The new research of Counterpoint emphasizes how the mercato smartphonee in Q1 2022 in Europe both fell by -12%, with shipments down compared to the first quarter of 2021. Among the top five brands by market share, only realme is growing. Analysts think supply chain and distribution chain problems are the cause.
The smartphone market loses 12 points in the first quarter of 2022
Smartphone sales drop 12% in the first three months of 2022. Samsung -16% creek, Apple al -6%. Xiaomi loses 5 points in market share, with -36% in sales, while Oppo drops by 8%. Alone realme among the top five brands it continues to grow (+ 67%), also thanks to the launch in new markets.
According to Jan Stryjak of Counterpoint (here the research), “existing problems such as Covid-19 and the shortage of components have been exacerbated by the new economic and geopolitical challenges. Rising inflation in the region is impacting consumer spending. While Samsung and Apple, the first and third smartphone vendors in Russia, they stopped all shipments in the wider European market at the beginning of March 2022 ″.
Only Apple and Samsung shipments to Russia subtract 6% from the market, therefore half of the decline recorded. But the impact of the war on distribution, added to the supply difficulties for those who build in China (like Apple and Xiaomi, for example), has significantly reduced the volume of shipments.
realme instead it continues to grow, the only one of the top 5. Counterpoint underlines how Nokia HMD e Google have had even greater percentage growth, although they are starting from a smaller base. So in absolute terms, realme has had the sharpest growth.
According to analysts, in the second quarter of 2022 the situation could get even worse before it starts to improve again. The impact of Samsung and Apple’s withdrawal from Russia will be felt fullyas well as the delays due to the March lockdowns in China.