• Thailand’s overall smartphone shipments fell 2% YoY in Q1 2024 due to slow economic recovery.
• 5G smartphone shipment share reaches 52% in Q1 2024, helped by a 19% YoY growth in shipments.
• Apple shipments up 30% YoY in Q1 2024, with iPhone 15 leading in the premium segment.
• Xiaomi shipments climb 30% YoY, $200-$399 segment top gainer with 157% YoY surge.
• Samsung leads market with an 18% share, despite a 15% YoY decline in shipments.

Jakarta, Hong Kong, London, Boston, Toronto, New Delhi, Beijing, Taipei, Seoul – May 16, 2024

Thailand’s 5G smartphone shipments increased 19% YoY in Q1 2024, amid a 2% YoY fall in overall smartphone shipments, according to the latest research from Counterpoint’s Monthly Thailand Smartphone Tracker. Consequently, Thailand’s 5G smartphone shipment share climbed to 52% during the quarter, surpassing the 50% mark for the first time. 5G smartphones performed well in Q1 2024 as OEMs offered feature-rich devices with 5G capabilities in the low-end segment (<$200), which increased demand and fueled a strong 86% YoY growth in the price category.

Notes: Xiaomi includes Redmi and Poco; vivo includes iQOO.

Apple's robust marketing strategy, coupled with ongoing discounts on iPhones, resulted in a double-digit YoY percentage growth in Q1 2024. The demand for the iPhone 15 continued to grow in Thailand, with the model accounting for 31% of Apple’s portfolio in Q1 2024, nearly double that of its predecessor, the iPhone 14.

Xiaomi, which opted for a broader portfolio approach, witnessed strong performance across the low-, mid- and high-end price segments. However, the mid-price ($200-$399) segment stood out as the key differentiator, as shipments surged 157% YoY in the price band following the launch of the Redmi Note 13 and M6 Pro series. Meanwhile, the low-end category gained significant traction with the Redmi 13C.

Samsung led the smartphone market in Q1 2024 with an 18% share, despite a 15% YoY decline in shipments. Samsung suffered significant losses primarily in the low-end segment (<$200) due to stiff competition from Chinese brands. Samsung has been focusing on the mid-range ($200-$399) price segment, where its shipments rose 56% YoY largely driven by the Galaxy A15 5G, Galaxy A25 and Galaxy A34.

Outlook

Thailand’s smartphone market started showing positive signs in March, with OEMs lining up to release new devices featuring the latest technology, including product enhancements, AI integration and long-lasting battery solutions. We can expect 5G smartphone shipments to rise further as 5G coverage rapidly expands nationwide and consumers increasingly adopt the technology.

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.

Follow Counterpoint Research

press(at)counterpointresearch.com