2021 will finally come to an end. Various smartphones were introduced by various companies this year as well. Let's take a look at the changes in the market this year, both overseas and domestic, to see if there has been a change in the composition of Samsung, which has the top share, Apple, which is a luxury line, and Chinese manufacturers, which are experiencing remarkable growth. [Photo] July-September 2021 Global smartphone share Apple was the one that greatly expanded its share in the global smartphone market in 2021. According to an IDC survey, the market share in the third quarter of 2021 (July-September) was 15.2%, and the number of vehicles sold increased by 20.8% compared to the same period last year. In addition, according to a Global Stats survey, Apple's global market share in October-December this year is higher than Samsung. There is no doubt that this is due to the "iPhone 13 series" released in September. According to the data from October to December last year in the same survey, Apple's share was the second largest, so it can be said that the iPhone 13 was more widely accepted by customers than the "iPhone 12 series". On the other hand, China's Huawei has lost a lot of market share. The company has been banned from exporting parts and software from the United States, and cannot install the latest software and communication chips in its products. Against this background, China's Xiaomi, which has the third largest share in the world, has been greatly opened. In the domestic smartphone market, Apple's strongest system will continue in 2021. According to IDC Japan's report, Apple's share in the third quarter of 2021 was 42.7%, which is not much different from 43.9% in the same period of the previous year. However, the mens in second place and below have changed significantly. In particular, Sony has increased its market share the most, jumping from 5.9% in 2020 to 11% in 2021. Sony has developed the smartphone "Xperia series" with a diverse lineup from the middle range to the high end, and seems to have captured the hearts of consumers. Samsung also gained an 8% share in the third quarter of 2021. The introduction of highly original products such as the foldable smartphone "Galaxy Z series" seems to be a factor in expanding the market share. Looking at the movements of the global and Japanese smartphone markets in this way, it can be seen that the momentum of the two major players, Samsung and Apple, has not diminished, but rather is showing signs of growth in the future. Samsung seems to be planning further improvements such as incorporating a stylus pen in the high-end model of the flagship smartphone "Galaxy S22" which is rumored to be released next time. On the other hand, it is worrisome that the share of Chinese manufacturers, which had been gaining momentum so far, is declining. Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo and others are enthusiastically introducing unique technologies, but it seems that Huawei's decline has had a major impact. Even after more than 14 years have passed since the appearance of the first iPhone, the smartphone market still has room for growth. I'm really looking forward to seeing what new products will be introduced by Apple, Samsung, and Chinese manufacturers in the future. (Source) https://gs.statcounter.com/vendor-market-share/mobile/worldwide/#monthly-202012-202112 https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS48342021 https://www. idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prJPJ48393521
Naoki Tsukamoto
