• The global wireless charging smartphone market expanded by 2% YoY in Q3 2023.
• The overall smartphone market’s ‘premiumization’ trend is driving the wireless charging market's expansion.
• In 2023, the wireless charging smartphone market is projected to see a 2% YoY growth.
• Qi2-compatible chargers are set to be available by the end of 2023.

The global wireless charging smartphone market expanded by 2% YoY in Q3 2023, while the share of wireless charging smartphones in the overall smartphone market reached a record 26%, according to the latest Counterpoint Research Model Tracker.

Global Wireless Charging Smartphone Sales, Q3 2022 - Q3 2023

Despite a global smartphone market downturn, the ‘premiumization’ trend (smartphones with a wholesale price of more than $700) driven by consumer upgrades is holding strong. This trend, in turn, is directly connected with the wireless charging market's expansion, as the feature is predominantly found in flagship models.

In terms of brands, Apple dominated the wireless charging smartphone market in 2022 with a share of 71%. However, it experienced a decline in Q3 2023, resulting in a 6% points reduction in market share to settle at 62%. This was due to the Android OEMs' expansion in the wireless charging market.

Wireless Charging Smartphone Sales Share by Android Brand, Q3 2022-Q3 2023

Android brands experienced a notable 23% YoY growth in Q3 2023. This can be attributed to the strategic portfolio focus on flagship models with wireless charging features, particularly led by Chinese brands, notably Huawei. Huawei’s Mate 60 series, equipped with its proprietary 5G chip, saw a nearly twofold increase in popularity compared to the previous year. Xiaomi, with its flagship models in the 11 to 13 series, recorded a remarkable 112% annual growth to secure a 15% market share.

While Samsung continues to dominate over half of the market with its S series, the brand’s Q3 sales witnessed a 2% YoY decline, resulting in a 13% points decrease in its market share. On the other hand, Google’s introduction of wireless charging technology in the budget-friendly Pixel 7a contributed to a sales surge of over 2x.

This year, the wireless charging smartphone market is projected to see a 2% YoY growth driven by robust sales of Huawei's Mate 60 series and the positive impact of Samsung's newly launched S23 FE series. Consequently, the share of wireless charging smartphones in the overall smartphone market is expected to increase by 2.3% points to reach a notable 30%.

With the introduction of Qi 2.0 wireless charging standard, based on Apple’s MagSafe technology, the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) has confirmed that Qi2-compatible chargers are set to be available by the end of 2023. The anticipated advancements in wireless charging technology are poised to act as a catalyst for the surge in demand for wireless charging.