Canalys: the smartphone market decreases by 11% in the second quarter but shows signs of recovery

The smartphone market is in bad shape after six consecutive quarters of declining shipments, but Canalys reports that there is light at the end of the tunnel as analysts have spotted the first signs of recovery.

Global smartphone shipments still fell 11% year-on-year, a bit better than the 12% drop in the first quarter, albeit only slightly. However, inventory is cleaning up with vendors looking to phase out older models to make room for new launches. They are also trying to secure a supply of key components to hedge against a sudden price hike.

The top 5 smartphone makers maintained their positions from the previous quarter, although some declined more than others (for example, Apple dropped from 21% in the first quarter to 17% in the second, while Samsung remained relatively stable, falling from 22% to 21%).

Xiaomi climbed 2 percentage points on the back of strong demand for new Redmi models. Likewise, vivo’s affordable Y-series is proving to be quite popular. Oppo and OnePlus are doing well in their core markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Note: Canalys combines Oppo and OnePlus numbers but tracks vivo separately.

“Oppo, vivo, Transsion and Xiaomi are increasing their market share in the sub-$200 price range through increased sales incentives and retail aggressiveness,” said Le Xuan Chiew, an analyst at Canalys. They are not alone. Canalys noted “increasing investment in the channel in the form of channel incentives and targeted marketing campaigns to stimulate consumer demand for new launches, driving channel activity.”