Smartphones made Samsung remains the top choice in Malaysia according to the latest data from market research firm, International Data Corporation (IDC).
The IDC Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker for the first quarter of 2022 (1Q22) in Malaysia reveals that Samsung had a 33.9% market share in Malaysia followed by Xiaomi at 24.4%, OPPO at 12.9%, vivo 11.7% and realme at 7.8%.
The iPhone made by Apple did not make it to the top 5 of the list.
IDC said Malaysia’s smartphone shipments declined 21.7% quarter over quarter (QoQ) in the first quarter of 2022 (1Q22). Despite this, four(4) of the Top smartphone makers gained market share in Q1 2022 except for Xiaomi.
The market research firm said the drop in smartphone shipments was due to supply challenges for low-end 4G models, especially from the Chinese vendors, impacting volumes and allocations. Also, the cost of living climbed in Malaysia since the start of 2022, hitting essential goods and other baskets, lowering consumers’ budget for smartphones.
IDC projects a decline of 5% for the Malaysia smartphone market in 2022.
“Supply constraints for Android’s 4G low-end models will make it a challenge for most vendors to meet the demand. On the other hand, the slowing down in demand will lower shipments of higher-priced models. While the increase in minimum wage from May 1st was meant to ease conditions for low-income consumers, businesses are increasing prices to counter the rising costs of materials and logistics as well as higher wages. Retail is growing back its share as more consumers are buying less through the eTail and telco channels. 2021 had a higher base due to subsidies and online promotions,” it said.
| Malaysia Smartphone Market, Top 5 Company Shipments, Market Share, and Year-Over-Year Growth, Q1 2022 (shipments in thousands) | |||||
| Company | 2022Q1 Shipments | 2022Q1 Market Share | 2021Q1 Shipments | 2021Q1 Market Share | YoY Growth |
| 1. Samsung | 784.6 | 33.9% | 830.3 | 25.6% | -5.5% |
| 2. Xiaomi | 562.1 | 24.3% | 794.5 | 24.5% | -29.3% |
| 3. OPPO | 298.3 | 12.9% | 456.5 | 14.1% | -34.7% |
| 4. vivo | 269.4 | 11.7% | 632.5 | 19.5% | -57.4% |
| 5. realme | 181.4 | 7.8% | 261.5 | 8.1% | -30.6% |
| Others | 216.1 | 9.3% | 270.7 | 8.3% | -20.2% |
| Total | 2311.9 | 100.0% | 3245.9 | 100.0% | -28.8% |
| Source: IDC Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, 2022Q1 | |||||
| Note: * All figures are rounded off | |||||
Top 5 Smartphone Vendor Highlights, according to IDC:
Samsung maintained its leadership position despite declining by 5% QoQ in 1Q22. The new Galaxy S22 lineup was in high demand, with some variants being out of stock for some time. Rising costs hit the new Galaxy A series, and 2022 refreshes came at a higher price compared to last year. Nevertheless, Samsung was the leader in the 4G space with nearly 38% share of that segment.
Xiaomi was the only Top 5 brand to record a QoQ growth, recording just shy of a 5% increase in 1Q22. Xiaomi faced some supply tightness in March going into April and the brand didn’t ship any models within the sub-US$100 segment, but the new Redmi Note 11 Pro was its top model in the mid-range and its aggressive retail expansion continued. Numerous stores and kiosks are opening across the country as inperson shopping is recovering.
OPPO came in third place despite declining both YoY and QoQ. Shipments of 4G models for OPPO’s A series were impacted due to supply issues. At the same time, OPPO offered price cuts and bundles to improve the sluggish sales of the mid-range. OPPO’s effort to break into the premium space continued with more concept stores to offer a better user experience and lift the brand’s mindshare with consumers.
vivo was also impacted by the lower allocation of 4G models to Malaysia. In 1Q22, it came in fourth place with a YoY decline of over 57%. vivo’s eTail shipments stayed consistent despite the lifting of restrictions and the rise of retail shopping. vivo sees a great growth opportunity for the brand in the >MYR1,000 (>US$230) segment in the future for its V series.
realme returned to the Top 5 list in Malaysia in 1Q22. While the brand slipped by nearly 31% QoQ, it managed to increase its market share to 7.4%, up by 1.4 percentage points. realme stayed strong in the low-end segment where demand was soaring with the C series, using Unisoc chipsets for its entry-level models.
[PDF]– IDC
