Global smartphone shipments fell 6.7 percent on an annual basis in the third quarter to 331.2 million, reversing the double-digit growth experienced in the earlier quarters of the year. Chain and component shortages finally caught up with the smartphone market, affecting all vendors alike, the researchers said, adding that the constraints are not expected to ease until well into next year.
Stricter testing and quarantining policies delayed transportation and power supply constraints in China restricted the manufacturing of key components. Despite efforts to mitigate the impact, IDC has adjusted downwards all of the production targets at major vendors. The researcher noted that although a slight decrease was expected for the seasonally low Q3, the actual decline went over twice the forecasted decline of 2.9 percent.
Shipments sank in almost all regions of the world, with Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan and China) (APeJC) suffering the most, down 23.2 percent and 11.6 percent respectively. The declines were less pronounced in regions like the US, Western Europe, and China, off 0.2 percent, 4.6 percent and 4.4 percent, respectively, as these regions were given more priority by vendors.
Samsung topped all vendors, though supply constraints meant the company shipped 69 million units from 80.4 million the year before, with the market share slipping to 20.8 percent from 22.7 percent. Apple regained its second position, lifting units shipped by 20.8 percent to 50.4 million and growing its market share to 15.2 percent from 11.7 percent. Xiaomi shipments went 4.6 percent lower to 44.3 million, but its market share remained steady at 13.4 percent form 13.1 percent.
Vivo and Oppo tied for fourth place with shipments of 33.3 million and 33.2 million units, from 31.5 million and 30.6 million, and market shares climbing to 10.1 percent from 8.9 percent and to 10.0 percent from 8.6 percent respectively. Shipments at other manufacturers together went down to 101.1 million from 124.3 million, with the market share off at 30.5 percent from 35.0 percent.
