Hong Kong, London, Boston, Toronto, New Delhi, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – August 11, 2021
Thailandsmartphone shipments grew 18% YoY in Q2 2021, according toCounterpoint Research’s Monthly Thailand Channel Share Tracker. A slowly recovering economy after the second wave ofCOVID-19, availability of mid-tier 5G devices, and higher penetration of online sales drove smartphone volumes during the quarter.
Commenting on the factors that led to this growth,Senior Research Analyst Glen Cardozasaid, “Thailandwas reeling at the beginning of the quarter but the cases started to decline during late May and June. As a result, the authorities relaxedCOVID-19restrictions and opened parts of the country to tourists. This brought some relief to the economy and the impact was visible in the smartphone segment as well. However, the trend was short-lived. The cases have started to rise again. With only 11% of Thailand’s population vaccinated with at least one dose, we are seeing restrictions coming back in place.”
WhileOPPObecame Thailand’s leading smartphone brand in Q2 2021,Xiaomisaw the strongest growth due to its increasing offline reach, the introduction of the affordable5GNote series, and growth from its sub-brandPOCO. Xiaomi rose from the fourth position in Q2 2020 to share the second position withSamsungin Q2 2021. Samsung maintained its focus on the premiumGalaxy S-seriesand the affordable A-series throughout the quarter. Evenvivopushed its5Gmodels like the V21 5G and Y52 5G.
Online sharemade up 19% of the total shipments in Q2 2021 and the overall online volume increased by 50% compared to Q2 2020.E-commercesales continue to surge in Thailand this year for almost all product categories. As H1 2021 showed promise with an increase in smartphone shipments, online channels continue to aid volume distribution across the country.
Commenting on operator initiatives,Cardozasaid, “Thailand’s three mainoperators(AIS, TRUE, and Dtac) are racing to cover the country with5Gconnectivity. The fact that the number of 5G subscriptions went up in the last quarter itself is fuelling their initiatives. Dtac has been busy covering all provinces with its 700MHz spectrum while AIS has been partnering with other ecosystem players like OTT platforms to give more value in packages.”
Compared to last year’s 3%, 5G compatible smartphones made up 34% of the shipments inQ2 2021. This is set to increase by the end of 2021. Thailand has the highest proportion of 5G smartphones in the region. This is attributed to the swift rise of 5G infrastructure and telecom initiatives in the past year and a half. Top smartphone OEMs have been consistent with their 5G launches. Some of the models which are doing well are the OPPO Reno 5 series, vivo Y72 5G, Mi 11, Redmi Note 10 series, Samsung Galaxy S21 series, and therealmeNote 8 series.
Going forward, the resurgence in COVID-19 will dictate changes, if any, in Thailand’s Q3 smartphone shipments.
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.
Analyst Contacts:
Glen Cardoza
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