2016/07/28 Strategy Analytics: Global Smartphone Shipments Grow 1 Percent in Q2 2016

Boston, MA - July 27, 2016 – According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global smartphone shipments grew 1 percent annually to reach 340 million units in Q2 2016. Samsung maintained first position with 23 percent global smartphone marketshare, while OPPO grew 137 percent annually and was the star performer.

Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, said, “Global smartphone shipments grew a sluggish 1 percent annually from 338.0 million units in Q2 2015 to 340.4 million in Q2 2016. Smartphone growth has slowed due to increasing penetration maturity in major markets like China and uncertainty surrounding major political events such as the Brexit EU referendum result. However, there are emerging signs that the global smartphone market has reached a bottom in the first half of 2016, and the growth outlook for the second half of this year is brighter due to multiple big new product launches from Samsung, Apple and others.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Samsung shipped 77.6 million smartphones worldwide in Q2 2016, growing a healthy 8 percent annually from 71.9 million units in Q2 2015. Samsung maintained first position with 23 percent share for the quarter, up from 21 percent a year ago. With a new Galaxy Note 7 flagship model rumored to be on the way, Samsung will be able to strengthen its smartphone leadership into the second half of the year. Apple fell 15 percent annually and shipped a disappointing 40.4 million smartphones worldwide in Q2 2016. Apple’s global smartphone marketshare has softened from 14 percent to 12 percent in the past year. Apple continues to face iPhone fatigue among consumers and the new iPhone SE model has not been able to stem that trend.”

Woody Oh, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “Huawei maintained third position with 9 percent global smartphone marketshare in Q2 2016, broadly the same level as a year ago. Huawei’s smartphone growth rate has slowed dramatically, to just 5 percent annually in Q2 2016, compared with 52 percent annual growth in Q2 2015. Huawei is facing rising competition from OPPO, Samsung, Vivo and others, and Huawei’s recent growth spurt has slammed to a halt.”

Linda Sui, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “OPPO shipped 18.0 million smartphones and maintained fourth position with a record 5 percent global smartphone marketshare in Q2 2016. OPPO grew 137 percent annually in the quarter, outperforming all its major rivals. OPPO is very popular in China and is internationalizing rapidly across India, Asia and other emerging markets. OPPO is a rising smartphone star to watch. Xiaomi clung on to fifth place with 4 percent global smartphone marketshare in Q2 2016, tumbling from 6 percent a year ago. Xiaomi remains under pressure from OPPO, Vivo and others across China, while its performance in new markets like India has so far been lacklister.”

Exhibit 1: Global Smartphone Vendor Shipments and Marketshare in Q2 2016  [1]