Samsung has been titled by the International Data Corporation (IDC) Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker as Malaysia's top smartphone manufacturer in 2016. It's believed that the Galaxy Note 7 debacle had a minimal impact on the firm's performance in the region (it's a shame the same can't be said about the United States) as its high-end smartphones aren't popular amongst consumers. Instead, the release of the refreshed, well-built Galaxy J series, attracted a lot of attention from budget-conscious customers, providing it with the sales figures it needed to maintain its position at the top of the table.
The latest statistics reveal that there were approximately 2.7 million smartphone shipments in Malaysia during Q4 2012, bringing 2016 to a close with around a total of 8.8 million units shipped. “The market situation led local resellers to opt to upsell brands that not only have better margins, but have become popular with consumers, mainly Samsung and China brands such as Huawei, OPPO, and vivo. Budget- and brand-conscious consumers are increasingly opting for brands that have become globally renowned via aggressive marketing initiatives and well-built devices,” says Jensen Ooi, market analyst at IDC Asia/Pacific.
