Beijing, Feb 18 : China’s smartphone shipments dropped 11 per cent year-on-year in Q4 2021, with Apple ending on top and reaching its highest market share ever.
According to Counterpoint Research, Honor increased its market share by more than two times from a year ago to become China’s second-biggest OEM for the first time after becoming an independent company.
Both Apple and Honor delivered surprises to the upside and continued the trend of a constantly changing competitive landscape.
Apple’s iPhone 13 dominated the premium segment thanks to its comparatively lower launch price.
Honor’s mid-to-high-end products helped drive the brand’s sales with the Honor 50 retaining the top spot in the $200-$599 price band for five months after its launch.
vivo’s shipments dropped 13.8 per cent YoY in Q4 2021 with its market share at 16.5 per cent.Xiaomi fell to the fifth position, sustaining its downward trend.OPPO rose to third as it included its sub-brand OnePlus.
Even though the shipments were down in 2021, major OEMs kept expanding their premium product portfolios.Such devices include vivo’s X70 Pro, Xiaomi’s Mix 4 and HONOR’s Magic3 and Magic V.Among Android devices, Honor’s Magic3 led the segment.The series comes with an iconic exterior design and Snapdragon 888-led flagship-level specifications.
Software and hardware integrations enhance the user experience.Foldables is another hot option for OEMs to target the premium segment by providing differentiated products.
Also, Apple is yet to enter this segment, which means an opportunity for other OEMs to get a head start.Coming into 2022, OEMs including Honor, vivo and OPPO will keep trying to expand in the premium segment.
In addition to foldable products, Android brands will introduce more premium smartphones this year to reclaim some of the market share gained by Apple in 2021.wh/svn/
Even though shipments were lower in 2021, the major OEMs continued to expand their product portfolios with premium features.
These include Vivo’s X70 Pro, Xiaomi’s Mix 4 and Honor’s Magic3 and Magic V.Among Android devices, Honor’s Magic3 was the top performer in the market.The Magic3 series is equipped with an iconic exterior and Snapdragon 888-led specifications that are flagship-level.Integrations with hardware and software enhance the users experience.
Foldables is another popular alternative for OEMs to focus on the premium market by offering distinct products.Additionally, Apple is yet to join this market which opens up a chance to other OEMs to gain an early start.
Coming to 2022, OEMs such as Honor, Vivo, and OPPO will continue to increase their presence in the category of premium.Alongside foldable phones, Android brands will introduce premium smartphones in the coming year to take back part of the market share seized by Apple in 2021.
