021, up from 24% in the previous year. Mass-market models from TECNO and Infinix have been a big hit, while more pricey models have also been positively received. More importantly, the Transsion brands have found success away from the African home market. Their market share in the Middle East almost doubled in 2021, while sales increased 127%.”
“Xiaomi and OPPO started the year strongly due to substantial investments in channel penetration and product availability. However, both were hit hard in the second half of the year by component shortages. While the situation has improved somewhat, the two brands are likely to take a more careful approach in the first half of 2022.”
Smartphone Unit Sales Breakdown Within MEA, 2021 vs 2020
Source: Counterpoint Research Market Pulse, Q4 2021 Notes: Xiaomi includes POCO and Redmi; OPPO includes OnePlus; Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding
While growth was evident across the MEA region, the Middle East did the heavy lifting both in terms of volume and value. Governments in both Africa and the Middle East did generally well in combating the pandemic, but vaccination rates were far higher in the Middle East. Africa was also hamstrung by the emergence of new COVID-19 variants. This meant that the Middle East saw a quicker reopening of the international travel and services sectors. Both Africa and the Middle East benefitted from the commodities boom, but Africa faced higher inflationary pressures due to governments being in worse fiscal positions during the pandemic. As such, smartphone affordability was a bigger issue for Africa, especially in the lower-priced segment, as lower-income consumers struggled more. Despite this, smartphone market fundamentals remain strong across the MEA as consumers continue to adopt digital services.
Counterpoint Research’s market-leading Market Pulse and Model Sales service for mobile handsets is available for subscribing clients.
Feel free to contact us at press(at)counterpointresearch.com for questions regarding our in-depth research and insights.
You can also visit our Data Section (updated quarterly) to view the smartphone market share for World, USA, China and India.
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
India’s smartphone market revenue crossed $38 billion in 2021 with 27% YoY growth.
Xiaomi led the market with a 24% shipment share.The brand also reached its highest ever share in the premium segment (>INR 30,000, ~$400) with 258% YoY growth.
Samsung registered its highest ever retail ASP in 2021. The brand led the INR 20,000-INR 45,000 (~$267-$600) price segment with a 28% share.
OnePlus registered its highest ever shipments in India in 2021 and led the affordable premium segment (INR 30,000-INR 45,000, ~$400-$600).
5G shipments registered 555% YoY growth in 2021. vivo led the 5G smartphone shipments in 2021 with a 19% share.
Among the top fivebrands in 2021, realme was the fastest growing brand. It captured the second position in Q4 2021 for the first time.
New Delhi, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, Beijing, San Diego, Buenos Aires – January 31, 2022
India’s smartphone shipments grew 11% YoY to reach 169 million units in 2021, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service. However, the shipments declined 8% YoY in the December quarter due to supply issues plaguing the smartphone manufacturing ecosystem.
Commenting on the market dynamics, Senior Research AnalystPrachir Singh said, “The Indian smartphone market witnessed high consumer demand in 2021, making it the best-performing year. This feat came in a year that witnessed supply constraints due to a multitude of reasons – a second and more virulent COVID-19 wave, global component shortages and price hikes due to these shortages. The high replacement demand fuelled by increasing smartphone affordability in the mid and high-price tiers due to promotions and discounts, as well as better financing options, led to an 11% YoY growth in 2021. The demand outstripped the supply in the last two quarters of 2021. During Q4 2021, the smartphone market declined 8% YoY. We expect the supply situation to get better going forward and reach normalcy by the end of Q1 2022.”
Commenting on the competitive landscape and pricing, Research Analyst Shilpi Jain said, “India’s smartphone market retail ASP (average selling price) grew 14% YoY in 2021 to reach its highest ever at $227. The price hikes in the budget segment due to component price rise, increasing focus of OEMs on the premium segment, and increased demand for mid-range and premium smartphones due to increasing uses and availability of financing options contributed to the increasing ASP. This resulted in the Indian smartphone market revenue crossing $38 billion in 2021, registering a growth of 27% YoY.”
On the developing manufacturing ecosystem, she added, “Local manufacturing bounced back, contributing 98% shipments in 2021, compared to 90% in 2020. The PLI scheme has been a great booster for the Indian mobile manufacturing ecosystem, attracting top players like Apple and Samsung to increase their ‘Make in India’ footprint and make India their export hub. Therefore, handset exports saw 26% YoY growth in 2021. Seeing the PLI scheme’s success in the mobile manufacturing ecosystem, the government has launched similar schemes for different product verticals like CIOT and IT hardware.”
Source: Counterpoint Research Market Monitor, Q4 2021 Note: Xiaomi’s share includes the POCO brand
Source: Counterpoint Research Market Monitor, Q4 2021 Note: Xiaomi’s share includes the POCO brand
India’s overall mobile handset market grew 7% YoY in 2021. Samsung captured the top position in the handset market in 2021, taking 17% share. Feature phone shipments reached 86 million units to show flat growth in 2021. itel led the feature phone market, taking 24% share followed by Lava, Samsung and Jio. itel has been leading the feature phone market for the last two consecutive years.
Source: Counterpoint Research Market Monitor, Q4 2021 Note: Xiaomi’s share includes the POCO brand
Source: Counterpoint Research Market Monitor, Q4 2021 Note: Xiaomi’s share includes the POCO brand
Market Summary:
Xiaomi maintained the top position in India’s smartphone market in 2021 with 2% YoY growth. Component shortage in the second half of the year, which affected volumes in the mass market segment, led to slower growth.Xiaomi grew 258% in the premium segment (>INR 30,000, ~$400) in 2021 with the Mi 11x series. Going forward, it will keep focusing on the premium segment and offline expansion.
Samsung remained at the second position in 2021 with an 8% YoY decline in shipments. Supply chain disruptions, absence of new Note series, reduced focus on the entry-level segment and fewer launches in the mid segment compared to the previous year led to an overall decline.However, Samsung was the top brand in 5G smartphone shipments in Q4 2021. Its campaign on providing maximum bands in 5G smartphones facilitated this growth. It also led the INR 20,000-INR 45,000 (~$267-$600) segment with a 28% share. Samsung’s foldable device (Fold and Flip series) shipments grew 388% YoY in 2021.
Among the top five brands, realme was the fastest growing in 2021 with 20% YoY growth.It also captured the second spot in Q4 2021 for the first time ever. Switching to ‘Unisoc’ to manage component shortages, production expansion through partnerships with EMS, focus on the premium segment with newly launched ‘GT series’ and high demand for its revamped C series and Narzo series favored this high growth for realme. Going forward, realme is aiming to provide 5G in all smartphones priced above INR 15000 (~$200). It also plans to enter the ultra-premium segment.
vivo emerged as the top 5G smartphone brand in 2021 with a 19% share. It grew 2% YoY in 2021 driven by a strong performance of its Y series and V It remains the leading player in the offline segment while simultaneously strengthening its hold in the online segment through its sub-brand iQOO.
OPPO held the fifth position in 2021 with 6% YoY growth. It now has a leaner portfolio in the budget segment as it is focusing on the upper, mid and premium segments. In the premium segment, it was the fastest growing brand in 2021.
Transsion Group brands (itel, Infinix and TECNO) registered 55% YoY growth in 2021 and crossed 10 million shipments for the first time ever in a single year. They also maintained their third position in the overall handset market, with itel being the largest player in the feature phone market.Aggressive launches with a strong value proposition, strong demand in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and hybrid channel strategy were some of the factors behind this growth.
Apple was one of the fastest growing brands in 2021 with 108% YoY growth in shipments. It maintained its lead in the premium segment (>INR 30,000, ~$400) with a 44% share.Aggressive offers during the festive season, strong demand for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 and increased ‘Make in India’ capabilities drove high growth. We expect strong momentum for Apple in 2022 as well with increased manufacturing and retail footprint.
OnePlus reached its highest ever shipments in 2021, crossing the 5-million mark with 59% YoY growth driven by the OnePlus Nord Series. It led the affordable premium segment (INR 30,000-INR 45,000, ~$400-$600).It also captured the second position in the premium segment (>INR 30,000, ~$400) with a 19% share. Camera innovations will be a key focus for OnePlus in 2022.
Note: OPPO excludes OnePlus shipments in this publication as the integration is still in process at the regional level. We have already integrated OPPO and OnePlus shipments at the global level.
The comprehensive and in-depth 2021 Market Monitor is available for subscribing clients. Feel free to contact us at press@counterpointresearch.com for questions regarding our latest research and insights.
The Market Monitor research relies on sell-in (shipments) estimates based on vendors’ IR results and vendor polling, triangulated with sell-through (sales), supply chain checks and secondary research.
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
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Much of Transsion’s financial successes can be attributed to its continued commitment to entering new markets. In Q2 2023, Africa accounted for 57% of Transsion’s smartphone sales volume, a net drop of 8% from a year ago. Outside Africa, Transsion smartphone sales grew 35% in Q2 2023, most notably in Latin America, Eastern 
Saudi Arabia Smartphone Shipments by Top 5 OEMs for Q1 2021, Q1 2022, Q1 2023
Given that handset revenues as well as profits are largely driven by Apple, as can be observed through the disparity in revenue and profit share in the chart above, we expect a growth in both the aspects in the second half of the year.
Source: Counterpoint Research Market Monitor, Q4 2021
