TCL has officially dethroned Samsung as the top global TV shipper for December 2025, according to Counterpoint Research’s latest data. This marks a major milestone for the Chinese electronics giant, whose shipments surged 10% year-over-year (YoY) last month, giving it a commanding 16% market share. Meanwhile, Samsung, the perennial leader, slipped to second place with a 13% share, despite an 8% YoY increase in shipments.

The performance of TCL was primarily driven by strong sales in Asia-Pacific, China, and the Middle East, which offset weaker demand in North America and Western Europe. The company achieved significant growth by focusing on mid-range and budget-friendly TVs, including the recently launched T7 series. TCL also boosted sales of its high-end QM8K and QM9K models through aggressive holiday pricing.

However, Samsung still holds the crown for Q4 2025 overall, shipping 2% more TVs than TCL during the period. While North and South America provided growth opportunities for Samsung, declines in Western Europe and the Middle East hurt its performance. On the flip side, Hisense, which took third place in December, saw its shipments plummet 23% YoY, highlighting significant struggles in China’s shrinking TV market.

Looking ahead, the ambitions of TCL could spell bigger trouble for Samsung. The company’s upcoming partnership with Sony’s Bravia brand, set to finalize in March 2026, positions TCL to make a serious play in the premium TV market, a territory that Samsung has historically dominated with its high-end OLED and 8K offerings. If TCL can successfully leverage Sony’s reputation in this space, the dynamic of the global TV market could shift dramatically.

For now, TCL’s December triumph might be temporary, but its growth trajectory is impossible to ignore. With a mix of strategic pricing, regional demand timing, and potential premium market expansion, Samsung’s top spot may no longer be as secure as it once was.

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Humanoid robots crossed a commercial threshold in 2025, and 2026 will be the year the industry begins to scale, according to Counterpoint Research. The firm estimates that around 16,000 humanoid robots were installed globally in 2025, with China accounting for more than 80% of deployments, underscoring the country’s early dominance.

The market is already consolidating fast. Counterpoint notes that the top five manufacturers control 73% of the global share, four of them Chinese. AGIBOT leads with 31%, supported by over 5,000 units produced and active deployments in hotels, entertainment, and industrial logistics. Unitree Robotics follows with 27%, leveraging cost-efficient designs and rapid go-to-market execution. UBTECH, Leju Robotics, and Tesla each hover around the 5% mark, with Tesla expected to gain momentum as Optimus production ramps.

Looking to 2026, Counterpoint expects a shift from early commercialization to capacity expansion and cost compression. Larger factories, falling component costs, and growing adoption of Robots-as-a-Service (RaaS) models are set to lower barriers for enterprise customers.

By 2027, Counterpoint forecasts the global installed base will exceed 100,000 units, with logistics, manufacturing, and automotive sectors absorbing 72% of new annual capacity, positioning humanoid robots as a meaningful force in global industrial productivity.

Humanoid Robot Market Snapshot (2025)

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Apple emerged as the world’s leading smartphone vendor by shipments in 2025, according to preliminary data from Counterpoint Research. The company captured 20% of the global market, registering 10% year-over-year growth, the highest among the top five brands.

Premium upgrades and emerging markets drive 2025 recovery

Global smartphone shipments grew 2% in 2025, marking a second consecutive year of recovery. This growth was supported by premium demand, wider adoption of 5G in emerging markets, and financing options that made high-end phones more accessible. Apple saw strong momentum for the iPhone 17 series in the fourth quarter, while the iPhone 16 remained popular in regions like India, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

Samsung ranked second with a 19% market share and 5% annual growth. Its mid-range Galaxy A series remained a key driver, while the Galaxy S25 and Fold 7 helped sustain traction in the premium category. The company posted gains in Japan but faced pressure in Latin America and Western Europe.

Xiaomi maintained its third-place position with a 13% share. The brand saw steady demand in Southeast Asia and Latin America, supported by a balanced portfolio of premium and mid-tier smartphones. Based on the report’s methodology, Xiaomi likely ranked first in smartphone shipments in the Chinese market in 2025.

Vivo came in fourth, aided by premium segment growth and strong offline performance in India. Oppo dropped to fifth after a 4% decline, impacted by weak demand in China and rising competition across the Asia-Pacific. The combined Oppo and Realme shipment share stood at 11%.

Counterpoint analysts issued a cautious outlook for 2026. They expect smartphone growth to slow due to rising memory prices and component shortages, as chipmakers shift resources to AI data centers. Apple and Samsung are projected to remain resilient, while Chinese OEMs may face increased supply-side challenges.

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Global smartphone shipments are expected to fall 2.1% in 2026 due to a sharp rise in memory prices, according to a revised forecast from Counterpoint Research. The research firm downgraded its earlier projection by 2.6 percentage points, with Chinese brands like Honor, Oppo, and Vivo facing the steepest shipment cuts.

The low-end smartphone segment is likely to suffer the most. Counterpoint reports that BoM (bill of materials) costs for devices under $200 have jumped by 20% to 30% since early 2025. Mid-range and premium segments have also seen increases of 10% to 15%. The firm expects memory prices to rise another 40% through Q2 2026, which could push BoM costs even higher by 8% to over 15%.

Average selling prices (ASPs) are also being revised upward. Counterpoint now forecasts a 6.9% YoY ASP increase in 2026, compared to its earlier estimate of 3.6% from September 2025.

OEMs are adjusting their strategies to manage rising costs. Some have started cutting back on low-end SKUs and reducing specifications on select models. Senior analysts confirmed that companies are scaling back features like camera hardware, display quality, and RAM capacity to preserve margins. Several brands have resumed using older components or redirected users toward higher-priced Pro variants.

Recent smartphone launches, including the OnePlus 15 and iQOO 15 in India, debuted at significantly higher prices than their predecessors. Reports also suggest Samsung may raise prices for its upcoming Galaxy S26 and current A series.

The memory crisis has already impacted other categories. Xiaomi and Honor have raised tablet prices in China. Analysts expect more brands to follow as DRAM supply remains tight due to growing AI data center demand. Counterpoint warns that brands lacking scale or vertical integration will struggle to balance profitability and shipment volumes in 2026.

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India’s love affair with smartphones is only growing stronger, but there’s a rising undercurrent that brands are still ignoring: users want compact phones, and not just budget-friendly ones. According to a new consumer survey from Counterpoint Research, there’s a real appetite for compact smartphones that don’t cut corners on performance. In fact, 88 percent of respondents said they would buy a smaller device if it could match the power and battery life of today’s larger flagships.

Here’s the thing: the definition of “compact” has changed. The survey finds that a majority of Indian users, especially younger professionals and early jobbers, consider a 6 to 6.5-inch display to be the sweet spot. That might sound big, but in a world where most devices hover closer to 6.7 or 6.8 inches, shaving off even half an inch can dramatically improve one-handed usability.

And that’s exactly the point. Over 55 percent of respondents cited ease of handling and one-handed use as key reasons for preferring smaller phones. Add to that the comfort factor during long usage sessions, and it becomes clear that form factor isn’t just about portability, it’s about daily practicality.

Yet, the options are slim. In 2024, nearly 90 percent of smartphones launched had displays larger than 6.5 inches. Brands continue to chase bigger screens, louder specs, and flashier designs while overlooking a large chunk of the user base that just wants something that fits better in the hand, doesn’t strain the wrist, and still runs like a beast.

Consumers aren’t willing to compromise, either. Over half of the surveyed users won’t settle for a phone that sacrifices processor strength or battery life for size. And this isn’t just about productivity. A surprising 86 percent of respondents said they would actually prefer compact devices for mobile gaming, citing better ergonomics and reduced hand fatigue. AI-powered features, customizable shortcuts, and advanced thermal designs are also in demand, reflecting just how high the bar has been set even for a smaller phone.

So who’s in the running to meet this demand? Apple, Samsung, and OnePlus came out on top as the brands users trust most to get the compact formula right. But as things stand, the gap is wide open and ripe for disruption.

While nothing shifts overnight, there’s reason to be optimistic. Battery tech has improved drastically over the past year with the introduction of silicon-carbon batteries, and thermal management in phones has also seen a leap forward. These advancements give brands the headroom to experiment with more compact yet capable phones.

That said, making devices smaller than 6.1 or 6.2 inches might not make much sense anymore, given how much content people consume and how central gaming has become. If there is a new compact flagship wave coming, it will likely hover around the 6.3-inch mark, arguably the new goldilocks zone for phones in 2025.

In related news, you might also want to check out how the Vivo X200 Ultra blurs the line between smartphones and real cameras.

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Apple’s iPhone 15 led global smartphone sales in the third quarter of 2024, with the iPhone 15 Pro Max and iPhone 15 Pro close behind, based on data from Counterpoint Research. This quarter is notable as it’s the first time the Pro models made up half of all iPhone sales during a third quarter.

Samsung’s Galaxy S24 stayed in the top 10 for the third quarter in a row, and it’s the first time a Galaxy S model has been in the top 10 since 2018. Altogether, the top 10 models made up 19% of all smartphone sales worldwide in Q3 2024.

Apple held four of the top 10 spots, while Samsung had five, and Xiaomi held one. This lineup hasn’t changed much since last year, showing that consumer preferences are fairly steady.

One clear trend is the growing interest in high-end smartphones, as seen by the smaller gap between the base and Pro iPhone models. Apple’s marketing, payment options, and trade-in deals have helped make the latest iPhones more available to a wider range of buyers, especially in growing markets.

Samsung’s Galaxy S24 also saw good results, partly due to a focus on GenAI features that appealed to buyers. The Galaxy A series, known for its affordable pricing and long software support, took four spots in the top 10, mainly due to its popularity in growing markets and focus on affordable models.

Xiaomi’s Redmi 13C stayed in the top 10 because of its low price and better features compared to the earlier Redmi 12C model.

Overall, the iPhone 15 series led the global smartphone market in Q3 2024, driven by strong demand and new features. Samsung’s Galaxy S24 and Galaxy A series also performed well, helped by their brand reputation and range of products.

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Counterpoint announced the biggest smartphone manufacturer during China’s 618 Shopping Festival. Of course, I think you’ve already guessed it: we are talking about Huawei. Despite the US embargo, the Chinese brand never gave up the fight and Huawei was the brand that managed to sell the most smartphones during this shopping festival. With 42.4% growth, Huawei continues to rise in the Chinese market.

Counterpoint’s Smartphone Sales Report

As we mentioned above, Huawei was the lowest discounter, but the high sales of the Mate 60 and Pura 70 series smartphones really impressive. This allowed the brand to achieve a growth of 42.4%. After Huawei, Vivo ranked second. The vivo X100S series was launched before China’s 618 Shopping Festival, boosting the brand’s sales.

In addition, Vivo’s announcement of smartphones such as the Y200 and IQOO Neo 9S Pro also contributed to increased sales. Vivo is said to have achieved a growth of 12.6%. And that brand that everyone is curious about: Xiaomi. The Apple of China, Xiaomi is said to be offering discounts of up to 1000 yuan, and sales of mid-to-high-end smartphones have increased. This positively impacted the brand and provided a growth of 12%, close to vivo.

We were surprised that the best-selling smartphone on the Xiaomi side is the Redmi K70. In addition, we want to point out that the Redmi K80 and Redmi K80 Pro are officially in development. We’ll have news about the new Redmi K80 series available on the site soon. Finally, Honor and Apple were able to sell 4.3% and 2.7% more smartphones respectively.

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The European smartphone market showed encouraging signs of life in the first quarter of 2024, shaking off a prolonged slump with a 10% year-on-year increase in shipments, according to Counterpoint Research. This marks the first positive growth since the third quarter of 2021, suggesting a potential turning point for the region.

Top Brands Drive Market Growth Amid Recovery

Tech giants Samsung, Apple, and Xiaomi maintained their dominance, but the story within the top three is one of contrasting fortunes. Samsung, with a 7% shipment increase, emerged as the market leader with a 32% share. This marks a welcome turnaround after a period of decline, likely fueled by the success of their AI-powered Galaxy S24 series. The launch of the new A35 and A55 models towards the end of Q1 could further bolster their position in the coming months.

Apple, on the other hand, experienced a slight 1% dip in shipments despite holding a strong 25% market share. This can be attributed to the natural sales cycle of iPhones, with iPhone 15 sales tapering off due to seasonality. The absence of a new iPhone SE model in 2024 suggests further declines until the highly anticipated iPhone 16 launch later this year.

Xiaomi displayed consistent growth with an 11% shipment increase, solidifying its position as the third-largest player with an 18% share. Their success story was particularly prominent in Western Europe, especially in Spain and Italy, driven by the well-received Redmi Note 13 series. However, Xiaomi faced challenges in Central and Eastern Europe, where rising competition from Samsung and Tecno pushed their market share to its lowest since early 2022.

Beyond the established players, the report highlights some interesting trends. Realme saw a significant 59% growth, fueled by strong performance in Western Europe and a rebound in key markets like Italy and Spain. Their affordable C series remained bestsellers, with the new Realme 12 finding traction as well.

Another notable player is Honor, which achieved a remarkable 67% growth, surpassing Oppo to capture the coveted fifth position in Europe for the first time. This impressive feat was driven by their success in Western Europe, where shipments doubled year-on-year thanks to exciting devices like the Magic V2, Magic 6, and Honor 90.

While the recovery is promising, Counterpoint Research analyst Jan Stryjak cautions against excessive optimism. The 2023 slump was significant, and the European market is still far from pre-pandemic levels. Growth is expected to continue at a modest pace throughout the rest of 2024, but catching up to pre-pandemic numbers will likely take longer.

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Extended reality technology is gaining popularity day by day, or so we thought. After Apple introduced the Vision Pro, this technology, which we hear about almost every day, is one of the most popular topics of tech word along with artificial intelligence. However, it seems that this popularity has not been reflected in sales. Because the global XR headset market saw a substantial drop in 2023. Here are the details…

XR Headset Market Sees First Significant Decline After Years of Growth

According to Counterpoint, shipments of Global Extended Reality (XR) headsets experienced a 19% decrease compared to the previous year. This is a notable shift for a market that has steadily grown in recent years. New product releases played a mitigating role – Sony’s PlayStation VR2 and Meta Quest 3 helped lessen the severity of the decline. Still, even these products couldn’t fully reverse the downward trend.

While Counterpoint’s research doesn’t specify the decline’s root cause, there are two plausible explanations. First, the announcement of Apple’s Vision Pro headset, though released in February, may have dampened demand in 2023. Leaks about the product circulated long before its announcement, potentially leading those considering an XR investment to hold out for what they might deem a superior option.

Another, perhaps more likely, reason lies in the state of the technology itself. VR and AR have undoubtedly advanced, but they remain niche and expensive for widespread, everyday use beyond a few standout games and applications. Many headset owners may find their devices collecting dust shortly after the initial novelty wears off. Potential buyers might then hesitate at the prospect of these sizable price tags.

Of course, we’ll need to wait for 2024’s results to draw definitive conclusions, and considering the first quarter is nearly over, this insight may arrive sooner than later. Counterpoint’s report also illustrates a challenge for Meta, the current industry leader. In 2023, the company captured 59% of total global XR headset shipments, a decrease from the 77% share in 2022. While PS VR2 certainly contributes to this, such a significant drop could hint at potential struggles for the company. With new entrants emerging, the social media giant may face even tougher competition in the years ahead.

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Apple set a new record by securing the top seven spots in the global smartphone sales chart for 2023, a feat that further cements its dominant market position. According to a report from Counterpoint Research, this is the first time a single brand has achieved such a milestone. The report also noted that Samsung claimed the remaining spots in the top ten, marking a slight improvement from the previous year and showcasing the competitive landscape of the smartphone industry.

The 2023 list placed the Apple iPhone 14 at the very top

The iPhone 14 emerged as the year’s star, with significant sales in the US and China, despite its similarities to the previous model. This slight change didn’t deter Apple fans, who were more inclined towards the more feature-rich iPhone Pro variants. Interestingly, the iPhone 15 series, launched later in the year, quickly climbed to the top of the sales charts, which further sheds light on consumer enthusiasm for the latest launches.

Despite a stable sales performance from Apple, the overall market saw a shift towards higher-end models and a notable increase in smartphone market share, reaching a record 20%. This growth is partly attributed to Apple’s expanding footprint in emerging markets like India and the Middle East, with India notably crossing the 10 million iPhone sales mark for the first time.

Samsung’s presence in the top ten with its A series models highlights the importance of offering value in competitive and diverse global markets. The Galaxy A14 5G, in particular, made a splash in India, becoming the best-selling smartphone of the year.

As we look towards 2024, the focus on streamlined product lines and the anticipated entry of Chinese brands into the top ten list suggest an evolving market. The shift towards 5G-only models indicates a future where high-speed internet connectivity will become the standard, reflecting the industry’s direction towards innovation and improved consumer experiences.

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The smartwatch market in India witnessed an impressive 50% year-on-year growth in 2023, according to Counterpoint Research, signaling a significant tech evolution where smartwatches are becoming increasingly popular as both fashionable accessories and health monitoring devices.

Driving Forces Behind India’s Smartwatch Market Boom in 2023

Remarkably, this growth has been driven primarily by local Indian brands such as Fire-Boltt, which holds a 30% market share, Noise with 26%, and boAt with 17%. These brands have successfully captured the market by offering smartwatches at affordable prices, often below the ₹2,000 threshold, a significant increase from 26% in 2022. Their success is attributed to a combination of aggressive marketing, local manufacturing, and catering to a cost-conscious consumer base, thus making smartwatches more accessible to a broader audience.

Despite the overall market growth, international premium brands like Samsung saw a 3% year-on-year decline, although they did experience a 17% growth in the fourth quarter, with the Galaxy Watch 4 emerging as their most popular model due to promotional pricing. It also became the top-selling WearOS smartwatch in India. Conversely, Apple witnessed a substantial 57% decline in shipments, primarily due to its products’ longer replacement cycles, higher price points, and compatibility exclusively with iPhones. However, Apple still managed to maintain its dominance in the high-end market segment, priced above ₹20,000 and anticipates a gradual increase in Apple Watch shipments in 2024 following a rise in iPhone sales in India during 2023.

The surge in smartwatch popularity isn’t solely about affordability. An increasing emphasis on health consciousness, wellness, and the appeal of tech as a fashion statement are significant factors driving this trend. Consumers are keen on gadgets that enable them to monitor their health metrics, stay physically active, and express their personal style, and smartwatches fulfill these needs.

India’s rapid adoption of smartphones and its young, tech-enthusiastic demographic make it an ideal landscape for the expansion of wearable technology. Unlike the saturated market in China, where Indian brands have been cautious to enter, India presents a promising opportunity for growth and innovation in the wearable tech space.

Looking ahead, market analysts anticipate further consolidation, with the top five brands already commanding 81% of total shipments. The future is likely to bring a wider range of feature-rich, yet affordable smartwatches that cater to various consumer needs, from fitness tracking to fashion. Additionally, the emphasis on local manufacturing is expected to stimulate job creation and support the development of a self-reliant technology ecosystem in India.

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As per the latest Counterpoint report, the global semiconductor industry experienced an 8.8% decline in revenue in 2023, primarily due to reduced spending in both consumer and enterprise sectors. However, the landscape saw significant changes, with Intel overtaking Samsung for the top spot, as Samsung battled downturns in its memory and smartphone businesses.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerged as a key driver of growth in the semiconductor industry, especially in the second half of the year. NVIDIA, a major player in AI technology, benefited significantly, marking an 86% increase in year-over-year revenue, which positioned them third in revenue rankings for the first time.

Counterpoint’s semiconductor revenue tracker indicates that only six out of the top 20 global semiconductor vendors reported growth in 2023. The memory sector was particularly hard hit, witnessing a 43% decrease in revenue year-over-year. This decline contributed to the top 20 vendors’ market share falling from 76% in 2022 to 71% in 2023.

Intel’s return to the lead in the semiconductor market came despite a 16% drop in its year-over-year revenue, attributed to declining shipments in PCs and servers. Samsung’s revenue fell by 38% due to challenges in the DRAM and NAND segments. Other major players in the memory market, SK hynix and Micron, also reported significant revenue decreases.

William Li, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research, points to AI as a primary growth driver for the semiconductor industry in 2024. He predicts a recovery in the memory sector due to a normalization of the oversupply situation and demand recovery. The automotive sector is also expected to contribute to market growth, as demonstrated by Infineon and STMicroelectronics in 2023.

With the semiconductor industry nearing the end of its inventory correction cycle and stable client demand, supply constraints are likely to be a key focus. TSMC, the world’s largest foundry player, maintains a positive outlook with plans for capacity expansion in 2024, anticipating strong demand throughout the year.

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Amid the global slowdown, Apple and Samsung smartphones are still topping the charts in Global Smartphone sales. As per the Counterpoint Research report detailing smartphone shipments in Q2 2023, the Cupertino giant held the first four positions in Global smartphone sales. Meanwhile, the Samsung smartphones’ followed on the remaining positions in the top 10 tally.

Must See: Global PC shipments fall 15.5 percent in Q3, 2022 but Apple grows 7 percent: Counterpoint Research

Precisely, the Apple iPhone 14 stood at the top with the most sales and is followed by the iPhone 14 Pro Max in second position and the iPhone 14 Pro in third. A couple of years old Apple iPhone 13 managed to hold the 4th position in the global smartphone’s sale chart. Apple managed to outsell other smartphones in Asia and Europe where it gained the most new users.

Apple’s base iPhone 14 and iPhone 13 models also registered positive growth on a YoY basis. Overall, Apple’s share in the top-10 smartphone list shrank marginally in Q2 2023.

Samsung is also not so far behind Apple, the remaining positions in the top-10 list are secured by Smartphones. The affordable Samsung Galaxy A14 managed to secure 5th position in the chart. It is followed by Galaxy A54, Galaxy A14 5G, Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy A04e, and Galaxy A34 in respective positions from 5th to 10th, respectively in the list.

Samsung’s affordable A-series managed to garner the most sales across Asia and the Latin American region. These regions accounted for 60% of Galaxy A series sales during Q2 2023. Meanwhile, more premium – the Galaxy S23 Ultra remained popular in the North American and Western European regions. The regions registered 2/3rd of global Galaxy S23 Ultra sales across the globe.

YoY Comparison – Smartphone Sales Q2 2023

Apple iPhone 14 series replaced the iPhone 13 series in the top spots of the list as per YoY comparison. The Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G sales in Q2 2023 are replaced by its predecessor Galaxy S23 Ultra. Meanwhile, Xiaomi’s shrinking market share is also evident as any smartphone from the company failed to secure a place in the top-10 global sales list. Last year, Remdi Note 11 LTE Global secured 10th place.

Both Samsung and Apple are now competing head-to-head at least in the premium segment. However, the Korean giant is still king in the affordable market segment.

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The TWS (True Wireless Stereo) market landscape has seen some interesting shifts in the first half of 2023. According to Counterpoint’s TWS Hearables Market Tracker, the global TWS market has displayed resilience, despite challenging economic conditions and fluctuations in consumer demand for IT devices.

A standout trend has been the rise of affordable TWS earbuds, those priced under $50. In H1 2023, these cheaper earbuds enjoyed a whopping 15% growth in sales compared to the previous year. People in emerging markets, in particular, found these budget-friendly options very appealing.

On the flip side, big-name brands like Apple, Samsung, and Sony saw a drop in their TWS sales. The main reason? They didn’t release many new models. Consumers were looking for new features and value for money, which the affordable options delivered.

This shift wasn’t the same everywhere. Developed markets like North America and Europe, where TWS earbuds were already popular, saw a decrease in demand. But in places like India, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America, there was a strong demand. In India, local brands like boAt, Boult Audio, and Noise did well with their budget-friendly models.

Even Chinese brands got in on the action. A Chinese brand called ZhengQibing saw an incredible 141% increase in sales in H1 2023 by offering earbuds with cool features for less than $20.

Meanwhile, major global players like Apple, Samsung, and Sony saw fewer people buying their earbuds because they didn’t come up with many new ideas, or affordable models. On the other hand, newer brands focused on making earbuds that looked good, had great sound, low delay, and long battery life, which attracted people looking for a good deal.

Looking ahead, the TWS market is expected to grow by 2% in terms of how many earbuds are sold in 2023. But the money made from selling them is predicted to drop by 3%. This growth in TWS earbuds is likely to continue until 2026, with about 36% of new smartphones getting bundled with earbuds.

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India’s smartphone market faced a 3% YoY decline in Q2 2023, but the premium segment (>Rs. 30,000) soared with a remarkable 112% YoY growth, contributing 17% to overall shipments. Samsung retained its lead in the market and surpassed Apple to regain the top spot in the premium segment with a 34% share.

Apple Continues to Dominate Ultra-Premium Category in India

Apple, however, continued to dominate the ultra-premium (>Rs. 45,000) segment with a 59% share, making India one of its top five global markets. Vivo maintained its second position in the overall market and experienced YoY growth, while OPPO excelled in the upper mid-tier range with a 21% market share. OnePlus emerged as the fastest-growing brand in India’s smartphone market with a 68% YoY growth.

The rise of the premiumization trend was fueled by value-based incentives, aggressive promotions, and easy credit availability through financing schemes. 5G smartphone shipments surpassed 100 million cumulative units, growing 59% YoY, driven by expanded 5G networks and affordable devices. Offline channels are gaining ground, and their share is expected to reach 54% by 2023, as brands like Xiaomi, Realme, Samsung, and Apple leverage both online and offline channels for customer engagement.

The market also saw a rise in 4G feature phone shipments, reaching 10% of the overall feature phone market in Q2 2023. This growth was driven by JioBharat and Itel Guru series launches, with the segment projected to reach 18% by the end of 2023.

Overall, while the Indian smartphone market declined slightly, the robust growth of the premium segment and the popularity of 5G devices indicate positive momentum for the industry. Brands are capitalizing on the festive season and 5G upgrades to attract consumers, setting the stage for further developments in the upcoming quarters.

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According to a recent report by Counterpoint Research, the foldable smartphone market share in India’s ultra-premium segment, priced above Rs. 45,000, is expected to grow more than four times to 35% by the end of 2025. Currently, foldables constitute about 8% of ultra-premium Android smartphone shipments as of June 2023.

The research firm highlights that the adoption of foldable smartphones has been relatively slow, accounting for only about 1% of the overall mobile market in India.

Flip/Clamshell smartphones are very popular in India

However, flip smartphones are highly popular in India, especially among financially empowered female users. In the first half of 2023, flip phones accounted for an overwhelming 82% of the total foldable device shipments in the country.

The localization of manufacturing has also played a crucial role in fostering market growth. Flagship devices like Samsung’s Z Fold5 and Flip5, produced in India, have exemplified the trend of localized manufacturing, contributing to the increasing popularity of foldable smartphones in the country.

The entry of more smartphone manufacturers into the foldable phone market is expected to further boost the sector, making it more dynamic and competitive. Research firm Techarc estimates that India is poised to sell 635,000 foldable smartphones this year.

Globally, the shipments of foldable smartphones witnessed an impressive growth rate of about 64% in the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year, with China leading the way at 117%. However, in terms of growth rate, India took the top spot with an astonishing growth rate of 967%, followed by the MEA market with 197%, and North America with 43%.

Samsung, a major player in the foldable market, has ambitious plans for the future. The company aims to have foldable phones constitute over 20% of its total Galaxy smartphone sales globally by 2023. They are planning to sell up to 100 million foldable phones annually worldwide in the coming years, with the goal of having half of its smartphone sales come from foldable models by 2025.

The soaring demand for foldable smartphones in India indicates a significant shift in consumer preferences, with users increasingly opting for innovative and feature-rich devices. As the market continues to evolve and more players enter the fray, it remains to be seen how the landscape will shape up, presenting exciting opportunities for both manufacturers and consumers alike.

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According to the latest data from market research firm Counterpoint Research, Huawei has emerged as the standout performer in the second quarter of 2023 in the Chinese smartphone market. Despite an overall decline in sales for major manufacturers in the quarter, Huawei’s sales experienced an exceptional year-on-year growth of 58%.

Huawei’s Exceptional Sales Growth in a Declining Market

The boost in Huawei’s sales can be attributed to the resumption of its regular product release schedule, allowing the company to leverage its well-established brand image and widespread offline distribution channels across top-tier cities. This strategy resulted in a surge in sales after overcoming initial product shortages.

Among other manufacturers, Realme and Apple also achieved positive growth in Q2, while Vivo secured the top position with a market share of 17.7%.

Despite the challenges faced in the first half of 2023, Counterpoint Research predicts a slight decline in China’s smartphone market sales for the entire year. While improvements are expected in the second half compared to the first half, a significant rebound might be challenging due to persistent market challenges.

Huawei’s focus on its flagship series, along with the recent launch of midrange and flagship phones like the Nova 11 series and P60 series, has been instrumental in driving its sales growth. Additionally, the upcoming Mate 60 series, rumored to feature an impressive camera setup, is expected to further boost their sales. Huawei is also all set to introduce their latest Harmony OS 4.0 on 4th August which will further elevate their smartphone experience.

Furthermore, there are reports indicating Huawei’s preparation to restart mass production of its 5G mobile chip with the assistance of domestic partners. While the overall Chinese smartphone sales saw a dip of 4% YoY in Q2 2023, the 618 e-commerce festival managed to bring a much-needed respite in June, sparking hope for a better second half of the year.

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The global smartphone market is in a state of decline. Almost every other OEM is registering negative growth, except for one — Honor.

Ever since Honor separated from its parent company Huawei, it has been slowly increasing its presence in markets outside China. Counterpoint Research has published a report noting the achievements of the brand.

The article talks about Honor’s key international markets and its product portfolio. Let’s go through some of the important takeaways.

Honor enters top 5 in multiple countries

As per Counterpoint, Honor was the only major brand other than HMD Global to register growth in markets outside China in the first quarter of 2023. The company grew four times compared to the same quarter last year.

Honor’s market share increased at a time when other Chinese brands saw a decline by double-digits. Europe, MEA (Middle East & Africa), and LATAM (Latin America) were the company’s key global markets.

In Europe, the brand grew by over five-fold. It was able to achieve this by partnering with major retailers as well as operators like Three, Orange, SFR, and Wind Tre.

The brand managed to increase its market presence with just three lineup of smartphones, namely Magic series, Number series, and X series. These three fall under premium, mid-range, and budget segments, respectively.

Honor registered a whopping eight-fold growth in LATAM. It is already a top-five brand in Colombia and Peru. It is also gaining momentum in Panama and Guatemala.

The brand also grew six-fold in MEA. The Middle East, in particular, was one of the key growth regions. It is a top 5 brand in UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.

Though most of Honor’s sales come from its X series outside China, it is expanding its premium portfolio with expensive slab and foldable phones. You can learn more about what Counterpoint Research has to say about Honor’s future here.

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The challenging economic climate continues to cast a shadow over the European smartphone market, as evidenced by the latest research from Counterpoint Research’s Market Monitor service. The data reveals a significant 23% year-on-year decline in smartphone shipments in Q1 2023, painting a bleak picture for the industry. Factors such as inflation, high-interest rates, soaring energy prices, and the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine have contributed to the cautious approach consumers are adopting towards discretionary spending. These circumstances have resulted in Q1 2023 marking the lowest quarterly total for smartphone shipments in Europe since Q2 2012.

Apple’s decline was less severe than its market competitors

Jan Stryjak, Associate Director at Counterpoint Research, addressed the situation, stating, “The cost-of-living crisis has continued to inflict misery upon European consumers, making the start of 2023 exceptionally challenging. Nonetheless, there have been some positive developments within the market. Despite losing market share compared to the same period in 2022, Samsung managed to maintain its leadership position by successfully launching its latest flagship Galaxy S23 series, which outperformed both the S22 and S21 models. Apple, on the other hand, gained a slight increase in market share year-on-year, although this was primarily due to its decline being less severe than that of its competitors. However, the standout performer in this difficult climate was Xiaomi, being the only major vendor to experience year-on-year growth, bouncing back from a lackluster Q1 2022.”

Looking ahead to the remainder of 2023, Stryjak expressed cautious optimism. He remarked, “We had predicted that the prevailing conditions would worsen before showing signs of improvement, and unfortunately, Q1 2023 proved us right, marking the worst quarter for smartphone shipments in Europe in over a decade. Nevertheless, we maintain an optimistic outlook that the economic pressures will gradually ease in the coming quarters, leading to a boost in consumer confidence. We anticipate a more positive end to the year, which should be reflected in the performance of the European smartphone market.”

Despite the current difficulties, market players and consumers alike are hopeful that the European smartphone market will regain its momentum as economic conditions stabilize. The launch of innovative and feature-rich flagship devices, such as Samsung’s Galaxy S23 series, will likely play a pivotal role in enticing consumers back into the market. Moreover, the resilience displayed by Xiaomi in its recovery from a lackluster Q1 2022 serves as an encouraging example for other vendors. While challenges persist, the European smartphone market remains poised for a potential resurgence in the near future.

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Apple excels in selling refurbished phones because of its strong brand reputation for quality and reliability. Apple has a rigorous refurbishing process that includes the replacement of any defective parts with genuine Apple components, thorough testing, cleaning, and repackaging. This process ensures that the refurbished phones are of high quality and function, just like new phones. Apple also offers a one-year warranty on their refurbished phones, giving consumers peace of mind when purchasing. Additionally, Apple’s refurbished phones often come with the latest software updates and can be easily integrated with other Apple products, making them an attractive option for Apple enthusiasts. Lastly, Apple’s marketing and sales strategies effectively communicate the benefits of buying a refurbished phone, which helps to build consumer trust and increase sales. For all these reasons, Apple was the leader in the global refurbished phone market in the year 2022.

COVID-19 affected the Market for Refurbished Devices in 2022

According to Counterpoint Research’s Global Refurb Smartphone Tracker, the global secondary smartphone market grew 5% YoY in 2022, as the demand for refurbished smartphones continued to increase. However, the growth could have been higher if not for the steep 17% decline in China’s refurbished smartphone sales, which was caused by a resurgence of COVID-19 and the introduction of “COVID-Zero” policies in the country.

Apple’s global volumes grew 16% YoY in 2022, taking its secondary market share to over 49%. It is the fastest-growing brand in the used and refurbished sectors globally. However, Samsung’s share decreased to 26% in 2022 from 28% in 2021, mainly due to a small percentage shift of Android consumers to iOS, which affected Samsung refurbished sales.

The demand for refurbished smartphones is mainly coming from new smartphone buyers in mature markets, feature phone users shifting to smartphones in emerging markets, and unofficial channels dependent on C2C or hand-me-downs. Meanwhile, refurbished smartphone retailers are growing the most in terms of supply, while carriers have started offering refurbished options mainly in mature markets.

In 2022, a larger share of consumers preferred to buy premium and flagship refurbished smartphones compared to previous years, pushing up secondary market ASPs (average selling prices). The trend is expected to continue in 2023, along with an increase in 5G smartphone share, which could bring about a situation where the inventory of low-grade used smartphones may grow significantly.

Overall, the limited supply of refurbished smartphones is affecting most emerging markets like LATAM, Southeast Asia, India, and Africa. However, the business potential of dealing in refurbished smartphones remains high, as trust levels towards them have increased across markets, and consumers are shifting their focus towards sustainability and environmental awareness.

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In 2022, only two Android devices made it to the list of the top ten best-selling smartphones globally, as per research firm Counterpoint. These devices were Samsung’s budget-friendly models, Galaxy A03 and Galaxy A13. The remaining spots were dominated by Apple’s iPhones, with the iPhone 13 leading the chart.

This result is not surprising, considering Apple’s dominance in the smartphone market. With only a few models launched each year, consumers looking to buy iPhones have limited options, which leads to them choosing one of the newer iPhone models. On the other hand, the vast number of Android devices available means that consumers can always find several models fitting their requirements. That can be budget, camera setups or just a better battery. This trend has been consistent for several years and is unlikely to change anytime soon.

This implies that Apple is increasingly benefiting from the growing competition in the Android space. For the first time last year, eight iPhone models made it to the top ten best-selling smartphones chart. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max led the chart from January to August, followed by the iPhone 14 Pro Max, which received very well for the next three months succeeding its launch. The iPhone 14 topped the chart in December.

Overall, the iPhone 13 accounted for five percent of all smartphones sold last year, followed by the iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max. The Samsung Galaxy A13 took the fourth spot, followed by a range of iPhone models and the Galaxy A03. Counterpoint notes that the latest iPhone Pro Max model sold more units than the Pro and base models for the first time.

Counterpoint estimates that the top ten best-selling smartphones will account for a larger share of total shipments in 2023, as Android OEMs are shrinking their smartphone portfolios. There were around 3,600 active smartphones in the global market in 2022, down over 14 percent from more than 4,200 in 2021. This trend is expected to continue as brands focus on focus on premium segments to increase profitability.

In the Android space, Samsung’s Galaxy A13 was a popular choice in the Caribbean, Latin America, and India. Despite the competition, Apple remains a dominant force in the global smartphone market.

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Counterpoint Research has released a new report on the truly wireless stereo earphones segment in India for the year 2022. The segment recorded a whopping 85 percent year-on-year growth. As per the research firm, the growth is cited to local manufacturing, attractive sale events, frequent affordable offerings, and new players in the market. 

As per Counterpoint’s IoT Service data, Indian brands dominated the TWS segment in 2022. This was led by boAt, Boult Audio, Mivi, pTron, and Noise. They accounted for two/thirds of the total shipments and captured 80 percent of the market share. Chinese brands had a decreased market share with 13 percent last year. This was supported by the OnePlus Nord Buds, Buds CE, as well as, OPPO and Realme. Global brands led by Apple, JBL, and Samsung took a 8 percent share in the TWS segment. 

As for the brand statistics, boAt led the TWS segment in India for the third consecutive year with a 89 percent year-on-year growth. The Airdopes 131 was the top-selling model for the second straight year. Noise rose to the second spot with 2x YoY. Boult Audio came in third with a 7 percent share. Mivi took the fourth position whereas the pTron bagged the fifth spot with a 5 percent share. 

India’s TWS shipments saw a 44 percent YoY growth in the fourth quarter of 2022. The Rs 1,000 – Rs 2,000 price band had a 75 percent share during the period with boAt leading with a 45 percent share. The premium TWS segment captured 4 percent during the quarter driven by Samsung followed by Apple and JBL. 

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The cost of building Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro Max has been analyzed by research firm Counterpoint Research, and the results are interesting. The cost of making the iPhone 14 Pro Max rose by 3.4% compared to the cost of producing the iPhone 13 Pro Max. This is because of the introduction of an Always-On display and a new 48 MP Wide Camera lens. It is worth noting that Apple has priced the iPhone 14 Pro Max the same as the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which implies that the tech company is taking a cut in gross profit over its previous years.

A reduction in the price of cellular components used on the iPhone 14 Pro Max has resulted in an overall drop in the cost to produce the phone. Counterpoint’s report notes that the iPhone 14 Pro Max’s blended cellular group cost share dropped to 13% due to a fall in component prices as the popularity of 5G technology increases globally. This implies that suppliers are building more 5G compatible components, bringing down the cost for Apple in a classic supply and demand scenario.

The use of the A16 Bionic chip in the iPhone 14 Pro series also costs Apple $11 more per unit than the previous generation A15 Bionic SoC. Additionally, the components designed by Apple for the iPhone 14 Pro Max make up 22% of the bill of materials cost, a higher percentage than seen in the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Looking ahead to the iPhone 15 line, rumors suggest we could see higher component costs for the non-Pro models due to the addition of a 48MP Wide camera. The pricier iPhone 15 models are expected to have a range of new features, including support for Wi-Fi 6E and the replacement of physical buttons with solid-state buttons. Lastly, the iPhone 15 is also expected to have USB Type-C for the first time ever, which is definitely going to raise production prices for the device.

This means that after a few years of keeping iPhone pricing static, a price hike for the entire iPhone 15 line could be on the horizon this coming September. It’s something to keep in mind for those who are looking to purchase a smartphone from the iPhone 15 lineup.

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The Q4 2022 smartphone market faced a sharp decline, with shipments dropping 18% YoY (Year on Year) to the lowest level since 2013, despite a 1% QoQ (Quarter to Quarter) growth to 303.9 million units. Full-year 2022 shipments also dipped to 1.2 billion units, the lowest number since 2013. 

Counterpoint’s Senior Analyst Harmeet Singh Walia noted that various factors such as the war in Ukraine, inflation, economic uncertainty, and macroeconomic challenges weakened consumer sentiment. This, in turn, decreased the frequency of smartphone purchases, leading to double-digit decreases in shipments for the top smartphone manufacturers, impacted by the cost-of-living crisis, labor market shortage, and declining consumer purchasing power. Consequently, smartphone revenue and operating profit saw a dip, although not as severe as the decline in shipments. In 2022, Apple sold a total of 224.7 million units, with Q4 being the biggest quarter for the company. However, Samsung sold a total of 259.5 million units, still remaining at the top for yearly smartphone shipments globally.

According to Counterpoint’s Market Monitor service, the overall average selling price rose 5% YoY in 2022 due to an increased mix of premium phone offerings from major OEMs. While there was a 9% decrease in revenue, annual smartphone revenues reached $409 billion, the lowest since 2017. Apple was only one of the top five smartphone OEMs to see growth. Research Director Jeff Fieldhack praised Apple’s performance, since the company outperformed a struggling market in terms of shipment, revenue, and operating profit growth. In 2022, Apple achieved its highest-ever shares of 18%, 48%, and 85% in these metrics, respectively. This was attributed to the proficient management of production issues and strong iPhone Pro series sales. 

Additionally, premium devices, favored by well-informed smartphone users, saw less impact from economic and geopolitical uncertainties. Research Director Tarun Pathak also highlighted the premiumization trend driven by Samsung with its foldable smartphones. Samsung was the only top five OEM besides Apple to see a 1% growth in revenue, despite a 5% shipment decline and 1% operating profit decrease, in 2022. Samsung outperformed market projections, resulting in a slight increase in its operating profit share to 12% in 2022.

Chinese smartphone giants, including Xiaomi, OPPO, and Vivo, faced significant challenges due to domestic lockdowns and global economic and geopolitical difficulties, resulting in more than 20% decline in shipments and double-digit declines in revenue and operating profit. They have yet to make a significant impact in the premium market.

The market is expected to remain under pressure in the first half of 2023 before recovery sets in and market trends start stabilizing.

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Smartphones that were Made in India saw a sizeable rise in shipments back in the second quarter of this year. However, in the third quarter, it seems that these devices did not see such a great performance in the local market.

The news arrives from a Counterpoint Research report. The known analytics based firm found that smartphones under the ‘Made in India” category saw an overall decline of 8 percent year on year in Q3 2022. During this period, the Indian smartphone market shipped over 52 million Made in India handset units. However, this marked a noticeable fall in sales, which the report believes is likely due to fall in consumer demand.

This decline in sales is also likely linked to the uncertain geopolitics that could be the primary factor. According to Senior Research Analyst Prachir Singh, “The Made in India smartphone shipments declined in Q3 2022 as compared to Q3 2021. Two major forces impacted the growth of such smartphone shipments. First, the decline in consumer demand, especially in the entry level segment, due to the negative macroeconomic indicators. Second, the high channel inventory at the start of the quarter also impacted the manufacturing during the quarter.”

Despite this, the country’s smartphone manufacturing sector is still seeing expansion with almost 63 percent of shipments arriving from in house producers and just 37 percent from third party sources. BYD and Lava were two of the fastest growing brands in terms of total smartphone shipments. The researched further added that “Overall, the manufacturing trend is witnessing an upward trajectory with multiple partnerships happening in recent months, like the ones between Tata Group and Wistron and between Foxconn and Vedanta.” So this decline might not be permanent.

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A new report has revealed that Apple is apparently dominating the global smartphone revenue segment this year. The company took a massive lead over its competition, so here are all the details.

According to a Counterpoint Research report, the Cupertino based giant has managed to keep the throne and has even managed to raise its revenue share in the global smartphone market despite smartphone sales overall seeing a fall of 3 percent year on year. During this time, there was also a 12 percent decline in shipments, but there was a 10 percent hike in the average selling price (ASP).

In the total sales, 5G phones made up to 46 percent of shipments in quarter, which marks a new high. In the third quarter of this year, Apple took a dominating lead with a 42 percent global smartphone revenue share. Notably, this was up from just 37.1 percent from the same period a year prior. During the period between, July and September 2022, the brand’s iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max saw strong sales.

The iPhone 14 Plus did not begin shipping till the first week of October 2022. While Apple took the lead, South Korea’s Samsung took the second spot with an 18.3 percent revenue share. Xiaomi came in third with an 8.3 percent share, while Oppo and Vivo accounted for 6 percent and 5 percent respectively. So the iPhone 14 series is clearly performing well in the market.

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 A consumer survey conducted by Counterpoint Research has shown that Transsion Holdings subsidiary itel is the preferred brand in the sub-Rs. 8,000 category of the mobile phone market in India. The Chinese brand enjoys the highest proportion of repeat users among first-time handset buyers in the segment. Counterpoint Research claims that it conducted both offline and face-to-face interviews in 23 Indian cities with mobile users in the sub-Rs. 8,000 price category while compiling the report.

The report shows that 55% of respondents whose first mobile phone was an itel branded phone have upgraded to another device from the same brand. Samsung and Lava also ranked second and third respectively in terms of first-time mobile phone users who have stuck to the same brand while upgrading to a new model.

It is estimated that half of current Itel mobile subscribers purchased their first phone from Itel. However, that has not translated to brand satisfaction as the report also shows that itel consumers were the least satisfied (1%) with their existing phones among the top three brands in this sector in terms of current mobile phone ownership. This may not be unconnected with the not-so-impressive battery life that is associated with itel mobile phones, especially smartphones.

However, the survey revealed that the majority of users sampled selected itel as their next choice brand based on brand trust, cost, after-sales services, appearance, and durability, according to the report. An estimated 76% of current itel consumers expect to recommend the brand to friends based on their overall experience.

In another aspect, itel ranks third in terms of market share in the sub-Rs. 8000 segment.

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Multiple international market research firms Counterpoint Research, International Data Corporation (IDC), and Canalys have revealed the results of the global smartphone shipments during the third quarter of 2022. Q3, 2022 is the period between the month of July to September. OEMs sold 301.9 million units compared to 342 million during the same period last year. Counterpoint Research reveals a 12 percent decline whereas IDC and Canalys represent a figure of 9 percent. 

The global smartphone shipments in the third quarter improved compared to the last quarter i.e. Q2, where shipments slipped below the 300 million mark. The market is said to be at the lowest Q3 level since 2014. All three research firms attribute the downfall in shipments to the Russia-Ukraine war, China-US tensions, growing inflation and fear of recession, and weakening national currencies leading to a dent in consumer sentiment. Shipments across Europe and Asia Pacific performed better while emerging markets remained laggards. 

As for the OEM performance, Apple was the only company to register a 2 percent year-on-year growth. In Q3, 2022 the Cupertino-based tech giant had a 17 percent market share with 51.9 million shipments. South Korean major Samsung lead the Q3 market with 64 million sales and 21 percent share, however, it declined 8 percent YoY basis. Xiaomi came in third with a 13.4 percent share and 40.5 million shipments. It fell 8.6 percent year-on-year. Vivo and OPPO bagged the fourth spot with 25.9 million sales and 8.6 percent market share. Both companies recorded double-digit declines of 26.3 percent. Chinese brands were able to capitalise on Apple and Samsung’s exit from the Russian market. It’s worth noting that all five OEMs registered positive growth quarter-on-quarter basis. 

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Apple’s iPhone 13 was the world’s top-selling smartphone for the month of April. Counterpoint’s Global Monthly Handset Sales Tracker for April 2022 revealed that the Cupertino-based tech giant also had five iPhone models in the top ten smartphone list. Meanwhile, South Korean brand Samsung had four of its smartphones in the list. The top ten phones captured 21 percent of the total smartphone market.

As per the Counterpoint research report, Apple’s iPhone 13 was the best-selling phone with a 5.5 percent share followed by the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max which recorded 3.4 and 1.8 percent share respectively. The non-Pro model is said to have maintained a lead every month since its launch last October and it has done better than the Pro variants in terms of sales. The iPhone 12 which debuted way back in 2020 bagged the fourth spot with a 1.2 percent share and increased sales in Japan and India. The iPhone SE 2022 is the fifth phone from Apple sitting in seventh place with a 1.4 percent market share. 

As for Samsung, the Galaxy S22 Ultra took the fifth spot with a 1.5 percent share. The other three Samsung phones to make it to the list are from the budget A-series lineup. The Galaxy A13 was the sixth-best smartphone with a 1.4 percent share. The eighth and ninth positions were occupied by Galaxy A03 Core and A53 5G with 1.4 and 1.3 percent market share respectively. 

The last spot in the top ten smartphones list has been occupied by Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 11 LTE with a 1.3 percent share. 

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With the headphone jack becoming increasingly more rare now, wireless earphones have grown exponentially in popularity. This led to Chinese brands like OnePlus and Oppo to diversify their products to include new hearables as well, with the former being one of the top wireless earphones seller in India.

The news arrives from a Counterpoint Research report, which was about the neckband category of the wireless earphones segment. This report revealed the top brands in the category and their market share, as well as the top selling models as well. boAt took the top spot in the neckband category as a whole, with an impressive 25.7 percent market share, although, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z is India’s top selling neckband earphones.

This model was followed by the boAt Rockerz 255 series and the Realme Buds Wireless 2 Neo. On the other hand, OnePlus arrived second in the overall neckband segment with a market share of 14.9 percent, while Realme arrived third with a 9.6 percent market share. Other brands like Zebronics and Boult Audio rounded up the top five spots of the market.

For those unaware, the Bullets Wireless Z was launched back in October 2020. In other words, the wireless earphones is still one of the best selling neckband models despite being released 18 months ago. Meanwhile, boAt’s Rockerz 255 series included a number of models like the Rockerz 255, Rockerz 255 Neo, and Rockerz 255 Pro. Interestingly, all of these hearables are priced under the 2,000 INR (roughly 26 US Dollars) mark, which means that price is also an important factor in the region since 70 percent of neckbands sold were between 1,000 to 2,000 INR range.

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Samsung has just seen a great performance in the month of April 2022. The company managed to achieve a new record market share during this month, which was the highest ever in the past 5 years.

According to a Counterpoint Research report, the South Korean tech giant managed to see a 9 percent growth in sales year on year, despite the global smartphone sales falling by 8 percent year on year. During this time, the brand managed to capture nearly a quarter of the global smartphone market. This makes the highest ever single month market share for the company, since April 2017. Notably, the growth in April 2022 also helped the brand lead the global smartphone market for the third consecutive months this year.

Interestingly, we had previously reported on Samsung also achieving a record market share in Q1 2022. This record was also one of the highest ever market share in 5 years as well. Research Director Tarun Pathak stated that “Samsung captured close to one fourth of the global smartphone market in April 2022, reaching its highest single month share in the last five years. This was driven by the strong performance of the S22 series in the premium segment and the A series in the mid segment.”

As we move on to the second half of this year, Samsung is believed to retain its throne in the smartphone market in Q2 2022. The company is already the leader in the foldable smartphone segment, and still has a stronghold in the global smartphone market overall. So stick around for more, as it remains to be seen how the smartphone market develops in the coming months.

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Xiaomi has been leading the Indian smartphone market since late 2017. While Samsung overtook Xiaomi in the third quarter of 2020, the Chinese manufacturer managed to regain its lead in 2021. According to a new market survey by Counterpoint Research, Samsung has dethroned Xiaomi to become a market leader in India’s overall smartphone market.

According to market research, Samsung holds a 22 percent shipment and a 27 percent market share in India in March 2022. Samsung confirmed a 9 percent increase in value over the same period last year. According to Neil Shah, Vice President of Research, Counterpoint, “Timely portfolio expansion with 5G capability down to M, F, and A series and strong uptake of the Galaxy S22 and foldable flagship series helped Samsung grow back to the leadership position.”

The South Korean company is offering a wide range of Galaxy M, F, and A series of smartphones across different price points in India. The company offers around 15 5G-ready smartphones at the Rs 20,000 (~$260) price. At present, the Galaxy F23 5G, which starts at Rs 13,999 (~$180), is the most affordable 5G phone from the brand in India. Also, both the Galaxy S22 series and the Galaxy foldables have done well in the country’s market.

Three years ago, Samsung had lost its top spot in the premium smartphone market. Counterpoint Research found that the Galaxy S22 line of phones helped the South Korean company pass Apple and become the market leader in the premium smartphone market.

In March 2022, the Galaxy S22 Ultra achieved a 74 percent volume market share in India’s Rs 1,000,000+ (~$1,290) segment. With the sale of the S22 Ultra, the South Korean company achieved an 81 percent market share in the Rs 1,000,000 category. Furthermore, Samsung now has a 38% volume market share in the Rs 30,000+ (~$390) segment.

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As per Counterpoint Research’s Global Smartphone ODM Tracker and Report, smartphone shipments from original design manufacturer (or independent design house) companies grew 6.4 percent year-on-year basis in 2021. This is due to the pickup of 4.5 percent YoY in the overall global smartphone market in 2021. The rise in ODM/IDH shipments is also in times of COVID-19 and component shortages. 

The report also adds that the share of smartphone shipments from outsourced designs increased to 37 percent, which is 1 percent up from 36 percent in 2020. 

Senior Research Analyst Ivan Lam stated that the ODMs managed to achieve decent growth despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the supply of 4G chipsets on the global smartphone market. The growth was driven by brands like Xiaomi, Lenovo/Motorola, and Transsion. Since Xiaomi logged a 31 percent year-on-year growth in shipments in 2021, key ODMs for the brand benefitted the most. Another analyst added that Huawei’s decline impacted the big three, as the brand’s outsourced orders dropped 78 percent YoY. However, these were offset by Honor in the second half of 2021 whose orders dropped 11 percent YoY. Referring to the ‘Big 3’, Huaqin, Longcheer, and Wingtech dominated the market with 70 percent of the global ODM/IDH smartphone shipments. 

Smartphone OEMs are aggressively investing in India with companies like Foxconn, Pegatron, Wistron, and more setting up manufacturing facilities and expanding assembly lines to India, North Korea, and Southeast Asia. 

Original Design Manufacturers seem to be moving away from IDH services and focusing more on production and assembly services. Leading ODMs are also setting up production lines in India, Southeast Asia, and Brazil. 

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A new report has revealed that Qualcomm has managed to retain the lead in the Global Cellular IoT Chipset market in the fourth quarter of last year. The company managed to lead the segment by a significant margin.

The news arrives from Counterpoint Research under the title “Global Cellular IoT Module and Chipset Tracker by Application.” This report added that China was the largest market, continuing to dominate the category as it accounted for almost 60 percent of the total shipments. According to Research Analyst Anish Khajuria, “Qualcomm, UNISOC and ASR held the top three positions in the global cellular IoT chipset market in Q4 2021, accounting for nearly 75% of the total shipments. UNISOC, Qualcomm and ASR were the top three players in China. For the rest of the world, Qualcomm led the market, followed by UNISOC and Intel.”

In the cellular IoT chipset market, Qualcomm secured a 38 percent market share in terms of shipment in Q4 2021. The brand saw growth both annually and quarter on quarter. Its rise was attributed to rising demand for its cellular modules in the automotive, router/CPE, retail, asset tracking and industrial IoTs. But despite having a significant market share, Chinese rivals like UNISOC and ASR are rising in popularity in the market as well.

UNISOC was the second largest cellular IoT chipset supplier globally, thanks to robust demands of its NB-IoT and 4G Cat 1 technologies. The firm had a market share of 26.1 percent. Similarly, ASR Microelectronics came third in the ranking with a 10.4 percent market share and also saw strong growth thanks to 4G Cat 1 and 4G Cat 4 module segments.

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The sale of 5G smartphones finally managed to surpass the sales of the previous generation of 4G models this year. In January 2022, 5G handsets accounted for around 51 percent of all devices sold.

According to a Counterpoint Research report, China, North America, and Western Europe were the largest region that drove this growth. At the moment, China had the highest rate of 5G penetration, hitting 84 percent in January 2021. The push for 5G from Chinese telecom operators alongside brands launching new 5G handsets in competitive pricing enabled this surge. On the other hand, the North American and Western European hit 74 percent and 76 percent respectively in terms of 5G penetration.

In these two regions, Apple dominated with a market share of 30 percent in Western Europe and 50 percent in North America. This followed after the brand launched its 5G enabled iPhone 12 series. As of right now, these regions are expected to see continued growth for 5G models. Meanwhile, thanks to affordable chips from MediaTek and Qualcomm that support the newer and faster bandwidth helped grow the 5G Android smartphone market. This was especially true for the mid to high range segment between 250 to 400 US Dollars.

On the other hand, affordable chips enabled 150 to 250 US Dollars Android phones to also support 5G networking as well. The Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Latin America are now the next area of focus for OEMs that are seeking to expand their 5G offering to these regions. These are currently still dominated by 4G handsets, but will likely see a shift in the near future.

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A new report has revealed some interesting information regarding the overall sales of Samsung and its various mobile series. Apparently, the Galaxy A series is the most popular lineup and nearly account for half of all sales when compared every other series.

The news arrives from a Counterpoint Research report. Looking at the chart, we can see that the South Korean tech giant’s Galaxy A series is its most popular lineup of handsets. In other words, the A series accounts for a majority of the company’s sales since other lineups like the flagship Galaxy S series, the mid level Galaxy M series, and other combined account for just 58 percent overall.

Back in 2021, the Galaxy A series was responsibly for nearly two thirds of Samsung smartphones being sold. Furthermore, the Galaxy A series also saw great success across the globe in diverse nations ranging from North America, Western and Eastern Europe, and even across the LATAM (Latin American) and MEA (Middle East Africa) regions as well. Now, the brand is also gearing up for two new models that will be launched within the A series.

This includes the Galaxy A53 5G and the A73 5G. The two upcoming smartphones will be placed within the upper mid range segment. However, the A73 5G in particular will even compete with some of the other affordable level flagship devices. Most of these are primary sold by Samsung’s Chinese rivals, like Xiaomi, Redmi, Oppo, and others.

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The smartphone market has been captured by Apple once again and this time iPhone models have dominated 7 positions among the top 10 best-selling smartphones of 2021.

According to a new report by Counterpoint Research, the Apple iPhone 12 was the best-selling smartphone of the year 2021. People have preferred this reasonably priced non-Pro high-ender with a normal screen size in comparison to other flagship models with a total world sale of 2.9 percent.

On the second spot is the iPhone 12 Pro Max accounting for 2.2% of global smartphone sales in 2021. On the third position is the vanilla iPhone 13 with a 2.1% share in global sales, and iPhone 12 Pro gets the fourth position with around 2.1% share. Closing out the top five is the iPhone 11, which is still going strong despite now being two generations old.

According to Apple’s recent 1.39 billion estimated smartphone sales, the Cupertino giant may have sold around 40 million units of iPhone 12 models, and 30 million copies of the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Other models on the list like iPhone 13, 12 Pro, and 11 models may have seen sales in the neighborhood of 27 and 29 million units each.

Similar to last year, the list did not feature any Samsung high-end devices but rather the budget-oriented Galaxy A12 kept the company in the sixth position.

Xiaomi took advantage of its low to mid-range models with huge success in markets like China, India, and Asia pacific. Redmi 9A and Redmi 9 featured in the seventh and tenth positions respectively keeping the smartphone maker on the top ten list.

The iPhone SE 2020 also remained a popular choice for customers, enjoying a 1.6% share of the total smartphone sales in 2021. And since Apple has just launched the iPhone SE 2022, we can expect the model to be placed higher on the table for the top-selling phones in 2022.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max comes in at the ninth position in the top ten list edging out the 13 Pro which did not make it in the top 10. This could be due to customers preferring the bigger screen of the Pro Max model, and if this indeed turns out to be true, then this year’s top 10 might look a lot different as Apple is rumored to launch the iPhone 14 Max, which is said to have a screen that will be equal in dimensions to the iPhone 14 Pro Max but will cost less than the iPhone 14 Pro.

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Counterpoint Research has released a report on the Indian smart TV market for 2021. According to the report, the market grew more than the year-earlier and registered its highest-ever shipments. More consumers started preferring large-screen televisions. In fact, they accounted for almost half of the shipments.

Counterpoint reports that the TV shipments in India grew by 24% YoY and 48% YoY in 2021 and Q4 2021 respectively. These numbers stood at 55% YoY and 65% YoY for smart TVs. As a result of the aforementioned growth, the market share of smart televisions increased to 84% from 67%.

The growth of the smart TV category was supported by demand for home entertainment during lockdowns, newer launches at affordable price tags, growth of newcomers, discounts, and availability of premium features at attractive prices.

As mentioned earlier, the market share of large-screen televisions (above 40-inch) increased to 42% last year compared to just 31% in 2020. At the same time, the online channel continued to show growth due to brands’ partnerships with eCommerce platforms and launching their own websites. Anyway, the market is still offline-centric as this channel alone drove 69% of the shipments in 2021.

Talking about brands, Xiaomi led the smart TV market in India throughout 2021 with an 18% market share. It was closely followed by Samsung with a 16% market share. The South Korean electronics giant’s entire TV shipments (smart and non-smart) accounted for 18%. LG, Sony, and OnePlus rounded off the top 5 with 11%, 6%, and 6% market shares respectively.

As far as interesting facts are concerned, OnePlus witnessed a record 354% shipment growth. Further, Sony was the most preferred brand over ₹40,000 segment. Finally, budget models were the best-selling TVs for all the brands.

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Earlier this week, we had covered MediaTek’s announcement, in which it claimed that it had become the No 1 chip manufacturer for Android smartphones in the US. However, Qualcomm is challenging this claim, considering a separate report suggests otherwise.

In recent months, the Taiwanese chipmaker has seen great success across the globe with its chips that target every smartphone segment. Previously, the company was largely popular in the budget category, but it has been eating away at Qualcomm’s mid range segment dominance in recent times. Following a report from known analytics based firm IDC, MediaTek claimed that it became the market leader in the US (Via PCMag).

However, the American chip giant contradicted its claim of being the top chipmaker by providing data from another known analysis firm, Counterpoint Research. It isn’t surprising that both firms arrived at different results considering they use different proprietary data methods of collecting data. Although, both firms agreed that Qualcomm is the top chipmaker for Android phones for the year of 2021, since MediaTek only took the lead in the fourth quarter report from IDC.

According to a MediaTek spokeswoman, “MediaTek trusts IDC and the accuracy of information from its recent report.” The original IDC data showed that the Taiwanese chipmaker saw a stellar performance in Q4 2021 in the US since the top three selling phones in the period featured MediaTek chipsets. This included the Samsung Galaxy A12, Galaxy A32, and the Motorola G Pure. Google shifting to its own proprietary chipset also meant orders lost for Qualcomm.

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Counterpoint Research has released a new report on the Vietnamese smartphone market. The research firm says that the market grew 104% QoQ and 15% YoY in the last quarter of 2021. Samsung retained the top position. On the other hand, Xiaomi was pushed to the fifth position by Apple due to strong iPhone 13 sales.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, macroeconomic worries, and supply chain issues, the smartphone market in Vietnam, which is dominated by offline channels, went through difficulties throughout 2021. However, it sprang back to growth in Q4.

Both Samsung and Apple witnessed their highest ever shipments in the country last year. The South Koran tech giant led the market, followed by OPPO (including OnePlus), Xiaomi (including Redmi and POCO), vivo, Apple, and realme.

However, in the final quarter of the year, Xiaomi actually came fourth. It was not only beaten by OPPO and vivo but also Apple. Enhanced distributions strategy by Apple boosted the sales of iPhones in Q4.

The only brand that showed a decline in 2021 was OPPO though it held the second position overall by growing 88% QoQ in Q4. Being an offline-centric brand, the company’s growth decremented by 6% YoY due to lockdowns in Q2 and Q3 as well as a shortage of 4G SoCs.

Lastly, Vietnam has never been an online-first smartphone market, however, it did account for 15% of shipments in 2021 by growing 8% YoY.

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