Apple back on top, as smartphone shipments slide
Apple regained the number one spot in smartphone shipments in Q4 despite a drop in global volumes, as consumers gave a lukewarm response to new models.
Global smartphone shipments declined 9% in Q4 to 400mn units. "It was the biggest annual fall in smartphone history," said research firm Strategy Analytics, which attributed it to a collapse of demand from China, where longer replacement rates, fewer operator subsidies and a tepid response to new models led to a 16% drop in demand.
For full-year 2017, however, global smartphone shipments grew 1% to 1.5bn units.
In contrast, consultancy IDC had global smartphone shipments dropping 6.3% in Q4 to 403mn units, and worldwide shipments declining less than 1% to 1.47bn units.
"The latest flock of posh flagships may have had consumers hitting the pause button in the holiday quarter," commented Anthony Scarsella, research manager with IDC's mobile phones team. "With ultra-high-end flagships all the rage in 2017, many of these new bezel-less wonders proved to be more of a luxury than a necessity among upgraders."
Apple overtook Samsung in Q4, shipping 78.3mn iPhone units for a 19% market share compared to Samsung's 77.5mn (18%), according to IDC.
Apple's shipments were actually down 1.3% in Q4 despite a strong demand for the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X. Strategy Analytics executive director Neil Mawston said that for Apple to expand iPhone volumes it will need to introduce cheaper models. The average sales ticket for an iPhone is US$800.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a results statement last week that the company had seen the highest revenue ever from a new iPhone lineup. The iPhone X has been the top-selling iPhone for every week since November.
Samsung's shipments dipped 4% y-o-y under pressure from Chinese rivals in major markets like China and India. On a global basis, Samsung remained the largest brand, shipping 317.5mn in 2017. The company is expected this year to launch its next flagship, the Galaxy S9.
Huawei remained in third place with a 10% global market share in Q4, flat from a year ago, and performing well in Asia and Europe. Strategy Analytics director Woody Oh commented that Huawei's aspirations of hitting the number two or even number one spot are being hindered by its limited access to the US market. The company has yet to be adopted by a major US carrier, meaning its distribution channels are limited.
Chinese vendors OPPO and Xiaomi are jostling for fourth and fifth place, with Strategy Analytics and IDC differing on which one is where.
Strategy Analytics had OPPO in fourth place with a 6.7% share, though under pressure from Xiaomi; whereas IDC had Xiaomi in fourth place, saying it doubled its share in the quarter to outpace OPPO.
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