According to the latest report released by Canalys, in the fourth quarter of 2022, global smartphone shipments will drop by 17% year-on-year. With full-year shipments down 11% in 2022 to below 1.2 billion units, it’s not hard to see that all manufacturers are facing extremely severe challenges this year. Despite shrinking demand and the impact of supply chain problems in Zhengzhou, Apple regained the top spot in the market in the fourth quarter and gained its highest quarterly market share ever, reaching 25%. Although Samsung ranked second with a 20% market share this quarter, it is also the manufacturer with the largest shipments for the year. Although affected by the Indian market, Xiaomi’s market share fell to 11% in the fourth quarter, but it still ranked third. Both OPPO and vivo are among the top five, with market shares of 10% and 8% respectively.
Canalys research analyst Runar Bjørhovde said, “In 2022, smartphone vendors have been surviving in a difficult macroeconomic environment. The market performance in the fourth quarter was the worst in a decade, and the full-year performance was also the worst in a decade. Channel Overly cautious in dealing with new inventory, resulting in lower shipments in the fourth quarter. Inspired by promotional activities by manufacturers and channels, the holiday sales season helped it reduce inventory levels. Not only the low-end demand fell in the previous quarters, but also the high-end Demand also started to soften in the fourth quarter. The market performance in the fourth quarter of 2022 is in stark contrast to the fourth quarter of 2021, when demand surged and supply eased.”
Le Xuan Chiew, research analyst at Canalys, said: “In 2023, manufacturers will be more cautious and prioritize profitability to defend their market positions. Manufacturers are cutting costs to adapt to the new market realities. Building a strong relationship with channels Partnerships are important to retaining market share, as negotiations between channel partners and vendors can easily crack under tough market conditions.”
Chiew added: “Canalys expects flat or slight growth in the smartphone market in 2023, and the situation is still grim. Although inflationary pressures will gradually ease, the impact of multiple factors such as interest rate hikes, slowing economic growth and an increasingly difficult labor market The impact will restrain the development potential of the market. This will have an adverse impact on the already saturated mid-to-high-end markets such as Western Europe and North America. Although China’s epidemic liberalization policy will improve the confidence of domestic consumers and businesses, the government’s stimulus measures may The effect will be seen in six to nine months, so demand in China will remain challenging in the short term. However, some regions may experience growth in the second half of 2023, especially Southeast Asia, which is expected to see signs of economic recovery. And the revival of tourism in China is also helping to drive business activity.”
