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Under-30 South Korea Survey: 85% Bought Android as First Phone; Now 53% on iOS

About 85% of South Korean smartphone users aged less than 30 had an Android phone as their first smartphone, but 53% of them now use iPhones.
The biggest reason for these Android phone users to switch to iPhones was expectations related to performance, particularly the camera.
On the other hand, 92% of users in the same age group who used an iPhone as their first smartphone are currently using an iPhone.

About 85% of South Koreansmartphoneusers aged less than 30 used Android phones such as Samsung and LG as their first smartphones, according to a consumer survey conducted by Counterpoint Research among 1,000 users in the first half of 2023. However, about 53% of them said that they were currently using an iPhone, suggesting that many Android phone users had switched to iPhones during replacement.

The reason why Android phones account for a very high proportion of first-time smartphone purchases inSouth Koreais that most users in that age group, particularly adolescence, give priority to the preference of those with real purchasing power, such as parents, when buying their first smartphone. During the survey, the largest number of respondents opted for “Recommendation from family or friends” when asked why they used an Android as their first smartphone.

Smartphone OS Switching Pattern in South Korea

Source: Counterpoint Smartphone User Experience by OS in Korea Report, H1 2023

As for the reason for switching from an Android phone to an iPhone, respondents cited “Performance” (32%) and “Brand image” (31%) as the first and second priorities. In particular, in terms of performance, satisfaction and expectation with the camera had the greatest impact on the purchase decision. Apple operates a number of R&D centers specializing in imaging technology and is evaluated to have maximized the camera performance of its devices by achieving good harmony between hardware and software. Besides, Apple recently launched a campaign called ‘Shot on iPhone’ in the South Korean market. The campaign emphasizes the iPhone’s camera performance through collaboration with a music video by Korean girl group NewJeans and a short film by director Park Chan-wook.

Source: Apple

According to the survey, in the <30 age group user base, Apple seems to have succeeded in solidifying the loyalty of existing iPhone users as well as switchers from Android phones. 92% of users who owned an iPhone as their first-eversmartphonesaid they were still using the brand. Furthermore, about 76% of them said they were not willing to use Android phones in the future. The respondents cited dissatisfaction with Android phones’ “Design” (52%) and “Performance” (29%) as reasons.

When considering all age groups, more than half of the respondents who said they switched from iPhone to Android cited easy-to-use features such as Samsung Pay and UI as the differentiating factors. These answers were similar to those of current iPhone users, who said they were willing to replace their devices with Android smartphones in the future. Therefore, to attract new users and secure loyal customers, marketing strategies that focus on user convenience are expected to be effective for Android smartphone brands.

China’s <$150 Smartphone Market Posts Surprising Surge in Q1 2023

China’s entry-level segment (<$150) rose 22% YoY in Q1 2023, despite a decline in the overall domestic smartphone market.
Demand in the segment appears resilient as smartphones in China are a necessity for payments and job-related tasks.
Due to falling manufacturing costs, OEMs are offering more features in the <$150 segment, such as 5G.
Demand for entry-level products may continue but will decrease over time as customers move toward higher price segments.

China’s smartphone market is witnessing a surprising shift in the landscape. InQ1 2023,China’s overall smartphone market fell 5% YoY. However, going against the grain, the entry-level segment (<$150 wholesale price) increased significantly by 22% YoY during the quarter, according to Counterpoint’s China Quarterly Smartphone Report.

Over the years,Chinese OEMshave been mostly targeting the premium segment. Android smartphones have actively pushed the trend ofpremiumizationin China, hoping to capture more market share from established players like Apple in the ultra-premium (>$800) segment. Nevertheless, Apple’s market share has continued to grow, reaching its highest in recent years.

Source: Counterpoint Market Pulse Service

The surprising rise in the entry-level price band in Q1 2023 serves as a reminder of the segment’s resilience. In China, people are increasingly reliant on smartphones as the digitalized society accepts mobile payments almost everywhere. Smartphones have become a necessity for finding jobs or working for the gig economy in areas such as food delivery and car chauffeuring.

Looking at historical data, China’s entry-level segment reached its peak in 2020 during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic when the smartphone penetration rate increased as the government promoted non-contact services. People also needed smartphones to register and scan their health codes when visiting public spaces.

Source: Counterpoint Market Pulse Service

However, in the following year, the chip shortage led to a rapid increase in manufacturing costs for smartphones. OEMs had a hard time introducing major updates in entry-level price band smartphones, resulting in fewer choices for customers. Meanwhile, OEMs were more focused on the high-end segment where profit margins are typically higher.

Manufacturing costshave now declined over the past few quarters, allowing OEMs to introduce specification upgrades in the entry-level segment. One notable upgrade is the inclusion of 5G features, with several 5G models now available in the segment.

We do not expect most customers will replace their smartphones with cheaper ones priced below $150 considering the difficult macroeconomic situation. Customers are likely to hold on to their current smartphones longer. The replacement cycle in China has now exceeded 40 months.

Moreover, we expect the average selling price of smartphones to increase again by the end of 2023 as Android OEMs continue with their premiumization strategy and as foldable smartphone shipments continue to increase.

Demand in the entry-level segment is expected to persist in the future, as certain consumer groups may continue to prefer products in this price range. Apart from lower-income groups, which may decrease in size over time as the economy develops, teenagers and senior citizens may still opt for entry-level smartphones. This is because senior citizens typically are not very interested in technology products, and parents of teenagers often choose entry-level devices to limit their children’s smartphone usage.

When designing future smartphones in the entry-level segment, OEMs should consider adding group-focused features and specifications such as screens that reduce eye strain, easy parenting controls and stronger checks against fishing or click-bait ads. Such features would address the concerns of consumers in this segment and also draw in more customers.

Philippines Smartphone Shipments Fall 9% YoY in Q1 2023; realme Leads

realmeled the market with a 21% share, followed closely bySamsungat 20%.
Shipmentsin the $200-$400 and $400-$600 price bands22% and 24% YoY respectively.
Premium (>$600)smartphone shipments witnessed a 14% YoY growth.
In the $200-$400 price band, 5G smartphone shipments increased by 20% YoY.

Jakarta, London, Boston, Toronto, New Delhi, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – May 26, 2023

Smartphone shipments in the Philippines experienced a decline of 9% YoY in Q1 2023, according to Counterpoint Research’s latestMonthly Philippines Smartphone Tracker. The decline was driven by high inflation during the quarter, which impacted consumer sentiment and purchasing power. Q1 2023 also saw high inventory levels as fewer consumers bought smartphones after the festival season in Q4 2022 and as inflation climbed up.

Note: Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding

Source: Counterpoint Monthly Philippines Tracker, Q1 2023

During the quarter, realme captured 21% of themarketto overtake Samsung as the top brand. The major reason for this was Samsung’s 33% YoY decline, which helped realme reach the top spot. Other factors included offers on realme’s C series smartphones as part of its Lazada 2.2 sale. The realme 10 was also one of the top-performing models for the brand. Samsung’s Galaxy A14 5G, A04 and A04e were the best performers for the brand. But due to high inventory levels, Samsung’s overallshipmentsdecreased.

The brands which witnessed YoY growth includedInfinix(59%),Xiaomi(22%) andApple(22%). Infinix’s Hot series was particularly popular in the gaming world. For Xiaomi, the 12 series and Redmi’s A series proved to be popular, driving growth for the brand. Despite inflationary pressures, Apple registered a YoY growth due to the popularity of the iPhone 14 series in the country.

Smartphones priced less than $200 held more than half of the market shipments in Q1 2023.holding a combined share of almost 60%. Shipments in the $200-$400 and $400-$600 price bands saw a decline of 22% and 24% respectively. Many prospective consumers held on to their existing models and avoided any discretionary expenditure.OPPO了400 - 600美元区间由于th的流行e Reno 8T. Introductory offers for the Reno 8T, like free OPPO EncoBuds 2, worked in its favour. Other offers in Q1 2023, such as the Payday Sale, Super Brand Day and 2.2 Sale, are likely to have made OPPO smartphones more attractive for consumers. Premium segments (above $600) saw a 14% YoY increase in shipments driven by the iPhone 14 series.

5Gsmartphones recorded a positive YoY growth at 14%. It is particularly relevant to note that the 5G smartphones in the $200-$400 price band witnessed a 20% YoY growth along with an increase in their share in the band. This also implies that 5G smartphone shipments are becoming the norm as compared to LTE smartphones whose YoY sales reduced by 17%.

Telecom operators are adapting accordingly. Smart was the top operator for 5G services in the Philippines in Q1 2023. To provide 5G internet with satcom support, Smart and Omnispace have teamed together. Globe has reportedly managed to expand the reach of its 5G network to 70 cities.

Outlook

In Q1 2023, the Philippines recorded an economic growth of 6.4%, lower than the 7.1% in Q1 2022. However, since we are seeing signs of stabilizing inflation, we expect a flattish market in the coming months. The trend towards premiumization is expected to continue into the next quarter. 5G penetration is also expected to increase as OEMs are likely to launch more 5G smartphones in the mid-segment.

This research note is based on preliminary data and subject to change. Feel free to contact us atpress@www.arena-ruc.comfor any questions regarding this note or other insights.

Background

Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in technology, media, and telecom (TMT) 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

Abdul Rehman

Follow Counterpoint Research
press(at)www.arena-ruc.com

US Smartphone Shipments Decline in Q1 2023 Amid High Inflation, Inventory Correction; Apple Share Up

Shipments declined 17% YoY in Q1 2023 due to inventory correction and weak consumer demand.
Apple increased its market share to 53% in Q1 2023 from 49% in Q1 2022.
不确定的经济前景迫使消费者hold off on new device purchases.
Some niche categories like foldables may continue to perform well despite overall weakness.
Incumbent postpaid players may increase promotional activity during H2 to take on cable MVNOs.

Denver, Boston, Toronto, London, New Delhi, Hong Kong, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – May 8, 2023

Smartphone shipments in the US declined 17% YoY in Q1 2023 as OEMs corrected high channel inventory and as consumer demand declined due tomacroeconomic pressures. The market witnessed a dip in shipments across all major OEMs after registering a strong first quarter last year. However, Apple managed to increase its market share despite a YoY drop in its shipments.

Commenting on the situation,Research Analyst Matthew Orf说,“通货膨胀开始影响美国smartphone market in H2 2022, especially the low end where consumers have less disposable income and are more sensitive to changes in prices. Persistent inflation and an uncertain economic outlook are causing consumers to hold off on new device purchases, resulting in lower upgrade rates and fewer device sales, especially in the prepaid segment.”

The impact of inflation and other macroeconomic pressures on the market has been uneven.Senior Analyst Maurice Klaehnenoted, “While prepaid brands saw significant YoY declines in shipments, there were some silver linings. Samsung’s Galaxy S23 shipments were up double digits YoY while the Galaxy A14 5G performed exceptionally well in prepaid. The gap between low-end and premium devices seems to be widening, creating a vacuum in the mid-range device category.”

Associate Research Director Hanish Bhatianoted, “Some niche categories may continue to perform well despite overall weakness. For instance, there is a lot of excitementaround foldablesthis year as more OEMs jump onto the bandwagon, which may stir demand for premium devices. Similarly, demand from government-supported Lifeline and ACP programs will largely remain unaffected. But at a broader level, Android-to-iOS migration driven by young and first-time smartphone users continues to remain a key pain point among Android OEMs.”

Commenting on the direction of the US smartphone market,Director of North America Research Jeff Fieldhacksaid, “During Q1 2023, there was sluggish consumer demand with very low upgrades. We expect the incumbent postpaid players to increase promotional activity during the second half of the year to combat cable MVNOs, which saw higher net additions than the Big 3 during the quarter, a first for the US market.”

Feedback or a question for the analyst that wrote this note?

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Matthew Orf

Research Analyst

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Background

Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the technology, media and telecom (TMT) 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

Matthew Orf

Maurice Klaehne

Hanish Bhatia

Jeff Fieldhack

Follow Counterpoint Research

Further Reading:

Global Smartphone Market Declines 14% YoY in Q1 2023; Apple Records Highest-Ever Q1 Share

China Smartphone Sales Fall 5% YoY in Q1 2023; Apple on Top with Highest Sales Share

India Smartphone Market Records Highest Ever Q1 Decline of 19%, 5G Smartphones Contribution at 43%

OPPO Find X6 Pro Review: A Photographer’s Delight

OPPOrecently launched its latestflagship smartphone, the OPPO Find X6 Pro, exclusively for theChina market. It features a refreshing new design, has an updated camera system, and packs in new technology in addition to the latest premium SoC from Qualcomm. We got to try out the OPPO Find X6 Pro soon after its launch here in China and have provided our analysis below. We focused on three key aspects for the review – design and display, performance, and the camera experience.

Great display, eye-catchy design

OPPO Find X6 Pro’s front is equipped with a 6.82-inch curved AMOLEDdisplaywith a variable refresh rate between 1Hz-120Hz that adjusts automatically based on the on-screen content. OPPO claims that the display’s local peak brightness can reach 2500 nits.

A slight change from the last iteration, the Find X6 Pro’s front camera punch hole has been moved to the top middle of the display and the under-screen fingerprint unlock spot has also been moved up to a more appropriate position, which makes the front look harmonious. The back cover is a spliced with of silver glass and brown leather-like material, and an orange dot at the bottom of the circular lens module is similar to the lens anchor point of an SLR camera. Apart from the bumps in the lens module, the phone has a smooth design and feels good to hold.

Snappy Performance

Under the hood is Qualcomm’s flagshipSnapdragon 8 Gen 2移动平台以及UFS 4.0罗,LPDDR5X RAM with a virtual memory expansion function. Meanwhile, theMariSilicon X, OPPO’s self-developed imaging NPU still provides continuous support for computing photography. This is in the form of faster processing and enhanced low-light videography experiences.

The large 5,000mAh battery offers good battery life, while the 100Wflash chargingenables the device to power up to 50% in 10 minutes and 100% in 28 minutes. There is also support for 50W wireless flash charging.

Great photography experience

OPPO has equipped its rear camera system with three 50MPlarge-size image sensors – an IMX989sensor for the wide camera with 23mm equivalent focal length and f/1.8 aperture. Then there are two IMX890 sensors, one for the ultra-wide camera with 15mm equivalent focal length and f/2.2 aperture, followed by a 3X telescope lens with 72mm equivalent focal length and f/2.6 aperture. In our testing, all three cameras offered excellent imaging performance.

We have samples of the pictures taken from the different cameras:

Ultra-wide (0.6X zoom) –

Wide (1X zoom) –

Telescope (3X zoom) –

Leveraging the periscope telephoto image sensor’s 50MP and large area, the Find X6 Pro enables a 6X hybrid zoom. This 6X zoom also captures high-quality pictures.

With the help of the computing ability support from MariSilicon X, the 10X and 20X digital zoom images are still good for social media usage. However, the 30X zoom photo has obvious signs of overpainting.

10X zoom –

20X zoom –

30X zoom –

When the subject is detected to be up close, the camera will switch to the macro mode by using the ultra-wide lens camera. In the picture, the scales and the beautiful texture on the tail of this Thai fighting fish can be seen clearly.

The 3X telephoto camera enables a minimum focus distance of 25cm, helping capture improved close-up shots.

OPPO has also introduced the newHasselbladportrait mode in the Find X6 Pro, enabling a more natural background bokeh effect.

TheMaster Filtersfeature provides additional film ambiance to photos and good filter options before pressing the shutter button.

A new Pro XDR display feature has been added in the Find X6 Pro to preview photos, taking full advantage of the display with a maximum location brightness of up to 2500 nits, which allows the highlights in HDR photos to be displayed more brightly. However, this feature is currently only available on devices that support Pro XDR. Since the end of 2022, Google, Adobe, and other companies have been trying to establish a unified HDR photo standard and it should not be long before HDR photos are compatible with more devices.

Key takeaways

Overall the OPPO Find X6 Pro is a great flagship smartphone that makes mobile photography easier.
The OPPO Find X6 Pro is equipped with top-level hardware, namely the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, LPDDR5X and UFS 4.0.
The rear camera module and rear design offer it a distinct look to stand out from the crowd.
Though, in some scenarios, the shutter speed is slower, and that can be improved with further software updates.
The excellent display makes it great for content consumption.

Smartphone Displays Moving Towards ‘Brighter’ Future

In 2022, more than a third of premium smartphones(≥$600) applied brightness over 900 nits.This is a 171% YoY jump.
Chinese OEMs are increasingly using brightness over 900 nits to strengthen their premium line-ups.
The trend of increasing brightness is gradually spreading to low-to-mid-priced smartphones.

For smartphone displays, visibility plays a more important role than in other devices like PCs and tablets. This is because smartphones are used outdoors for a substantial amount of time. Indicators like color gamut, contrast ratio, and brightness are important for a smartphone display striving to secure proper visibility. In addition, with the recent development of HDR, consumption of high-definition video content has soared, making good visibility more important than ever.

The display’s brightness can be divided into two main categories – typical brightness and peak brightness. Typical brightness refers to the level of brightness when using a smartphone in a general environment, such as indoors, while peak brightness refers to the level of brightness when using a smartphone in an extremely bright environment, such as a sunny outdoor environment. The brightness of smartphone displays is increasingly attracting interest from users and prospective buyers thanks to the increasing content consumption on the device. As a result, the competition among smartphone OEMs for display brightness quality is getting fiercer.

In 2022, over a third of premium smartphones (≥$600) applied brightness over 900 nits. This is a 171% YoY jump, which is not only due to Apple’s steady sales but also due to the increased use of this brightness band by Chinese OEMs trying to strengthen theirpremium line-ups, such as vivo, OPPO, and Xiaomi.

全球高端智能手机(≥600美元)显示Brightness Share, 2022 vs 2021

Source: Global Smartphone Display Brightness Tracker, Q4 2022
Note: The chart is based on typical brightness.

Further, this trend is gradually spreading to low-to-mid-priced smartphones. For instance, Samsung has not only significantly increased the adoption of brightness exceeding 700 nits in its premium smartphones, but it has also brought down the share of brightness below 450 nits in its low-to-mid priced smartphones by about 20%p in 2022. More than 90% of Samsung’s low-to-mid-priced smartphones had brightness below 450 nits in 2021. As a result of these changes, the proportion of over 700 nits in Samsung’s portfolio increased 13%p YoY in 2022.

Global Low-to-Mid-Priced Smartphone Display Brightness Share, 2022 vs 2021

Source: Global Smartphone Display Brightness Tracker, Q4 2022
Note: The chart is based on typical brightness.

In line with the improvement in typical brightness, peak brightness, which is essential for expanding the smartphone use environment, is also developing. However, due to problems like eye fatigue and reduced power efficiency, these two types of brightness cannot be improved indefinitely. Therefore, the software’s role has become more important here in balancing user demands with technological enhancements.

苹果对“印度制造”的智能手机hipments Reached 25% in Value Terms in 2022

However, overall‘Made in India’ smartphone shipments (units) declined 19% YoY in Q4 2022 and 3% YoY in 2022 due to softening of local demand.
The contribution of exports in ‘Made in India’ smartphone shipments reached the highest ever in 2022 both in volume (20%) and value terms (30%).
OPPO led the ‘Made in India’ smartphone shipments in 2022 with a 22% share, followed by Samsung.
Bharat FIH remained the top EMS player in terms of smartphone shipments in 2022. Dixon remained the top Indian EMS player.

New Delhi, Hong Kong, Seoul, London, Beijing, San Diego, Buenos Aires – March 28, 2023

‘Made inIndia’ smartphone shipmentsdeclined 3% YoY in 2022 (January-December), according to the latest research from Counterpoint’sMade in Indiaservice. The major factor behind this decline was the softening of consumer demand due tomacroeconomicheadwinds, especially in the second half of the year. The shipments fell 19% YoY in the last quarter due to local demand decline, particularly in the entry-tier and mid-tier segments. However,in terms of value, ‘Made in India’ smartphone shipments registered 34% YoY growth,riding on the local trend of increasing premiumization coupled with the increasing exports of premium smartphones, especially fromApple. ‘Made in India’ shipments from Apple grew 65% YoY by volume and 162% YoY by value, taking the brand’s value share to 25% in 2022, up from 12% in 2021.

Commenting on the local manufacturing ecosystem and Q4 2022 dynamics,Senior Research AnalystPrachir Singhsaid, “The high inventory, which has impacted the overall supply ofsmartphones, is now being felt at the manufacturing level. However, the premiumization trend is benefitting some of the manufacturers. Apple’sEMS(electronics manufacturing services) partnersFoxconn鸿海精密和纬创资通manuf增长最快acturers among the top 10 in Q4 2022. The growth was also fuelled by increasing exports from Apple. In terms of overall exports, a volume growth of 37% YoY was witnessed. Further, the contribution of exports in the total ‘Made in India’ smartphone shipments reached the highest ever in 2022 both in volume (20%) and value terms (30%). In Q4 2022,Samsungemerged as the top smartphone manufacturer, ahead ofOPPOwhose manufacturing shipments declined 31% YoY due to inventory issues in the entry-tier segment. Samsung’s manufacturing shipments declined only 7% YoY due to its stable export volume. Among the EMS players, Foxconn Hon Hai led the manufacturing shipments in Q4 2022, followed by Dixon. Dixon remained the top Indian EMS player in Q4 2022 as well. In the feature phone segment, Lava led the ‘Made in India’ shipments with almost 29% share.”

Singh added, “The contractmanufacturinglandscape is expanding with multiple EMS players increasing their output. The PLI scheme is one of the major factors driving this trend. Bharat FIH remained the top EMS player for smartphone manufacturing in 2022, followed by Dixon. Bharat FIH has been a key player in developing the overall smartphone manufacturing ecosystem as well as local talent, especially with the women workforce. Dixon, which is also increasing its footprint in smartphone manufacturing, was the leading Indian EMS in 2022. Padget, with theMotorolaportfolio, emerged as one of the fastest growing EMS players in 2022, registering 70% YoY growth in terms of manufacturing shipments. Apple’s EMS partners Foxconn Hon Hai, Wistron and Pegatron were among the top 10 EMS players in India in 2022 in terms of volume. In terms of value, Foxconn Hon Hai and Wistron led the EMS landscape. Both of these manufacturers also received the PLI incentive in the recent disbursements. Among OEMs, OPPO led the ‘Made in India’ smartphone shipments in 2022 with a 22% share, followed by Samsung.”

Source: Counterpoint ‘Made in India’ Research, Q4 2022
Note: Figures may not add up to 100% due to rounding

On the overall 2022 performance and Indian government initiatives,Research Director Tarun Pathaksaid, “Overall, 2022 has been a good year in terms of manufacturing and localization in India. The increasing exports from Apple, Samsung and other OEMs drove the locally manufactured shipments in 2022 and somewhat offset the impact of the local demand decline. The recent disbursement of PLI incentives from the government as well as other initiatives, both at the central and state levels, has boosted the overall local manufacturing. We are now seeing multiple companies investing in India and expanding their manufacturing base. Also, the component and semiconductor ecosystem is witnessing investment growth due to the government’s continuous efforts. However, the government should focus on developing the overall ecosystem and play on India’s strengths like high local demand, developing local talent and improving overall infrastructure. We believe that the government will leverage India’s geopolitical strengths and focus on building favourable export and trade policies to make India a preferred destination for electronics manufacturing.”

Going forward, we may see the country reaping benefits of the PLI scheme thanks to increasing exports from Apple and Samsung. The government will focus on leveraging geopolitics and improving local infrastructure to attract more investment.

Notes

OPPO manufactures smartphones for OPPO, realme and OnePlus.
Bharat FIH manufactures smartphones for Xiaomi.
Dixon Technologies manufactures smartphones for Samsung.
Dixon Technologies’ share does not include Padget Electronics.

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

Prachir Singh

Tarun Pathak

Follow Counterpoint Research

One in Three iPhones Sold in China in 2022 Was iPhone 13

Apple’s iPhone 13 was the best-selling smartphone in China in 2022.
HONOR’s X30 was the best-selling Android smartphone with a 1.8% market share.
Nine smartphones in the top-10 bestseller list were 5G enabled.
HONOR’s Play 20 was the most affordable smartphone on the list.
The sales share of the top 10 models is expected to decrease in 2023.

Beijing, New Delhi, London, San Diego, Buenos Aires, Seoul, Hong Kong – March 27, 2023

In 2022, Apple’s iPhone 13 contributed to 37% of the brand’ssmartphone sales in China, according toCounterpoint Research’s Global Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker. Apple captured the top three spots in the list of China’s top 10 best-selling smartphones, followed by HONOR with four spots, the highest ever for the brand. vivo and OPPO captured two and one spot, respectively. Chinese consumers purchased over 980 smartphone models in 2022, down from 1,100 in 2021.

Apple contributed over 10% ofChina’s smartphonesales volume in 2022. The iPhone 13 was the best-selling smartphone in China with a 6.6% market share, rising from the third spot in 2021 with a 2.3% share. Also, the iPhone 13’s sales more than doubled in 2022 compared to the previous year. The iPhone 13 was followed by the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Pro in the next two spots. These three iPhones contributed to 60% ofApple’s smartphone salesin China in 2022. This was the first time that Apple’s Pro variants were in the top 10 list for China.

China Top 10 Best-selling Smartphones Unit Sales Share, 2022

HONOR’s best-ever show in the top-10 list was driven by its strong rebound through thediversification of its offlinepresence. The brand also expanded its footprint across the mid-tier and entry-level price bands during the year. The HONOR X30 was thebest-selling Android phone in Chinawith a 1.8% market share. Also, the HONOR Play 20 was the most affordable and only non-5G smartphone on the list. The HONOR X30 and HONOR 60 were the only smartphones on the list with a Qualcomm chipset.

vivo’s Y33s 5G and Y76s took the seventh and ninth spots, respectively. These smartphones contributed16% to vivo’s sales in China in 2022. The vivo Y33s featured among the top three best-selling smartphones in July 2022, while the Chinese New Year holiday sales helped the vivo Y76s in entering the top-10 list. OPPO’s mid-tier smartphone A56 5G took the fifth spot in 2022 with a 1.7% market share, like its predecessor A55 5G in 2021.

Overall, the share of thetop 10 modelsin China has been flat at around 22% for the past three years due to the continuous annual sales decline in the country’s smartphone market. Except for the iPhones, all smartphones in the 2022 list were priced at less than $500. Further, there were nine5G-enabled smartphones2022年的名单上,而2021年6。Competition in the market is heating up, and the top 10 smartphones’ share is expected to decrease by 2023.

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

Karn Chauhan

Akshay R S

Apple First to Capture 8 Spots in List for Global Top 10 Smartphones

Apple captured eight spots in the list of top 10 best-selling smartphones for 2022.
The remaining two spots were taken by Samsung’s Galaxy A13 and A03 models.
Apple’s iPhone 13 was the best-selling smartphone of 2022.
For the first time, a Pro Max variant drove more volume than the Pro and base models.
The top 10 smartphones’ unit sales share is expected to increase in 2023.

London, San Diego, New Delhi, Beijing, Buenos Aires, Seoul, Hong Kong – March 7, 2023

In 2022, Apple became the first brand to capture eight spots in the list of top 10 best-selling smartphones, according toCounterpoint Research’sGlobal Monthly Handset Model Sales Tracker. The remaining two spots were taken by Samsung. The top-10 list contributed 19% of the total global smartphone sales in 2022, the same as in 2021.

Apple’s iPhone 13 was the best-selling smartphone of 2022, contributing 28% of iPhone sales. It was the best-selling smartphone in major markets such as China, US, UK, Germany and France. Further, the iPhone 13 remained the number one smartphone each month from its launch in September 2021 till August 2022. Price cuts after the iPhone 14 series’ launch further drove the iPhone 13 volumes in developing markets. The iPhone 13 sales were two times more than that of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the second best-selling smartphone in 2022.

Global Top 10 Best-selling Smartphones Unit Sales Share and Monthly Rankings, 2022

For the first time, a Pro Max variant of an iPhone series drove more volume than its Pro and base models in 2022. It helped the iPhone 14 Pro Max to capture the third spot in the 2022 list. It was the top-selling smartphone model for September, October and November of 2022. The iPhone 14 Pro Max sales were led by early adopters and those upgrading to a higher iPhone variant. Major advancements in theiPhone 14Pro系列,如动态岛和更快的processor, make it more attractive, as the base model is almost identical to the previous year’s model.

The iPhone 12, the best-selling smartphone of 2021, was the oldest model in the top 10 for 2022. Its sales remained robust in theUS, Japan andChina. The price cuts with each year’s new iPhone launch increased its value proposition while its 5G capability also played an important role. The iPhone SE 2022, among the most compact phones in the industry, grabbed the tenth spot. Like its predecessor, it managed to sell well in Japan.

With its entry-level models Galaxy A13 and Galaxy A03,Samsungtook two spots on the list, one more than the previous year. The two models were the only LTE smartphones to make it to the list. The regional contribution of these models was spread more evenly than in the case of iPhones.

Offering attractive specifications for its price (<$250), the Galaxy A13, like its predecessor, continued to perform well. Caribbean and Latin America (CALA), followed by India, contributed the most to its sales. The Galaxy A03 was the most affordable smartphone on the list and the only one powered byUNISOC. The smartphone performed well in developing regions like CALA and the Middle East and Africa (MEA).

We believe the share of the top 10 smartphones will increase in 2023 as brands focus on clearing inventory and optimizing their launches. We also expect brands to continue making their portfolios leaner in 2023 to minimize cannibalization. The number of active smartphone models in the global market has already fallen from over 4,200 in 2021 to around 3,600 in 2022. At the same time, brands will focus on their portfolios’ premiumization to translate volumes into profitability.

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Harshit Rastogi

Karn Chauhan

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China Smartphone Market Posts Good Start to 2023

China’s January holiday season smartphone sales show little YoY growth but this is good news.
Although the two weeks preceding and following the Chinese New Year show hardly any change, the outlook tells a different story.
Elimination of major COVID restrictions provides a bigger growth runway.
2022 saw October, November and December (typically China’s best months) collapse. This is far less likely to happen in 2023.
More new product launches reflect a back-to-business mindset, though caution still remains.
These factors coupled with a week earlier Chinese New Year should help China recover to positive growth in 2023, albeit in low single digits.

China’s smartphonemarket has recorded a good start to 2023 driven by the restoration of normal social activities in the country after the COVID-19 wave in December. The Chinese New Year season also started earlier than usual this year, helping the weekly sales walk out of the trough at the beginning of 2023.

在2023年年初,销售迅速增加week over week to reach above 7 million before the week the Chinese New Year season started. In four out of five weeks, the sales stayed above 6 million, a level seldom reached in 2022 when the pandemic haunted China’s cities from time to time. The average weekly sales during the period were 6.7 million units, much higher than the average of 5.5 million units in 2022. In January, the monthly sales were flat compared to the previous year’s same month, which recorded the highest sales in 2022, but sequentially grew more than 40%.

Appleremained China’s biggest OEM in January in terms of sales share and its sales increased about 6% YoY, according to preliminary data fromCounterpoint Market Pulse Service.

The smartphone market inChinahas contracted after 2017 in terms of YoY sales growth. Q4 2022 recorded a 15% YoY decline, hitting major OEMs’ confidence and further darkening market prospects.

Although major Android OEMs will continue to launch new models in Q1 2023, the OEMs and their distributors are still cautious about restocking. Many of them got cold feet after the COVID shock in December and the nightmare of high inventory in H1 2022 is still fresh.

The industry is skeptical that the strong sales in the first five weeks of 2023 are a solid indicator of a recovery in demand. Some attribute this more to the pent-up demand from December and the earlier-than-usual arrival of the Chinese New Year season rather than the substantial improvement on the demand side.

However, these strong sales do bring in some fresh air. They not only helped digest the newly added inventory but also ignited the discussion on whether the stagnant market will finally bottom out and rise in 2023.

We believe the withdrawal of the “COVID-Zero” policy will provide a healthier environment for the smartphone market. Besides, as Chinese OEMs slow down their overseas expansion, they would focus more on the domestic market and step up competition in the mid-to-high-end segments.

If the current growth momentum can persist through the end of Q1 2023, industry players should be more confident about a market recovery. Having said that, we still need more evidence to conclude a robust or significant recovery is on the way. We stick to our previous low-single-digit growth forecast for 2023.

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