In an era of evolving technology and changing consumer demands, some smartphone giants have managed to maintain their market dominance. According to the latest report by London-based research firm Omdia, Samsung, Apple, and Xiaomi continue to hold strong positions in global smartphone sales. Here’s a comprehensive look at its key points.
Market Recovery Begins: After a period of stagnation, the global smartphone market is showing signs of recovery. The demand for smartphones, driven by remote work and online education during the pandemic, is once again on the rise.
Quarterly Growth: In the second quarter of 2023, smartphone sales started to rebound, with 266 million units shipped globally. The subsequent third quarter witnessed a remarkable 13% growth, bringing the total shipments to 301 million devices.
Year-on-Year Comparison: Despite the recent growth, smartphone sales still trail slightly behind the numbers from the same period in the previous year. Q3 2022 saw 303 million smartphone shipments, indicating a 0.7% decline in sales compared to last year.
Samsung’s Market Leadership: Samsung has consistently held the top position in global smartphone sales over the past year, with a 19% market share. The company has demonstrated resilience, maintaining its market share at around 20% even as sales volumes fluctuated. In Q3 2023, Samsung shipped over 58.8 million devices.
Apple’s Ascendancy: Apple secured the second spot in global smartphone sales, selling over 53 million iPhones in Q3 2023. The recent launch of the iPhone 15 has sparked significant demand, boosting Apple’s market share in smartphone sales to 18%.
Xiaomi’s Recovery: Xiaomi, represented by its brands Xiaomi, Redmi, and POCO, is making a comeback. It ranks third in global smartphone sales with a market share of 14%. Xiaomi has shown consistent growth for three consecutive quarters and sold over 41 million devices in the last quarter.
Challenges for OPPO, Vivo, and Realme: While Samsung, Apple, and Xiaomi maintained their market positions, OPPO faced an 8% decline in smartphone sales compared to the previous year. In Q3 2023, OPPO, including OnePlus devices, held a 9% market share with 26 million devices shipped. Realme experienced a sharp 22% decline in smartphone sales, selling 10 million devices in Q3 2023.
Vivo’s Performance: Vivo saw a 10% year-on-year decline, shipping over 22 million devices in Q3 2023 and maintaining a 7% market share. Although the results for OPPO, Vivo, and Realme varied, their combined market share as part of the BBK Group is 20%.
Impressive Growth for Transsion Group: The Transsion Group, encompassing Tecno, Itel, and Infinix, achieved a remarkable 48% year-on-year growth in smartphone sales. With a market share of 9% in the last quarter, the Transsion Group stands as one of the fastest-growing global brands, having sold over 26 million smartphones in Q3 2023.
Notable Performers: Brands like Honor, Motorola, and Huawei have reported strong sales numbers, with sales of over 15 million, 11 million, and 10 million smartphones, respectively. While their individual market shares remain at 4%, these companies have shown an average growth of 10% on a quarter-over-quarter basis.
Anticipating Further Recovery: Omdia’s report suggests that the smartphone market is gradually recovering. Leading companies are experiencing growth in smartphone sales on a quarterly basis. While overall smartphone shipments in 2023 are expected to be lower than in 2022, the industry is poised for a slow but steady resurgence in the coming quarters.
As the smartphone market reawakens, these key players will continue to shape its trajectory and define the future of mobile technology. Stay tuned for more updates as the recovery unfolds.
