Despite a decline in global smartphone sales, Samsung just recorded its highest monthly market share in five years. The world’s largest smartphone maker captured almost one-fourth (24 percent) of the global market in April 2022. That’s the company’s highest single-month market share since April 2017 when it accounted for 25 percent of smartphones sold globally.
According to research firm Counterpoint Research, global smartphone shipments dropped eight percent year-on-year (YoY) in April 2022. The firm attributed the decline to COVID-19 lockdowns in China and the global inflation crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war. The market reached its lowest level since the coronavirus pandemic struck in 2020.
However, Samsung wasn’t impeded by any of this. The Korean behemoth registered a nine percent YoY growth during the same period. This growth enabled it to lead the global market for the third consecutive month this year. It also became the biggest smartphone brand in India last month for the first time since August 2020.
Several factors contributed to Samsung’s growth against the market decline. Firstly, the company hardly has a presence in China, so the lockdowns in the world’s largest smartphone market didn’t affect its business much. Instead, it enabled the Galaxy maker to focus on the next two biggest markets, India and the US. Its robust supply chain helped the South Korean firm strengthen its hold in these two markets.
On the other hand, China is a big market for most other brands, including Apple. The lockdowns in the country affected their business, further helping Samsung increase its market share. Strong sales of the Galaxy S22 series flagships, as well as the newly-launched Galaxy A models, enabled the Korean firm to post its highest monthly sales figure in five years. Counterpoint expects Samsung to retain its lead for the April to June 2022 period, and possibly beyond as well.
Smartphone sales will decline in 2022, including those of Samsung
The eight percent YoY decline in smartphone sales in April 2022 doesn’t come as a surprise. Industry watchers were already expecting that. Perhaps the smartphone market will see a decline for the whole year. Even Samsung sees that happening and has already adjusted its sales target for 2022. The company initially aimed of selling more than 300 million smartphones this year. But with a situation not showing signs of improvement, it has now lowered the target by ten percent to 270 million units. It now remains to be seen how strong the smartphone market holds for the rest of the year.