Apple hit hardest as phone sales fall
Research company IDC reports that year-on-year phone sales dropped 6.6 percent in the first quarter of 2019. It’s the sixth quarter in a row to see a drop and the rate of fall is picking up. This time last year sales were down 4.1 percent over the same time in 2017.
Samsung remains the leading phone brand albeit with a falling market share. It has been the top-selling brand for each of the last four quarters. During that period Apple jockeyed for second place with Huawei. The Chinese phone maker is now back in second place.
It’s been tough for everyone. Only two of the top five brands sold more phones in the last 12 months than in the earlier twelve months. Huawei and Vivo, which is not visible in New Zealand, both saw sales increase.
Samsung in the driving seat
Samsung accounts for about one phone in five sold. It’s share nudged down a tick as it sold 6.3 million fewer phones than in the previous year. While the company’s premium phone models, notably the Galaxy S10 and S10+, remain popular, Samsung is losing ground lower down the market.
Huawei is the big winner. The company continued its surge that has propelled it past Apple in terms of unit sales. Year on year sales are up 50 percent. In the twelve months to March 2019 Huawei moved to 19 percent market share. That is closing on Samsung’s 23 percent and comfortably in front of Apple’s 12 percent.
This strong growth took place before sales of the recently announced P30 and P30 Pro models could influence numbers. Based on a comparison of the P30 Pro and the Samsung S10 , Huawei may get nearer to Samsung’s share in the coming months.
Worldwide phone shipments
| Company | 1Q19 vol | 1Q19 share | 1Q18 vol | 1Q18 share | change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Samsung | 71.9 | 23.1% | 78.2 | 23.5% | -8.1% |
| 2. Huawei | 59.1 | 19.0% | 39.3 | 11.8% | 50.3% |
| 3. Apple | 36.4 | 11.7% | 52.2 | 15.7% | -30.2% |
| 4. Xiaomi | 25.0 | 8.0% | 27.8 | 8.4% | -10.2% |
| 5. Oppo | 23.1 | 7.4% | 24.6 | 7.4% | -6.0% |
| 5. Vivo | 23.2 | 7.5% | 18.7 | 5.6% | 24.0% |
| Others | 72.1 | 23.2% | 91.9 | 27.6% | -21.5% |
| Total | 310.8 | 100.0% | 332.7 | 100.0% | -6.6% |
| Figures from IDC, numbers in millions |
Apple phone sales fall
Apple’s four percent fall in market share represents something of a sea-change, but is not as dramatic as it is viewed in some quarters. The company’s share price actually rose after it announced its annual results overnight. Apparently iPhone sales were not as dire as expected. The company aims to make up some of the lost revenue from selling services.
We don’t see much of the fourth and fifth brands in New Zealand. Samsung and Apple dominate the New Zealand market with Huawei challenging for a place at the top table. After that, it’s all rats and mice.
For the record Xiaomi’s market share dropped almost half a percent to eight percent. Vivo added two percent of market share taking it to 7.5 percent. Oppo, which is active in New Zealand, was flat and is now in sixth place with a 7.4 percent market share.
Most of the analysts commenting on the results focused on the way consumers are no longer as quick to upgrade phones to the latest models. This makes a lot of sense. A phone should last from three to four years and, advances in photography aside, today’s phones are often not much better than three-year old models.
When new people enter the phone market, they are no longer coming in at the top, but are buying lower priced models from Chinese brands.
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