Gartner: Premium Smartphone Sales Slow Down in Q2

  • PDF

According to Gartner, global Q2 2016 smartphone smartphones total 344 million units-- a 4.3% Y-o-Y increase, if one seeing slowdown as customers prefer to wait for upcoming hardware launches in H2 2016.

Overall mobile phone sales for the quarter are down by -0.5% Y-o-Y, with only Samsung and 4 Chinese companies, Huawei, Oppo, Xiaomi and BBK Communication Equipment, showing growth.

Gartner Q2 sales

Samsung also leads in smartphones, with Q2 2016 market share reaching 21.8% thanks to a strong device portfolio helping it win share previously occupied by Chinese vendors in emerging markets. Apple follows with a -7.7% Y-o-Y sales decline, the result of saturation in all mature markets, as well as the "worst" sales decline in Greater Chine and Asia/Pacific to date.

However Apple sees best performance in Eurasia, Sub-Saharan Africa and E. Europe-- Gartner says Q2 2016 sales in the regions are up by over 95% Y-o-Y.

Making the rest of the top 5 vendors are Chinese companies, namely Huawei (8.9% share), Oppo (5.4%) and Xiaomi (4.7%).

Gartner smartphone os

In terms of operating systems Android continues to lead, with Q2 2016 market share reaching 86.2%, an increase from Q2 2015 share of 82.2% the result of increased demand for both mid- to lower-end smartphones from emerging markets and premium handsets from the likes of Samsung, Huawei and Oppo. On the other hand Apple share is down to 12.9%, while the rest (Windows, Blackberry and others) share what little scraps remain.

"Google is evolving the Android platform fast, which allows Android players to remain at the cutting edge of smartphone technology," Gartner concludes. "Facing a highly commoditised smartphone market, Google's focus is to further expand and diversify the Android platform with additional functionalities, like virtual reality, enabling more-intelligent experiences and reach into wearables, connected home devices, in-car entertainment and TV."

Go Gartner Says Five of Top 10 WW Mobile Phone Vendors Increased Sales in Q2 2016