Huawei Led the Global Rise of Chinese Smartphone Brands in 2015
January 14, 2016 | TrendForceEstimated reading time: 4 minutes
Global smartphone shipments for 2015 grew 10.3% year on year to 1.293 billion units, among which 539 million units came from Chinese vendors, according to the latest reporting from the global market research firm TrendForce. Chinese smartphone brands made big gains worldwide in 2015, with their market share reaching a new high of over 40% and their combined annual shipments growing above the global average. Chinese smartphone makers also took seven of the top ten spots in the 2015 worldwide vendor ranking. Huawei in particular edged out Lenovo for the first time to become the No. 3 vendor globally and the leading vendor in China.
TrendForce smartphone analyst Avril Wu said: “Chinese vendors together shipped 539 million units in 2015, while Samsung and Apple together shipped a total of 547 million units. Collectively, Chinese vendors were in a close match against the top two global brands. In 2016, TrendForce expects Chinese vendors to take around 45% of the global market share, with their shipments exceeding the combined shipments of Samsung and Apple. This means that nearly one out of two smartphones sold by the top ten vendors this year will come from a Chinese brand. In sum, major international vendors are now facing a tougher market situation.”
Samsung suffered its first-ever annual shipment decline in 2015; Apple still shines with stellar results
Samsung had a tough 2015. Besides missing its annual shipment targets for Galaxy S6 and Note 5, the top global vendor also saw its global market share fell to 25%, down from 28% in 2014. As Samsung continues to cede grounds to Apple in the high-end market, it has retreated in face of Chinese competition in the mid-range and low-end segments as well. Hence, the vendor’s market share projections were revised downward repeatedly throughout the year. According to TrendForce’s data, Samsung smartphone shipments for 2015 totaled 320 million units. This figure represented an annual decline of 1.8%, a historic first for the South Korean vendor.
Apple retained its position as the No. 2 global vendor in 2015 with 227 million iPhones shipped, translating to an annual growth of 17.7% and a 17.5% worldwide market share. Strong sales of iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were a major factor behind the sustained expansion in shipments. The 5.5-inch model of iPhone 6 Plus in particular filled the gap for large-screen smartphone in Apple’s product lineup. The successor model, iPhone 6s, was released in September last year and featured upgraded processor (Apple A9) and 3D Touch technology. However, it has not generated much replacement demand as expected because its outward appearance is just too similar to the preceding iPhone 6. Projections for iPhone 6s shipments over 2016 are already seeing downward revisions, and TrendForce anticipates Apple’s shipment growth for this year to be in the single digit.
Page 1 of 2
Suggested Items
IDTechEx Discusses Low-Loss Materials: The Enabler of Future Connected Vehicles?
05/06/2024 | IDTechExFuture connected vehicles will offer future drivers a safer, smoother, and more convenient driving experience. Not only will drivers get access to more navigation and entertainment options, but they will also gain access to safety technologies that will potentially reduce accidents, improve congestion, and reduce emissions globally by allowing vehicle safety systems to communicate with each other and with city traffic infrastructure.
HBM Prices to Increase by 5–10% in 2025, Accounting for Over 30% of Total DRAM Value
05/06/2024 | TrendForceAvril Wu, TrendForce Senior Research Vice President, reports that the HBM market is poised for robust growth, driven by significant pricing premiums and increased capacity needs for AI chips.
Tablet Shipments Show Signs of Recovery in Q1 2024
05/06/2024 | IDCAfter more than two years of decline, worldwide tablet shipments posted modest year-over-year growth of 0.5% in the first quarter of 2024 (1Q24), totaling 30.8 million units, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Personal Computing Device Tracker.
Industrial PC Market Size to Record $1.75 Billion Growth from 2023-2027
05/03/2024 | PRNewswireThe global industrial pc market size is estimated to grow by USD 1.75 billion from 2023 to 2027, according to Technavio. This growth is expected to occur at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of almost 6.29% during the forecast period.
Real Time with… IPC APEX EXPO 2024: Direct Imaging Equipment and Quad-wave DLP Light Engine Technology
05/03/2024 | Real Time with...IPC APEX EXPOGuest Editor Kelly Dack and MivaTek's Brendan Hogan delve into the company's innovative technologies, including direct imaging equipment and quad-wave DLP light engine technology. They highlight the benefits of direct imaging, compensation, and DART technology.