According to the latest data released by the analyst agency Canalys, in the fourth quarter of 2023, smartphone shipments in the Middle East (excluding Turkey) reached 12.2 million units, up 24% year-on-year. Total shipments for the full year of 2023 reached 42.5 million units, an increase of 11% compared to 2022.
Manish Pr**Inkumar, senior consultant at Canalys, revealed that Xiaomi, Honor and Transsion have become the leaders in the sub-$200 segment. Among them, Xiaomi has focused on expanding its offline business in the region, and has also launched improved products such as the Redmi 12C, and improved its product competitiveness by reorganizing its team. Honor has launched flagship products such as the Honor Magic 5 Pro, and the XA B series models have been widely praised in Saudi Arabia and other markets. In addition, Motorola has also increased by a whopping 49%.
In terms of manufacturer rankings, in 2023, Samsung will rank first, with a market share of 34%, but it will decrease compared to 2022; Transsion (including sub-brands such as Tecno) and Xiaomi (including sub-brands Poco and Redmi) ranked second and third, respectively, and Apple ranked fourth, all of which increased their market share; Glory ranked fifth, with a market share of 5% and an annual growth rate of 156%.
As the regional economy continues to recover, the growth prospects of the smartphone market in the Middle East in 2024 are optimistic. As manufacturers expand into the region, they should prioritize building stronger channel partnerships. In addition, we should continue to improve our core competencies in line with local conditions and ensure profitability by improving our products.