News hardware Smartphones: only 1 brand is doing well, and it’s neither Apple nor Samsung nor Xiaomi
In a moribund market which saw its sales fall by 12% in one year, between the 1st quarter of 2021 and that of 2022, all the main smartphone manufacturers, from Samsung to Apple and including Xiaomi, are struggling except one, the unstoppable Realme which continues its mad progression.
Smartphone shipments in Europe at their lowest in 10 years
The stats are well known, we often make them say what we want… Nevertheless, when it comes to ranking sales or performance, it is immediately easier to analyze.
Today, we are looking at overall smartphone sales in Europe, the market that concerns us directly, between the 1st quarter of 2021 and the 1st quarter of 2022.
And if you’re wondering why the big teams like Apple, Oppo, Samsung or Xiaomi have remained relatively discreet this year about their figures and their market shares, it’s quite simply because it’s not famous… And 2022 does not seem determined to start again on better bases…
In total, in the first quarter of 2022, 49 million smartphones were shipped in Europe, which is quite simply the lowest total since… the first quarter of 2013 ! We even observe a 12% drop in sales in Europe over one year. A real earthquake…
The Realme GT Neo 3T Dragon Ball Z Edition arrives on July 8
Almost 10 years since the smartphone market had experienced such a hangover. The reasons are multiple, many people re-equipped themselves suddenly at the start of confinement, the stocks of certain devices were not at their best and perhaps also that people are tired or change smartphones less often.
More and more brands promise updates over three or four years, compared to two before… Why change if the smartphone still works?
10th at the start of 2021, Realme is now in the top 5 best-selling smartphones in Europe
If the ranking of the top 4 smartphone manufacturers in Europe does not change, Samsung is still largely the leader with 35% (-2%) of market share, Apple second at 25% (+1%), followed by Xiaomi at 14% (-5%) and finally Oppo at 6% (=).
But where a newcomer is appearing is Realme, which has climbed several places and is now positioned as the 5th force on the European market with 4% market share.
Source: Counterpoint
Above all, the brand is growing by 67%, where all the others are plummeting, and even by 177% in the first quarter of 2022. Note the spectacular drop of -36% growth for Xiaomi over one year.
With well thought out, critically acclaimed and affordable models (the hallmark of Xiaomi until now), like the Realme GT Master Edition, the Realme 9 Pro Plus or the Realme GT Neo 3 that we tested there a few days away, the young Chinese brand, little sister of Oppo, Vivo and OnePlus, probably still has a bright future ahead of it.
Realme GT Neo 3 review: here is the fastest charging smartphone in the world
