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Samsung stumbles in global smartphone market as Xiaomi overtakes Apple

Smartphone sales confirm that global markets are continuing to pivot to the New Normal world. Back in 2014, Samsung dominated with its middle market positioning. But since then, its position has been squeezed as the market polarises between low-cost Chinese suppliers and Apple’s focus on adding services. Every third smartphone used to be a Samsung.

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“One size no longer fits all” as the global smartphone market breaks down into different segments

The pandemic was very good news for some companies, with demand for online activities rocketing. But whilst many parts of the developing world are still suffering, most developed countries are now starting to reopen as vaccinations spread. Western companies are now struggling for chip supplies, due to their lack of local investment. The Chinese market

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Smartphone sales highlight new trends in consumer markets

Smartphone markets continue to provide early warning of the major changes taking place in consumer markets. And Q4 data confirms the old rules are becoming less and less relevant:  As the chart shows, market positioning is now all-important. Apple are stretching their lead in the ‘sweet spot’ of the value chain – design – and

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Smartphone sales confirm mid-market of ‘affordable luxury’ is disappearing

Another 3 months, another decline in global smartphone sales. And more pressure on mid-market players like Samsung, as China’s low-cost producers continue to gain market share. As the chart shows: Samsung had 35% of the global market back in 2013, but was down to 23% in Q3 Its annualised volume fell to 262 million from

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Smartphone sales head into decline as affordability becomes key

The smartphone sales decline accelerated in Q1, as Strategy Analytics report: “Global smartphone shipments fell 17% to reach 275m in Q1. This is the smartphone industry’s worst quarterly performance of all time. On an annualised basis, as the chart shows, global volume was down 12% to 1.36bn from the Q3 2017 peak. And, of course,

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Chain’s smartphone and auto sales tumble as coronavirus hits demand

China is the world’s largest market for smartphones and autos – responsible for c30% of global sales for both.  Yet as Reuters notes: “Most western policymakers and journalists view the world economy through a framework that is 10-15 years out of date, failing to account fully for the enormous shift in activity towards China and

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Smartphone sales decline begins to impact global stock markets

The bad news continues for the world’s smartphone manufacturers and their suppliers.  And President Trump’s decision to add a 25% tariff on smartphone component imports from China from June 25 is unlikely to help. Morgan Stanley estimate it will add $160 to the current US iPhone XS price of $999, whilst a state-backed Chinese consumer boycott

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Global smartphone recession confirms consumer downturn

Q3 smartphone sales data show the global market in recession, as Strategy Analytics confirmed: “The global smartphone market has now declined for four consecutive quarters and is effectively in a recession.” The warning signs began in Q1, when the market plateaued for the first time, as discussed here in May: “The global smartphone market has

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Apple, Xiaomi squeeze smartphone mid-market as sales plateau

The global smartphone market has finally gone ex-growth as China’s slowdown continues.  In turn, the market is starting to polarise – with Apple pushing further up-market whilst Chinese brands such as Xiaomi focus on volume.  Samsung’s middle market positioning looks increasingly under threat: The chart shows Q1 sales for Samsung, Apple, the 3 top Chinese […]

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Top 3 Chinese smartphone brands capture global lead

China’s Top 3 manufacturers – Huawei, OPPO and Vivo – captured top position in global smartphone sales for the first time in Q1.  As the chart shows: □  They took 22.9% of the market compared to 22.7% for Samsung and 14.4% for Apple □  In terms of individual smartphone sales, OPPO’s R9s smartphone reached the […]

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Smartphone profits under threat as market goes ex-growth

The outlook is becoming clearer for the global smartphone market, and it confirms my judgement in November, when reviewing Q3 sales: “It seems likely that a focus on price and affordability will come to dominate. In turn, pricing pressures on suppliers will intensify. The key challenge facing the market is that it has gone ex-growth.” […]

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Smartphone sales go ex-growth as lifecycle turns down

Its been a great run for the smartphone industry, but the party is now coming to an end.  As the chart shows, global sales in H1 fell 1% versus 2016, based on Strategy Analytics data:   Samsung and Apple have both seen a major decline in their market share since 2014   Samsung have fallen […]

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Smartphone sales downturn highlights financial market risks

There was no great surprise in the news that global smartphone sales fell for the first time ever in Q1.  As I suggested in February, when reviewing Q4 data: “It seems almost inevitable that global growth will now follow China and go negative”. As the chart shows, Strategy Analytics data suggests that sales fell 3% in […]

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Smartphones head for price war as China sales fall 4% in Q4

We all now carry around a mini-computer in our pockets – one with more power than those which controlled Apollo 11 when Neil Amstrong first walked on the moon in 1969.  In certain parts of the world, there are now more smartphones than toilets, according to Time magazine. This is raising the spectre of market […]

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China’s smartphone market goes ex-growth as costs fall to $20

China has the highest smartphone penetration in the world at 62%.  It had 632m mobile subscribers, with 70% of new connections based on 4G connections.   But sales actually fell in Q2 by 4%.  This was the first time they have ever fallen and is further confirmation of the major change taking place in China under […]

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Price war hits smartphone market as China’s growth goes negative

The smartphone market has been one of the ‘jewels in the crown” of the consumer electronics market.  Yet today, it is rushing headlong into the world of the New Normal.  We can all learn a lot about the outlook for the global economy from watching its development. Until recently, the history was of astonishing growth, […]

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Apple captures smartphone profits as market shifts to services

Consumers clearly love smartphones.  The global market is growing fast with 380m sold in Q4, up 31% versus 2013.  But manufacturers might be forgiven for not being so sure. As the chart above shows, major change is underway in the market.  The concept of ‘affordable luxury’ is disappearing as the market polarises between affordability and luxury. Samsung’s market share has dived from […]

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China’s smartphones outsell Samsung & Apple combined in Q3

The picture on the right is the Xiaomi Mi4 smartphone. The 16GB version sells in China at Rmb 1999 ($326), and the 64GB version at Rmb 2499.  By comparison, Apple’s iPhone 6 sells for Rmb 5288. Unsurprisingly, Xiaomi is moving up the world sales league very fast.  In Q2, it jumped to 5.1% market share, from just 1.8% in Q2 […]

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China’s low-cost smartphones start to dominate global market

China’s exports are growing again.  But not because SuperCycle levels of demand have returned in the West. Instead, its companies are using their low-cost manufacturing model to take on and beat Asian and Western giants.  Developments in the global smartphone market highlight the rapidity of the change underway They confirm China’s economy is moving in exactly the […]

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Surprise! Economists suddenly wake up to reality about China

“Forget the Crimea annexation or a U.S.-Russia standoff. The biggest international threat to U.S. economic growth is the slowdown in China, say economists polled by The Wall Street Journal (WSJ).” That was last week’s headline in the WSJ.  These, of course, are the same economists who have been busy telling us for years that China […]

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Apple’s iPhone launch marks retreat from China’s mass-market

Apple will report great sales this weekend from its iPhone launch in China.  But these cannot disguise its major problem in selling its high-priced iPhones there.  Its difficulties highlight the dangers for those who believe that China has now become …

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Chinese buy $100 smartphones, not iPhones

One of the great myths of recent years has been that China – whose population mainly earns less than $10/day – has somehow become ‘middle class’.

It is certainly true that some of China’s 1.3bn population have done well since the economy reopened t…