The Philippines smartphone market experienced a seismic shift during the second quarter of 2023, revealing an altered landscape of the Top 5 smartphone brands based off market share.
Transsion, realme, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Samsung have emerged as the front-runners in the market, with Transsion establishing a clear lead, according to the latest report by the International Data Corporation (IDC) Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker.
Transsion’s extraordinary achievement in capturing an impressive 38% of total shipments has propelled them to the forefront of the smartphone race in the Philippines. This marks a transformative change in market dynamics, firmly establishing it as the leader among the Top 5 smartphone brands.
Securing the second position, realme demonstrated its mettle with innovative strategies and offerings that resonated well with consumers.
Meanwhile, Xiaomi, OPPO, and Samsung maintained their presence within the Top 5, attesting to their continued popularity and strategic relevance.
The overall market conditions witnessed a slight annual decline of 2.1% YoY, yet optimism prevailed with a promising quarter-over-quarter growth of 20.0%. This shift in momentum, following a series of quarters with double-digit reeductions, indicated a breath of fresh air within the industry.
“Despite a slowdown in inflation and an improving economic landscape in the Philippines, consumers remained cautious about spending due to higher commodity prices and economic uncertainties. As a result, we’ve observed eight consecutive quarters of annual contraction” explained Angela Medez, Senior Market Analyst for Client Devices at IDC Philippines.
Transsion emerged as the dominant player, capturing a substantial 38% share of total shipments in Q2 of 2023 and maintaining its leadership position for two consecutive quarters.
Within the Transsion umbrella, the sub-brand Tecno showcased impressive growth of 145% QoQ and 237% YoY. This surge was propelled by an expanded channel presence nationwide and a series of new model launches, particularly the Spark 10 series. These efforts drove remarkable growth of more than threefold in the ultra-low-end segment (below US$100), both on a quarterly and yearly basis.
“As the market anticipates sustained subdued conditions throughout the remainder of the year, IDC foresees heightened competition and expansion within the lower-price segments, as vendors work towards enhancing sales” added Medez.
