Global Sales of Smartphones up 4.3%

- Advertisement -

SmartphonesGlobal sales of smartphones to end users totalled 344 million units in the second quarter of 2016, a 4.3 percent increase over the same period in 2015, according to Gartner, Inc.

Overall sales of mobile phones contracted by 0.5 percent with only five vendors from the top 10 showing growth. Among them were four Chinese manufacturers Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi and BBK Communication Equipment and South Korea’s Samsung.

“Demand for premium smartphones slowed in the second quarter of 2016 as consumers wait for new hardware launches in the second half of the year,” said Anshul Gupta, research director at Gartner. In addition, the decline in sales of “feature phones” (down 14 per cent) bolstered the decline in overall sales of mobile phones in the second quarter of 2016 (see Table 1).

- Advertisement -

All mature markets except Japan saw slowing demand for smartphones leading to a decline in sales of 4.9 percent. In contrast, all emerging regions except Latin America saw growth, which led to smartphone sales growing by 9.9 percent.

“The top five smartphone manufacturers together continued to gain market share in the second quarter of 2016 — up from 51.5 percent to 54 percent year on year, led by Oppo, Samsung and Huawei,” said Mr. Gupta.

Table 1

Worldwide Smartphone Sales to End Users by Vendor in 2Q16 (Thousands of Units)

Company

2Q16

Units

2Q16 Market Share (%)

2Q15

Units

2Q15 Market Share (%)

Samsung

76,743.5

22.3

72,072.5

21.8

Apple

44,395.0

12.9

48,085.5

14.6

Huawei

30,670.7

8.9

26,454.4

8.0

Oppo

18,489.6

5.4

8,073.8

2.4

Xiaomi

15,530.7

4.5

15,464.5

4.7

Others

158,530.3

46.0

160,162.1

48.5

Total

344,359.7

100.0

330,312.9

100.0

Source: Gartner (August 2016)

In the second quarter of 2016, Samsung had nearly 10 percent more market share than Apple. Samsung saw sales of its Galaxy A and Galaxy J series smartphones compete strongly with Chinese manufacturers. Its new smartphone portfolio also helped Samsung win back share it recently lost in emerging markets.

Apple continued its downward trend with a decline of 7.7 percent in the second quarter of 2016. Apple sales declined in North America (its biggest market) as well as in Western Europe. However, it witnessed its worst sales decline in Greater China and mature Asia/Pacific regions, where sales declined 26 percent. Apple had its best performance in Eurasia, Sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe regions in the second quarter of 2016, where iPhone sales grew more than 95 percent year on year.

Among the top five smartphone vendors, Oppo exhibited the highest growth in the second quarter of 2016 at 129 percent. This is due to strong sales of its R9 handset in China and overseas.

“Features such as an anti-shake camera optimized for selfies, and rapid charge technology, helped Oppo carve a niche market for itself and boost sales in a highly competitive and commoditized smartphone market,” said Mr. Gupta.

In terms of the smartphone operating system (OS) market, Android regained share over iOS to achieve an 86 percent share (see Table 2) in the second quarter of 2016. Android’s performance continued to come from demand for mid- to lower-end smartphones from emerging markets, but also from premium smartphones, which recorded a 6.5 percent increase in the second quarter of 2016.

A number of key Android players, such as Samsung with the Galaxy S7, introduced their new high-end devices, but Chinese brands like Huawei and Oppo are also pushing their premium smartphone ranges with more affordable devices.

“Google is evolving the Android platform fast, which allows Android players to remain at the cutting edge of smartphone technology,” said Roberta Cozza, research director at Gartner. “Facing a highly commoditized smartphone market, Google’s focus is to further expand and diversify the Android platform with additional functionalities, like virtual reality, enabling more-intelligent experiences and reach into wearables, connected home devices, in-car entertainment and TV.”

 Table 2

Worldwide Smartphone Sales to End Users by Operating System in 2Q16 (Thousands of Units)

Operating System

2Q16

Units

2Q16 Market Share (%)

2Q15

Units

2Q15 Market Share (%)

Android

296,912.8

86.2

271,647.0

82.2

iOS

44,395.0

12.9

48,085.5

14.6

Windows

1,971.0

0.6

8,198.2

2.5

Blackberry

400.4

0.1

1,153.2

0.3

Others

680.6

0.2

1,229.0

0.4

Total

344,359.7

100.0

330,312.9

100.0

Source: Gartner (August 2016)

By Belal Khan

- Advertisement -

Most Popular Articles

Delhi Extends EV Policy To Combat Pollution, Boost Adoption

0
As Delhi chokes with its repeated hazardous AQI, Delhi extends its EV policy until March 2025 to boost electric vehicle adoption while a new...

INOXAP, ReNew Partner For Eco-Friendly Solar Cell Manufacturing

0
Boosting eco-friendly production of solar PV cells, INOXAP kicks off industrial gas supply for ReNew’s solar plant in Gujarat, claiming to drive India’s clean...

Germany Plans $2 Billion Boost For Semiconductor Industry

0
Attempting to reduce reliance on Asian suppliers under the European Chips Act, Germany might invest $2.11 billion in advanced chip factories to ensure Europe's...

Element14 Expands Sensor Portfolio With Roxspur Range From TT Electronics

0
This expansion, featuring technologies for aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors, offers customers a comprehensive selection of reliable solutions for demanding applications. element14, has announced the...

ESA Funds €34.6M For Open Cosmos’ Satellite Mission

0
Launching three satellites to study Earth's magnetic field and ionosphere, starting in 2026, the European Space Agency has sanctioned €34.6 million to Open Cosmos-led...

“SEMI Is Actively Working With Indian Universities, Institutions To Create India’s Semiconductor Academy” –...

0
India’s semiconductor industry is expected to face a significant talent shortfall, with a projected shortage of 250,000 to 300,000 professionals by 2027. In an...
Alex P. James From Digital University Kerala

“We Have Removed Traditional Classroom-Based Teaching And Transitioned To Experiential Learning” – Alex P....

0
For India to become a design powerhouse, it must focus on developing Indian-owned companies that can sell their IPs and products globally, not just...
Prassann Daphal, CEO, Evergreen Recyclekaro India

“Our Patented Method Now Extracts Lithium Carbonate At Over 90% Efficiency And 99% Purity...

0
In a conversation with EFY’s Nitisha Dubey, Prassann Daphal of Evergreen Recyclekaro India Private Limited highlights how plasma furnace technology transforms complex materials into...

Build Future-Ready Semiconductor Titans For India’s High-Tech Ascent To Global Semiconductor Leadership

0
Steve Sanghi of Microchip Technology speaks with Dr Satya Gupta from VLSI Society of India, sharing his insights into the future of chip technology...
Andy C Mackie, Principal Engineer - Advanced Materials, Indium Corporation

“Our Multi-Alloy System Enables Solder Joints To Form At Lower Processing Temperatures Without Sacrificing...

0
Liquid metal-based thermal solutions offer efficient cooling but face challenges like spillage and reliable thermal resistance in ultra-thin layers. Akanksha Sondhi Gaur and Nijhum...
Alex P. James From Digital University Kerala

“We Have Removed Traditional Classroom-Based Teaching And Transitioned To Experiential Learning” – Alex P....

0
For India to become a design powerhouse, it must focus on developing Indian-owned companies that can sell their IPs and products globally, not just...

InsideFPV Drone Technology For Agriculture, Defence, And Accessible Consumer Solutions

0
InsideFPV Private Limited, a deep-tech drone company, was founded in July 2020 amid the Galwan Valley conflict between India and China. Founded by Arth Chowdhary,...
XP300

Precision PCB Assembly With Xaltan Systems’ Made-In-India Tech

0
As of 2024, this startup is recognised for its innovative desktop pick-and-place machine, transforming electronic prototyping and small-scale manufacturing. Efficiency, accuracy, and adaptability are the...

Canebot: A Robotic Vending Machine Serving Fresh Sugarcane Juice

0
Pune’s Canectar Foods Private Limited has introduced Canebot, a robotic vending machine designed to dispense fresh sugarcane juice. Founded in 2018 by Milind Datar and...

HKTDC Electronics Fair Sparks Innovation, 60,000+ Participants!

0
Showcasing cutting-edge tech, global innovation, and booming markets for the future of electronics, HKTDC’s Hong Kong Electronics Fair and electronicAsia drew 60,000+ professionals. Last month,...

Industry's Buzz

Learn From Leaders

Startups