Samsung came out on top of its rivals across the Southeast Asian (SEA) smartphone market segment in Q3, thanks to a combination of mid-range and premium products. Last year, Oppo led Samsung with a 1% market share difference, but in Q3 2021, the Korean tech giant dethroned its rival and kept pushing for a wider market share gap.
Samsung had a combined 19% market share in key Southeast Asian countries in Q3 2020 and 23% at the end of Q3 2021. Meanwhile, Oppo's market share declined from 20% to 19% YoY. Xiaomi increased its share but fell short of capturing the 2nd spot on the podium. Vivo lost a 3% market share, and Realme retained its 14%.
Even though Samsung increased its market share over rivals from China, Counterpoint Research reveals that smartphone shipments in key Southeast Asian markets, including Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, and Vietnam, have declined by around 11% (combined) year-on-year.
Galaxy flagships come to the rescue
Samsung owes its success in Q3 to the Galaxy A series, the Galaxy S21 trio, and the Galaxy Z Flip 3. The market research firm doesn't go into detail as to which smartphone models enjoyed the highest shipment figures, but mid-range and premium models alike appear to have been instrumental to this positive outcome in Q3.
5G is becoming a more important factor for smartphone customers in SEA markets, claims the market research firm. However, 5G is not the main selling point. Most smartphone buyers have focused on specifications such as display size and type, storage, and battery capacity.
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