MediaTek Narrows Gap with Qualcomm to 2% in US Android Smartphone SoC Market
- MediaTek recorded its highest ever share (45%) of the US Android smartphone sales in April 2022.
- Qualcomm remained the top-selling Android SoC maker in the US smartphone market with a 47% share.
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Qualcomm led all Android SoC makers with a 47% share of US smartphone sales in April 2022, according to Counterpoint Research’s US Channel Share Tracker. MediaTek was a close second with a 45% share while Samsung and Google managed 6% and 3% share, respectively.
Commenting on MediaTek’s growth, Research Analyst Matthew Orf said, “MediaTek’s growth really took off last year with design wins for the Samsung Galaxy A12 and Galaxy A32 5G, which became huge hits in the prepaid market, selling over 5.2 and 3.8 million devices respectively in 2021. The chipmaker’s growth has continued with key design wins again within Samsung for the Galaxy A03s and Galaxy A13 5G, as well as in Motorola with the Moto G Pure and Moto G Power 2022.”
MediaTek’s growth has also been related to a rise in white-label device sales. Senior Research Analyst Hanish Bhatia said, “Carriers were also aggressive with white-label devices to fill the market gaps in the low-end price band. In 2021, carriers partnered with ODMs such as Tinno, Wingtech and Foxconn to push 5G-enabled white-label devices in the sub-$250 price band. Dish and Visible also launched white-label devices for the first time, following in AT&T and T-Mobile's footsteps. MediaTek accounted for 91% of the ~800,000 white-label devices sold during Q1 2022.”
Qualcomm’s market share has declined but remains strong in the premium (>$800) Android segment. Commenting on Qualcomm’s performance, Senior Research Analyst Maurice Klaehne said, “While Qualcomm’s share has declined in the US market's sub-$250 Android segment, it has a dominant position in the premium Android market and the mid-range Android market ($250-$800). Qualcomm recorded a 93% share in the $800 and above segment of the Android market in April, and a 64% share in the $250-$800 Android segment, with strong demand for the Snapdragon-powered Galaxy S22 series. Qualcomm’s position in the premium Android market is entrenched and we do not expect it to lose ground in this key high-revenue market. The Snapdragon brand continues to be sought after by Android OEMs and users alike as the name has become synonymous with high performance and reliability.”
Commenting on the competition between the chipmakers, Research Director Jeff Fieldhack said, “MediaTek’s growth in the budget segment is impressive and now it is looking to target the mid-range and premium segments of the US smartphone market. MediaTek recently announced its Dimensity 1050 chipset, its first mmWave-capable 5G chipset. MmWave capability is a necessity at Verizon and preferred by AT&T for mid-range and premium devices. This chipset should allow MediaTek to compete for design wins in the mid-range and premium segments, where Qualcomm competes with Google and Samsung. Google’s tensor chipset has been popular with consumers due to its strong AI and machine learning features, helping the Google Pixel 6 drive stronger sales than the Pixel 5. The new Pixel 6a, priced at just $449, will feature Google’s silicon and should help keep its share steady. Meanwhile, Samsung chips have picked up a bit this year with the Galaxy A13 LTE and Galaxy A53 5G powered by Exynos chips.”
Background
Counterpoint Technology Market Research is a global research firm specializing in products in the TMT (technology, media and telecom) industry. It services major technology and financial firms with a mix of monthly reports, customized projects and detailed analyses of the mobile and technology markets. Its key analysts are seasoned experts in the high-tech industry.
Analyst contacts:
Matthew Orf matt.orf@counterpointresearch.com
Maurice Klaehne maurice@counterpointresearch.com
Jeff Fieldhack jeff@counterpointresearch.com
Hanish Bhatia hanish@counterpointresearch.com
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Counterpoint Research is a global industry and market research firm providing market data, intelligence, thought leadership and consulting across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of global clients spanning the supply chain – from chipmakers, component suppliers, manufacturers and software and application developers to service providers, channel players and investors. Our veteran team of analysts serve these clients through our offices located across the key innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers globally. Our analysts consistently engage with C-suite through to strategy, market intelligence, supply chain, R&D, product management, marketing, sales and others across the organization. Counterpoint’s key coverage areas: AI, Automotive, Cloud, Connectivity, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks & Infra, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables.
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