When the mobile phone industry is picking up, the folding screen that is growing against the trend has once again attracted attention. According to TrendForce research, global foldable phone shipments will be 15.6 million units in 2023, up 25% year-on-year, and global foldable phone shipments are expected to be approximately 17.7 million units in 2024, up 10% year-on-year. Although the growth rate has slowed down, the popularity of folding screens has not diminished at all, and major smartphone brands have entered the folding mobile phone, which is regarded by the industry as a "battleground".
Transsion Holdings is also actively expanding its product line to include foldable screen mobile phones, and its sub-brand Tecno has launched folding screen mobile phones Phantom V Fold and Phantom V Flip, focusing on the high-end smartphone market. Entering 2024, Transsion's actions in folding screens are still worth paying attention to.
Folding screen mobile phones are "on fire", and Transsion seeks opportunities with technology
Compared with traditional mobile phones, the biggest feature of folding screen mobile phones is that they can freely convert between the size of mobile phones and tablets, providing a more flexible use experience: they maintain the portability of ordinary mobile phones in the folded state, and provide a large screen experience similar to that of a tablet computer in the unfolded state, making users more efficient when multitasking.
Therefore, folding screen mobile phones naturally have high-end product attributes and require all kinds of new process technologies, including hinge technology, flexible screen technology, folding appearance design, hovering technology, etc. Despite its relatively high level, its innovative design and unique user experience still attract many users who are looking for technology and fresh experiences.
The domestic folding screen market is also extremely hot. Recently, the latest report released by the International Data Corporation (IDC) shows that the shipment volume of China's folding screen mobile phone market in 2023 will be about 70070,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 1145%。IDC China senior analyst pointed out that folding screen mobile phones are still the key products of manufacturers in 2024, and the participation of more manufacturers will continue to promote the rapid development of the folding screen mobile phone market.
As one of the representatives of Chinese technology companies going overseas, Transsion Holdings has been actively exploring new technologies and market opportunities, and folding screen mobile phones have demonstrated its strength in product research and development and technological innovation.
This is fully demonstrated by the Phantom V Fold, a folding screen mobile phone launched by TECNO, a brand of Transsion, for the first time to the international market. It is understood that the mobile phone is fully polished by TECNO based on the in-depth study of the mobile phone usage habits of different users around the world, not only equipped with 120Hz, 21:9 external screen, ultra-clear five-camera fusion image system, integrated traceless vision, but also equipped with MediaTek D9000+ flagship chip, deeply customized HIOS13 Fold folding screen operating system, in performance, operating system, display effect, product design and other aspects have strong competitiveness.
Judging from the reviews on social media and the overall market feedback, the Phantom V Fold has received some attention and praise in the African market, and the Tecno has become another important player in the folding smartphone market.
With emerging markets as the core, Transsion has demonstrated resilience
Entering 2024, Transsion's market strategy to expand its product line continues, and the update and iteration of its folding screen mobile phones is also one of the highlights of the industry. However, behind this, it is TRANSSION's strong technological innovation strength and R&D investment that cannot be ignored.
It is understood that Transsion regards technological innovation as one of the company's core strategies, and has established independent R&D centers in Shanghai, Shenzhen and Chongqing, China. Transsion continues to increase its R&D investment, and statistics show that in the first three quarters of 2023, Transsion Holdings invested 16 percent in R&D9.1 billion yuan, an increase of 1 year-on-year$8.9 billion. R&D investment in the next three years will exceed 5.2 billion yuan.
The continuous high investment has enabled TRANSSION to build efficient user and technology-driven innovation and R&D capabilities more quickly, continuously expand its competitive advantage in localized technological innovation in emerging markets, and enhance user value and experience. At present, Transsion has carried out a large number of scientific and technological innovation research in line with the usage habits of local users in the fields of artificial intelligence speech recognition and visual perception, dark skin tone camera algorithms, intelligent charging and super power saving, cloud system software, intelligent data engine, hardware new material application innovation, and OS system.
In addition to the mobile phone business, Transsion has also expanded its smart terminal peripheral products such as home appliances and accessories, as well as the mobile Internet business, building a rich and diverse ecosystem of "mobile phone + mobile Internet + home appliances and digital accessories", bringing vitality to emerging markets.
Under the new market challenges, TRANSSION has continuously optimized and improved its development strategy, carried out product technology research and development and innovation in the market, and steadily carried out market layout, which has gained both brand performance and word of mouth.
According to Transsion Holdings' latest annual performance forecast, for the whole year of 2023, Transsion Holdings expects operating income to exceed 62 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of more than 30%, and net profit attributable to shareholders of listed companies to about 5.5 billion yuan, doubling year-on-year. Prior to this, the international data agency Canalys released the global smartphone market data for the fourth quarter of 2023, and Transsion Holdings' smartphone shipments in the fourth quarter reached 28.2 million units, a year-on-year increase of 686%, jumping to the fourth place in the global smartphone market for the first time, Transsion is in the limelight.
In January this year, TECNO, a brand of Transsion, as the official and exclusive mobile phone brand sponsor of the "Africa Cup", not only sponsored and supported the event, but also announced the launch of a pan-African football public welfare program before the opening of the Africa Cup of Nations, renovating 100 community football stadiums in more than 10 African countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal and Kenya in the next five years, so that African teenagers who love football can pursue their dreams in safe and complete community stadiums, which greatly demonstrates TRANSSION's corporate responsibility.
With the development of science and technology and the progress of society, Transsion focuses not only on products and technologies, but also on the market itself, which is also the reason for its transformation from a single mobile phone manufacturer to a diversified technology enterprise. Perhaps, whoever understands the market will also understand the true meaning of development.