Okay, a new report from Counterpoint Research shows that premium smartphone sales reached records in 2021, and on top of that, Apple’s iPhones were the top seller in every territory, reports AppleInsider. It seems that Apple is ruling the premium smartphone category around the world.
Apple rules premium smartphone category, according to a new research report
Previously, Counterpoint Research reported that Apple has dominated smartphone sales in the United States. On top of that, 7 out of 10 of the best-selling smartphones all around the world were… you guessed it, iPhones. Now, the firm has published new research that marks the dominance of the iPhone in the premium phone market, in each region the firm studied. So, first off, what does the firm consider a premium smartphone? According to the firm, the market accounts for phones costing over $400, and this same market grew 24% in 2021, compared to 2020. For the same period, the general smartphone market (not only premium phones) also grew, by a more modest 7%.
Counterpoint research director Tarun Pathak marks that the premium smartphone market growth in 2021 was driven by several factors, and among them, is the replacement demand, OEM strategies, and even supply chain dynamics.
But that’s not the only reason why we are seeing this growth. Pathak also underlined that the demand for 5G connectivity also has a say in the matter. And, with the premium market gap that Huawei left (sadly for many), Apple has been aggressively filling in, especially in China and Western Europe. Other companies that have been aggressively trying to take Huawei’s place, according to the report, were Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi.
As some of you may know, Apple does not release sales figures, so the data used for the research comes from Counterpoint’s own sources. According to the info there, in 2021, Apple reached a note-worthy 60% share on the premium market for the first time since 2017.
This could also be due to the fact that the iPhone 12’s launch was delayed because of the pandemic and many of its sales were pushed into 2021.
According to the research firm, Apple is in the best position to win over Huawei’s premium smartphone users in the near future, and overall, the firm expects Cupertino to see more growth, as well as bring more growth to the premium market itself in the coming years.
However, it is not only Apple that’s been driving the market, and credit should be given when it is due, and so does the report. Senior analyst Varun Mishra underlines that the future launch of foldable phones at a lower price will also drive growth in the premium market. The analyst underlines Samsung has proven foldable phones as a viable market.
On the other hand, Apple is expected to launch a foldable iPhone in 2024, at least according to rumors.
Samsung’s sales have also grown in this segment, and so have Oppo and Vivo’s
The report marks that Samsung’s sales in the premium smartphone market grew 6% from 2020, but despite that, the South Korea-based tech giant has lost some market share. However, the Galaxy S21 still performed better in terms of sales in comparison to the Galaxy S20, whose sales suffered due to the pandemic. The foldables, Galaxy Z Fold and Flip were also performing quite well, especially in South Korea, the US, and Western Europe. The report also underlines Samsung was affected by component shortages too.
Oppo and Vivo, on the other hand, had their sales in the premium segment double in 2021. Pretty much, these two companies grew by a staggering 116% and 103% respectively. Oppo is also growing steadily in the European market, managing to fill, to some extent, Huawei’s gap in the market.
Xiaomi managed to go into the top-five list for the premium segment in almost all of its regions, and the company’s gains were driven by the Mi 11 series mainly.
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