Overview:

• Apple & Indian festival sales drive global sales; Supply shortages continue for all OEMs
  • The global smartphone market grew 8% MoM driven by the growth of Apple and the festive season sales in India. India's market grew 46% MoM driven by promotions, with brands depleting their excess inventory from September.
  • Sell-in also grew and was higher than sell-through for October. Sell-in in China grew as OEMs filled channels ahead of the singles day sales in November. South-East Asia market also continued to improve post-COVID lockdowns. Sell-in in the MEA market also increased as OEMs somewhat normalized supply, following the shortages during the last quarter. However, overall, demand continued to outstrip supply for all OEMs. Lower-tier 4G devices experienced more shortages as the supply chain prioritized higher-end and higher-margin products in several markets.
• Apple takes top spot globally and in China; Samsung continues to recover
  • Apple sales grew 17% MoM, as it surpassed Samsung to become the largest brand globally in October 2021. Sales could have grown more if it were not for shortages that held back key markets for Apple like the US. The Apple iPhone 13 became the best-selling model globally in October.
  • Apple became the #1 OEM in China for the first time ever. Apple is best positioned to capture the gap left by Huawei in the premium segment as other brands like Xiaomi, OPPO, vivo fail to develop sufficient brand power to command high prices. Apple was also the fastest growing brand in India as its sales crossed the million mark for the first time.
  • Samsung’s sales also recovered 7% MoM as supply across all regions improved. Supply restored in regions like MEA which saw severe shortages for Samsung in Q3. Sales in Europe, SEA, LA and India also grew for Samsung.
• Apple dominates the rise of the ultra-premium segment, while the share of sub-US$200 segment also increases
  • The ultra-premium segment continued to increase further in October driven by iPhone 13 sales. The share for Apple within the segment reached around 85% globally and over 90% in the US. The Pro models continue to be in high demand with supply remaining short. iPhone 13 was the best-selling model in the US$800 and above price segment globally.
  • The less than US$200 price band share increased during the month. This was driven by festive season sales in India. Over 70% of sales in the India market in October were within this price segment.
  • Samsung and Xiaomi both gained share in the US$100-US$199 segment. The Galaxy A12 was the best-selling model in the segment followed by the Galaxy M12. The Samsung Galaxy A12 was also the best-selling Android smartphone globally for third consecutive month.

Key Takeaways: