• Philippines’ smartphone shipments increased 5% YoY in 2021 but decreased 10% YoY in Q4 2021.
• Samsung led the market in 2021 with a 22.4% share, followed by realme at 20.9%, OPPO at 18.5% and vivo at 16.2%.
• Online channels grew 34% YoY due to pandemic-induced trends.

Beijing, Seoul, Taipei, London, Boston, Toronto, New Delhi, Hong Kong – February 17, 2022

Philippines’ smartphone shipments fell 10% YoY in Q4 2021 but increased 5% YoY in 2021, according to Counterpoint Research’s Philippines Monthly Smartphone Channel Share Tracker. The third-biggest smartphone market in Southeast Asia experienced a COVID-19 lockdown in the first half of 2021. But with an increasing vaccination rate (45.3% fully vaccinated at the end of 2021) and e-commerce gaining popularity, the second half of 2021 witnessed a 42% increase over the first half. The market is expected to regain normalcy in 2022, although elections during the year may cause some uncertainty.

Top OEMs’ Market Share in Philippines, 2020 vs 2021

Source: Counterpoint Research’s Monthly Philippines Channel Share Tracker
Notes: Xiaomi includes POCO and Redmi; OPPO includes OnePlus.

In terms of market share in 2021, the top four OEMs were the same as in 2020. But Samsung took the first spot from vivo with a 44% YoY increase in 2021. realme made a switch with OPPO for the No. 2 position. Senior Research Analyst Ivan Lam said, “Samsung’s good show was driven by its stronger supply chain. After resolving the supply and production issues in Vietnam, Samsung seized the opportunity and came up with a strategy to turn around in the Southeast Asian markets. It launched channel campaigns targeting both wider and specific customer groups. The brand maintained its uptrend in the market from Q2 2021 to the last quarter of the year. realme scored big by bringing in affordable models to target users upgrading from entry-level devices. Its C series continued to be popular among the Philippines consumers. realme’s growth was also driven by its online presence.”

E-commerce is growing very fast in Southeast Asia. In the Philippines market, online channels accounted for 16% of the total shipments in 2021 with nearly 34% YoY growth.

Senior Research Analyst Glen Cardoza said, “With the rise of Dito, Smart and Globe Telecom have been actively expanding the 5G reach to face the competition. 5G device penetration also increased in 2021. In terms of overall price band trends, some gains were seen in the mid-tier segment. While the sub-$150 segment’s contribution declined from 60% in 2020 to 40% in 2021, the $250-$499 segment saw a significant increase due to users upgrading to higher segments or 5G phones, and OEMs pushing mid-tier devices due to the ongoing component shortages.”

Top OEMs’ Market Share in Philippines, Q4 2020 vs Q4 2021

Source: Counterpoint Research’s Monthly Philippines Channel Share Tracker
Notes: Xiaomi includes POCO and Redmi; OPPO includes OnePlus.

Philippines’ smartphone shipments decreased 10% YoY in Q4 2021. Lam said, “The COVID-19 restrictions, including on offline retail, were relaxed only at the end of the quarter. Consumer spending also remained impacted due to stagnant household incomes.”

Samsung took the first position in Q4 2021 with its shipments rising 22% YoY. The second position was taken by realme with an 8% YoY increase. Lam added, “OPPO and vivo both experienced a 4G SoC shortage and were forced to prioritize supplies for their home market China.”

Commenting on 2022 expectations, Lam said, “The Philippines economy expanded by 5.6% in 2021 after logging 7.7% growth in the fourth quarter. Relaxations in pandemic-related restrictions buoyed business activity. Therefore, 2022 should have a bright start. However, we need to factor in any uncertainty related to the elections that are to be held on May 9.”

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You can also visit our Data Section (updated quarterly) to view the smartphone market share for World, US, China and India.

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:

Ivan Lam

Glen Cardoza

Tarun Pathak

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