Analysis of High-End Smartphone Market
According to the data, global smartphone sales reached a staggering 1.17 billion units in 2023. Surprisingly, smartphones priced above $800 (equivalent to over 5500 yuan) accounted for only 30% of the total sales, which translates to approximately 350 million units. The majority of smartphone sales actually come from mid-range to low-end devices.
However, the real profit lies in the high-end segment, defined as smartphones priced above $800. On the other hand, mid-range to low-end devices primarily capture market share without generating substantial profits.
In recent years, after establishing a strong presence in the mid-range to low-end market, Chinese smartphone brands such as Huawei, Xiaomi, Honor, OPPO, and VIVO are striving to penetrate the high-end market. These brands have been progressively increasing their prices, aiming to compete with Apple in terms of pricing strategies.
Now, the question arises: which brand dominates the sales of smartphones priced above $800 on a global scale?
In Q4 of 2023, global smartphone sales reached around 320 million units, with sales of smartphones priced above $800 totaling approximately 90 million units, representing about 30% of the market share.
The image above displays the top 20 best-selling smartphones priced above $800 according to a certain research institution. From this list, Apple dominates with 9 out of the top 20 spots, with the top 5 spots exclusively held by Apple, accounting for a total of around 65.7 million units sold, representing approximately 73% of the market share.
Samsung secures the second position, with 5 of its models in the top 20, collectively selling around 8.1 million units, equating to a 9% market share.
Huawei follows closely in the third position, with 5 models in the top 20 as well, though positioned towards the lower end of the ranking. The total sales amount to around 6.15 million units, capturing a 7% market share.
Google secures a spot with one model, selling only 1.02 million units. Brands like Honor, Xiaomi, OPPO, and VIVO, among others, did not make it to the top 20 list, with relatively limited sales.
It is evident that Apple not only leads in sales but also maintains a strong market presence. On the other hand, apart from Huawei, most other Chinese brands have a stronger market presence than sales achievements.
It has been previously reported by institutions that Apple takes home 80% of the global smartphone profits, despite holding only a 20% market share. This is due to Apple’s focus on selling high-end devices with higher profit margins.
Therefore, Chinese smartphone brands need to step up their game. Profits in the low-end market are solely based on sales volume, not revenue. Only by following Apple’s strategy of dominating the high-end market can they achieve substantial profits.