Canalys: Smartphone sales dip 11pc during first quarter

A number of factors have been blamed for the dip in sales, including the Ukraine-Russia fallout

Global smartphone sales dropped 11 per cent during the first quarter of 2022, according to Canalys figures.

The drop has been attributed to ‘unfavourable economic conditions’ plus a sluggish demand during the first quarter of 2022.

These unfavourable economic conditions relate to COVID-19 which has led to China’s rolling lockdowns, the threat of inflation and also the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Samsung led the way for most smartphones shipped during the quarter with 24 per cent market share, with sales up 19pc from the previous quarter.

Apple followed behind in second with 18 per cent share, while Xiaomi occupied third with 13pc.

Oppo, with 10 per cent share and Vivo with eight per cent, completed the top five.

Broadening 

The vendors were able to boost growth by developing broader device portfolios for 2022, said Canalys analyst Sanyam Chaurasia.

“While the iPhone 13 series continues to capture consumer demand, the new iPhone SE launched in March is becoming an important mid-range volume driver for Apple.

“At the same time, Samsung ramped up production of its popular A series to compete aggressively in the mid-to-low-end segment while refreshing its 2022 portfolio, including its flagship Galaxy S22 series. While Chinese vendors are still suffering supply constraints at the low end, their global expansion is being hampered by a slowdown in their home market.”